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The Love of Travelling with Other Creative People

Fabulous group at Flores del Camino Sept 2018

We all know that there are many advantages to travelling, but there's an article in Forbes describing some research done on the benefits.
"Surveys from the Global Coalition on Aging show that even after vacationing only a day or two, 89 percent of people are able to relax and leave work stressors behind. Not surprisingly, the survey also shows that group travel builds social ties, which studies suggest help nurtures interest in life-long learning. And small groups are especially able to deliver personal interactions; whether enjoying a picnic lunch by a vista, or encounters with local families during home-hosted lunches and dinners.
Active travel is proven to lower health risks such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, depression levels and more, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee."
But even more important than this are the studies that have shown a correlation between creativity and travel. An article in The Atlantic says:
"In general, creativity is related to neuroplasticity, or how the brain is wired. Neural pathways are influenced by environment and habit, meaning they’re also sensitive to change: New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain and may have the potential to revitalize the mind."


Using earthen pigments and acrylic medium in Spain © 2018 Janice Mason Steeves

Pathway 10 12x24" oil on paper on panel ©2019 Janice Mason Steeves

In addition to all the science about health and brain benefits, there are things we just know. Travel with other artistic souls, painting together, eating communal meals and staying in the same accommodation is nurturing and important. We share a sense of community, the understanding of the creative process, the way we see things, and a connection with place. Of course we're not all the same and of course there can be differences and misunderstandings. But there's a way of seeing the world that is similar. There is a cross-pollination of ideas, an understanding of what each other is aiming to do, an easy sense of community.

 "We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic to creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But everything in our mind has changed and that changes everything." Jonah Lehrer from the book Imagine.


Check out my Workshops in Wild Places adventures

Night Sky Mongolia



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