There is no question that the past two years have increased the stress level of many people and a local arts center is working to de-stress as many people as they can.
Laughter can be heard at ArtSpace/Lima as Unity Elementary staff were trying their hand at throwing some clay.
Kayla Boysell, 1st-grade teacher at Unity describes the experience, “I feel like a student. I am relearning all of this again. So, I’m having fun but yes I feel like a student again.”
Math Curriculum Leader Cathy Collins says, "So, I think this is really fun. I made a flower pot and now I’m going to try the wheel at making a bowl. Like I said, it's really fun, stress relief."
Unity Principal Tricia Winkler treated her staff so they could spend time outside of their classrooms and take time to de-stress.
Winkler adds, “It’s about Unity staff getting together and trying something new. All of us are beginners so we’re all starting from ground one and it kind of makes us feel like students. We’re trying a new task. We’re going step by step. We’re listening to directions, or at least trying to. And then we’re going to come out of here with some great product that we can share or laugh about.”
ArtSpace/Lima offers classes that take your mind off life for a short period of time.
ArtSpace Lima Executive Director Sally Windle explains, “We have an activity that’s completely different from what they’re doing. Then puts the group together in a different setting so it’s usually lighthearted, learning a new skill but a relief from stress.”
Mercy Health-Saint Rita’s has begun to offer art classes for their employees to de-stress and bond in a different setting.
Lydia Brenneman is a Chaplin in Spiritual Ministry at the hospital and says, “We are having fun, mixing colors and just doing something way different than what we usually do Monday through Friday. It gets our minds off our patients and off what’s happening and after 2 years of COVID and all that stress, it’s nice to be creative.
Windle says that taking one class can lead to a new hobby.
“The nice thing is for me is to watch how someone has surprised themselves that they turn out a really nice piece of artwork, there's something that they haven't done before that may eventually turn into something they may want to continue.”
