From the first week of May 2015, I decided to truly dedicate myself to learning more art. I am an interior designer by education and I have been learning art and different skills for a while, but I wanted to learn even more and improve my skills further. I felt the answer to how become an artist is to take intensive classes and surround myself with creative people. Many people admired what I was doing and it made me so happy, but some comments like "It is great what you are doing, but I will never be able to do it" made me slightly sad. I don't think people realise the importance of art sometimes. Everyone should at least give themselves a chance to learn arts. Art is something that could be learnt and practiced. I really encourage you all to start learning art and here are ten reasons to convince you.

Why is art important?

#1 You get to learn something new

Learning never ends. From the second we were born we have been learning and as humans we are always eager to prefect ourselves even if we do not realise it. We owe it ourselves to learn new things and art is the way to go. 

#2 It is a great therapy for your mind and soul

When the creative juices flow from your brain to your hands, big changes will happen and you will suddenly feel content and happy with your being. It is extremely fulfilling.  

#3 Your time will be filled with productivity

I don't know about you, but when I am productive, I love myself even more. Seeing the fruits of my hard work in class just fills me with joy and self appreciation.  

#4 You will be inspired

The more you do art, the more you are inspired by it. It will keep your brain creatively wired. Every time I start doing art my brain swells with even more ideas.   

#5 It is an eye opener

Before I learnt to draw the Islamic illuminations, I had no idea how much work is involved. It really opened my eyes at a new world and gave me a new sense of appreciation to the progress other artists go through 

#6 You will never be bored

The great thing about art is the endless possibilities. Art could be done and used in endless formats. For example, if you learn to paint, you can paint on paper, wood, walls, plates and anything your heart desires. You can use any colours, any shapes and anything really. There is no place for boredom in art and even if you feel bored, you can start all over again! 

#7 You will uncover your hidden powers

When you are making/learning art, you will discover new things that your brain and hands are capable of. It is a journey to self discovery. 

#8 You will be able to understand other cultures

Art does not only exist on its own. It is usually an extension of a culture or a heritage. For instance, some of the ladies I met during my Islamic illumination classes got much more than art on those classes. They learnt about the Persian, Arabian and Turkish cultures. 

#9 You have the perfect excuse to dress in crazy and unusual outfits

Because you are an artist! You can just say "I am an artist" and people will just node their heads in approval. For example, when I take insane amounts of pictures I just tell people "I am a blogger" and I get nods of acceptance. So go ahead, express your style even in your apparel. 

#10 You will make new friends

Some of my really good friends that I can't imagine my life without, were art classmates. I met them there first and we instantly connected on art and now we just get together to do more art and encourage each other. Having artists friends is so much fun, they just see the world differently. Plus, you can also find art friends online and build a network of artists friends on Facebook groups.