For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
June 23, 2025 | 6 min read
Kimberly Snider, guest author
Play Art with Kim
In my last post, we discussed how we were made to be creative by a creative God, and now I want to share with you just how creative our God is in and through his creation (that’s us!).
Because God is actually FOR US, He loves to give us little hidden blessings to find along the way. Little secret treasures hidden within, if you will.
Not only did He design every single one of us with an inherent ‘creative bone’ (nobody gets to claim, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body!”), He also designed it so that when we access this amazing creative side of us, it actually fuels us in so many other ways.
How’s that, you ask? Let me show you just a few things science and art have in common:
Cortisol is a hormone released during stressful situations, such as physical exertion, illness, or emotional distress. It increases blood sugar levels, heart rate, and blood pressure to prepare the body for a “fight or flight” response.
When we have chronic stress, our cortisol levels remain increased which can cause several unwanted health issues like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and anxiety and depression, to name a few.
Drexel University has found that just 45 minutes of creative activity significantly reduces cortisol levels.
And, get this, they found that your skill level is irrelevant. Just the process of being creative is what helps. Of course, the more you do it, the higher skill level you’ll achieve.
If you need a refresher, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is essential for experiencing pleasure, controlling movement, regulating mood, and supporting cognitive functions.
I’d say we ALL need more of that, wouldn’t you? Well, get creating! The fact is that the act of creating, especially when you’re focused and “in the zone,” triggers the release of dopamine.
If you spend some time creating, your dopamine levels will go up.
Engaging in creative expression activates the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating emotions and improving mood.
We can create our own ‘happy’ in our art. If I’m feeling depressed, I paint with happy colors and subjects. This brings me out of my darkness and into a better mood.
I used to think that we should paint our emotions, but who wants to paint depression? Not me. There may be a place for that kind of work, but for me, I like to paint the mood I want. This brings a tangible feeling of happiness to my brain. Can you be sad when painting bright pink flowers and aqua leaves? I can’t!
Creativity is brain exercise! Engaging in creative problem-solving strengthens neural pathways, helping the brain become more adaptable and resilient.
When creating art, you have to make a LOT of decisions. I paint with watercolors so I have to make decisions quite quickly because once the water hits the paper it starts to dry. I have to work fast for the effects I want in my art and this is very good for me because I second guess my decisions all the time and take a long time to make them in my regular everyday life. By practicing quick decision making in my art, it helps me make decisions faster in real life.
Also, as I’m painting, drawing, or collaging, I make mistakes. We hate making mistakes, don’t we? But in art, I channel the words of Bob Ross, “It’s just a happy accident,” and view it as a fun problem solving moment. I view it as something that might take my art in a new and unexpected direction. Since this happens each and every time I create something, it helps me practice the skill of seeing mistakes or problems as an opportunity rather than going down the rabbit hole of negative self-talk.
Practice makes progress my friends! My decision making and problem solving skills are getting stronger each time I create.
Creative activities help us enter a state of flow, where our minds become fully immersed in the moment.
Researchers have found that this state of focus reduces rumination—a major factor in anxiety and depression. Whether it’s doodling, writing poetry, or sculpting, creativity helps quiet mental chatter and promotes mindfulness.
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and your brain is swimming with your ‘to do’ list, or you find yourself overthinking the latest unsolved problem in your life? Perhaps you’re replaying a conversation that didn’t sit well, over and over again.
I now know that entering my creative flow helps drown all of that out; I will often lay there in bed and do art in my mind. I’d get up and do it at my art desk, but that would defeat the purpose of trying to get back to sleep! One of my creative skills is hand lettering and modern calligraphy, so I begin to draw each number in my head with calligraphy (one, two, three). It’s like a version of counting sheep! Works like a charm.
I’m waiting for this benefit to happen for me. We’ve been sharing the flu around our house for two months now—I’m so over it!
Anyway, did you know that expressing yourself through creativity can enhance your immune system? There’s even research that shows that writing about emotions and experiences increases white blood cell activity, which helps fight off illness and reduce inflammation caused by stress.
Some of us feel guilty when we indulge in our particular brand of creativity as if it’s a waste of time. Hopefully these six scientific benefits will help us combat that guilt and realize that it’s actually one piece of the puzzle to a healthy lifestyle.
So let’s toss that feeling that it isn’t important or productive to spend some time painting, writing, or whatever it is, and just start creating.
Let’s set aside some time each day for this, even if it’s a short time window, and especially if it’s crafting or imagining with your kids, and you will start to see the benefits. If you do have kids, you will be showing by example how to take good care of yourself. Call it a medical experiment if you must.
If you’re looking for inspiration to start creating, check out Kimberly’s blog and store.
Kimberly is a wife and mom to two teen/preteen boys. She lives in a very small town in Washington State near the Salish Sea. Kimberly is a surface designer by trade, but loves finding all sorts of ways to be creative. She’s most often found in her studio playing art, creating products for her store, or writing something to inspire others to create.
Kimberly is a wife and mom to two teen/preteen boys. She lives in a very small town in Washington State near the Salish Sea. Kimberly is a surface designer by trade, but loves finding all sorts of ways to be creative. She’s most often found in her studio playing art, creating products for her store, or writing something to inspire others to create.