If you haven’t yet and ever get a chance to see Nathan Sawaya’s The Art of The Brick, do it. I was thoroughly in awe of all the artwork I saw. I could have spent my entire day there and felt as though it just wasn’t enough time to soak it all in. What has stuck with me the most from the experience were the quotes from Sawaya I read throughout the space.

The first,

This exhibition engages the child in all of us while at the same time highlighting sophisticated and complex concepts. I use LEGO in my art because the toy is accessible. Chances are you probably don’t have a slab of marble or a ceramic kiln at home. But, I bet you have some LEGO bricks.

Now, I don’t think everyone has LEGO bricks sitting at home, but everyone has something at home they can use to make art.

Use what you have to make art.

It could be the stones in your backyard, the folds of your bedsheets, an old newspaper, anything. Just imagine the possibilities when you look through an art lens where everything and anything can be an art material. What would that do to your mindset? What would that do to your art making?

Now, the second quote from Sawaya:

Art makes better humans, art is necessary in understanding the world and art makes people happy. Undeniably, art is not optional.

That pretty much sums it up for me.

These two quotes combined make up our latest “Take an Art Break” Idea. So, grab some time for yourself and make some art. We can’t wait to see it!

Ok, let’s TAKE AN ART BREAK!

The Recipe

Materials Needed:

Something you find in your home

Instructions:

Find something in your home that you have never used to create art before or would not normally view as an “art material.”
Use the newfound art material and make some art baby!
Take a photo, share it with the world using #TakeAnArtBreak so we can see your awesome art break and art make!

A Still Life created from various toys found on my living room floor. — Sometimes instead of cleaning up toys that are all over the floor I create a Still Life and photograph it.

Reflection Questions:

What did it feel like to open your mind to a new art material?
Is there anything that can’t be turned into art or used as an art material?

I hope that after taking this art break you have a new perspective on your humble abode. Art is all around us and so are the materials we need to take a quick (or long!) art break. Art has the power to change perspective and using a new art material does too.

-Lauren Odell Usher Sharpton

Co-Founding Director of Art is Moving

Feel like sharing? Post a photo and add #TakeAnArtBreak

For more information on the benefits of this type of art break and other related stuff, check out the links below:

Making art is good for you. Here’s some science that shows art improves well-being, reduces stress and anxiety, improves flow, spontaneity, grief expression and more.

Check out Tracey Emin, Nigel Poor, and Francesca Pasquali. They use everyday objects or “unconventional” art materials in their artwork. Get inspired!

Do you feel like reading a bit more on this topic? Check out these two books: The Everyday Work of Art, by Eric Booth and The Accidental Masterpiece by Michael Kimmelman.

Feel free to read more about the

benefits of art on our resource page here.

Art is Moving creates, initiates, and shares community art projects that encourage and empower people to make art part of their daily life. We do this because we know that art makes people better. And, better people make a better world.