PRESS RELEASE: A Virus Creates a Renaissance of the Arts in Australia
There’s an old saying: “the idle mind is the devil’s workshop”, going as far back as Chaucer in the 1100s, where he wrote ‘idle hands are the devil’s tools’.
Life was different back in the twelfth century. One worked from wake to sleep. There was little leisure or ‘me time’. For the working class, hands were not idle.
Fast forward to 2020 and we have 40-hour work weeks. There are 168 hours in the week and we need only work 40 of them. Mankind’s ‘me time’ has come a long way since the twelfth century.
And now thanks to COVID-19, over the past month, many Aussies cannot go to work due to government mandates. People have been asking themselves this question day in, day out: what am I going to do today with all my free time?
One thing we have all learned in the past 30 days is that you shouldn’t keep binging on Netflix.
English philosopher Colin Wilson wrote: “too much inactivity rather than promoting mental health tends to breed unhappiness and a plethora of psychological problems.”
In other words, instead of being inactive, one must create, and by creating he will invigorate himself keep from slipping into ‘the feels’.
Casey Bautista, Director of Life With Paint, Australia’s largest group art class company, said “We, at Life With Paint are no strangers to this concept. We see the transformation of normal every-day people who sit down, never having painted before and after two hours of helpful instruction end up with their very own masterpiece, painted all by themselves. The feeling of pride and accomplishment is something to behold. It is very de-stressing.
American writer, LR Hubbard described this as “The joy of creating”
“People are happier when they create, whether it is music, writing, painting, dance. It doesn’t even have to be art. As long as something is being built or made”, Casey continued.
American philosopher Richard Taylor touched on the joy of creating in his book Restoring Pride, “It increases our possibility of being able to attain the rare state of pride… you must cultivate an extraordinary skill in a specific domain and thus attain personal excellence of the kind that sets you apart from others.
And Aussies across the country are doing just that.
A movement has started. Musical instruments, art supplies are selling out. Aussies are getting creative.
“We have moved our business online with step-by-step video painting classes & painting kits, and they have been flying out the door”, said Casey.
Customers can order Life With Paint’s videos with or without the supplies and they are posted to your door.
From birthday paint parties via video-conferencing platforms to human resources teams buying kits for staff, Mr. Bautista said there have been many creative uses of the new system.
“It’s so important right now to keep creative so you’re not just stuck at home looking at Netflix all day,” he said. I think it’s something that will keep going, even when we’re allowed to do classes again in public again. People just love doing it at home. They’ll be able to do their own parties at home. Even Bruce Willis & fam are doing it.”
For more information about getting creative with online painting classes please visit: www.lifewithpaint.com
