ArtSites Updates

According to a new study out of Germany, making art can help keep your mental faculties strong as you age!

In this ten-week study, half of a group (made up of 28 individuals aged 62 to 70) was given art-making classes in which they were introduced to various painting and drawing techniques.

They then created their own artworks!

The other half took art appreciation classes, learning how to analyze paintings and participate in group discussions.

Through brain scans, researchers found that individuals who had actually made art showed a greater increase in brain function than those who merely learned how to appreciate it better.

"The second set of brain scans found increased levels of functional connectivity among those who participated in the hands-on art class—but, again, not among members of the art appreciation class. The improvement was specifically found within the brain’s default mode network, which is associated with cognitive processes such as introspection, self-monitoring, and memory."

What a really interesting study!

(Although I'm sure for many of you, this is NOT that surprising! ;-)

Here's a link to more details about this German study.

So, keep up your artwork!

Your art is definitely helping you maintain your mental faculties! :-)