The Shower Effect

I have a friend who takes four showers a day just to get a different perspective on whatever challenge he’s facing. I’ve always loved that idea because painting creates a very similar effect for me.

When I paint, the brain becomes so occupied with color, composition, movement, and problem-solving that something else begins to loosen in the background. Thoughts shift. Problems reorganize themselves. Solutions appear from angles I couldn’t access before.

I was reminded of this at a conference for women in law last week, where one of the main themes discussed was how difficult it can be to think outside the box. But honestly, I think this challenge exists in every industry. We become so conditioned to follow systems, routines, and predictable ways of solving problems that we forget how important it is to leave room for uncertainty and discovery.

That’s one of the greatest lessons artmaking offers. Whether through painting classes, creative workshops, or simply spending time around art, the process teaches us to trust the unknown long enough for new ideas to emerge.

Even while working on a painting, I’ll often focus intensely on one section only to suddenly realize the solution to an entirely different part of the canvas. The eye wanders. The mind connects things unexpectedly. And somewhere in that process, new insights begin to surface.

Many of the reflections I later share in newsletters, social media, corporate art workshops, and keynote talks begin exactly this way: while painting in the studio, allowing the mind enough freedom to wander beyond its usual patterns.

If you’re looking for art classes in Brookline, painting classes in Boston, or creative workshops that encourage curiosity and fresh thinking, come visit our gallery and studio space. We have a wide range of summer camps, adult art classes, youth programs, and fall workshops designed to help people reconnect with creativity and step outside their daily routines.

Come see the stunning artwork currently on the walls, explore upcoming programming, and experience firsthand how artmaking can shift perspective in unexpected ways.