Art as relaxation - painting helps reduce stress and regain inner peace

Painting lessons in Riga and creative master classes help people not only learn a new hobby, but also improve their emotional well-being, organize their thoughts and disconnect from the daily rush.

Painting as a creative break from stress

People often come to the "Mākslas pieturā" with different goals - someone wants to learn painting for beginners, another is looking for a creative activity to relieve stress.

Some participants start with a desire to learn the technique, but quickly discover that the most important thing is inner peace and the process, not the result.

Other participants choose creative classes for women because they want to:

• disconnect from everyday life 
• reduce stress 
• find time for yourself

Painting as therapy and emotional balance

More and more people are finding that art and painting help to relieve stress and reduce emotional tension.

Participants say that:

• the mind becomes calmer 
• thoughts settle 
• the body relaxes

This experience is often described as art therapy without pressure or judgment.

How painting changes the perception of the world

Regular painting lessons for adults change the way people see the world.

Participants begin to notice:

• the play of light and shadow 
• color nuances in nature 
• beauty in everyday details

It helps develop mindfulness and a sense of presence, which reduces stress.

Real experience from painting lessons

The experience of the participants of "Mākslas Pieturās" shows how strongly painting can affect the emotional state of adults.

Real participants stories from the classes

Solvita:

"Painting was a foreign thing to me. I came with internal anxiety (which lasted for 3 weeks already). Ilvija explained everything understandingly, encouraged and helped. When I started to do it, my thoughts became quieter, the stress decreased. The class went quickly, interestingly, and I really liked the result! Now I come to the class once a week with pleasure. Thank you, Ilvija!"

Solvita:

"Lessons give me peace, an opportunity to listen to myself and relax. When I paint, time stops. I have started to see nature more beautiful - to stop, look, feel..."

Ilze:

"Why I paint and how it started🤔

I had participated in 2 team events, where we painted and went home with our paintings. I liked it. And I had the feeling that I wanted more. And so I continued to only want until I met Ilvija at an event. We got to know each other, we talked and ... it turns out she is an artist and you can go paint with her! When Ilvija wrote that there was such a possibility - I could not postpone it any longer!

And then I got to know this process in a completely different way. The painting is the result - and it is beautiful and personal. However, the painting process itself has its own side effect 😄. It's so engrossing and meditative when you're just with the colors and the canvas, with no second thoughts about this and that and anything else. You are really only HERE and NOW. And the process of painting reveals myself to me - how patient I am or, on the contrary, impatient. How much I trust myself, how I see the world and myself in it. And Ilvija has not only the talent of an artist, but also the talent of a teacher. I feel and see how carefully she works with each of us - she encourages, supports, inspires and rejoices with us! 🩷Ilvija feels very well what suits one person and what doesn't suit another. And in general, Ilvija is a wonderful person! 🥰I am grateful for the fact that we have met and even more that I have this opportunity to learn to paint directly with her!🤗🩷"

Katrīna:

"Art for me is like a way of gaining confidence. When you do more, paint and try harder, "everything happens like butter". Anxiety disappears because you know you are in safe hands. "Mākslas pietura" is like an exit to another world. Where beautiful things come together, it's enjoyable to simply be and paint. Painting what comes from the heart. It increases a broader vision of everything. This is the way I enjoy life and it seems that I am also becoming more enjoyable as a person.”