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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com • Sunday, October 2, 2016
COLOR ME
CALM Adult coloring books, classes, offer artistic therapy By Courtney Dunham | LiveWell Correspondent
Coloring is a perfect way for children to develop fine motor skills, learn problem solving and use their imaginations. Lately, adults have been re-discovering the activity as a creative way to de-stress, relax, and really feel like a kid again. Jill Cessna of Los Angeles, 45, is like many working mothers: her day starts early and her hours are constantly filled with all sorts of responsibilities. There is however, little or no alone time, so when her best friend Anna suggested they take a coloring class together at a local coffee shop, she paused and didn’t know what to say. “Of course I always love to spend time with (Anna) and having coffee together is one of our usual rituals,” Jill says. “I had heard of adult coloring books but never imagined myself doing it. Now it’s something I look forward to doing every week together. It’s not only fun and brings out the inner kid in us, but is surprisingly very relaxing and makes me forget at least for an hour what was on my mind.” Cessna and her friend are part of an adult coloring trend that’s being embraced by many colorers who are doing it to relax and reduce stress. Coffee shops, libraries and other organizations are helping fuel the trend by offering coloring materials and even coloring programs. The trend has showed up in bookstores too. Some of the bestsellers at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane are coloring books. More than 1.4 million people have bought Secret Garden Forest, which features intricate patterns and designs that may be too sophisticated for a child’s hand. But for adults, these books offer a relatively low barrier of entry
Kelly Mitchell enjoys coloring with her daughter Zoey.
Photo by Courtney Dunham
since coloring is easier than most crafts like knitting or quilting. Many libraries across the country are starting a Color Me Calm program for adults to get together to color. The positive effects of coloring were reported in a study published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association in 2015. The study looked at the effectiveness of different types of art activities on the reduction of anxiety. The findings suggested that structured coloring of reasonably complex geometric patterns may induce a meditative state that benefits individuals suffering from anxiety. Art therapy is a mental health profession in which the process of making and creating artwork is used to “explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.” For Cessna, the weekly class offers a chance to take deep breaths, something which she simply forgets to do sometimes with her fast-paced schedule. Plus, it reminded her how much she once loved artistic hobbies in general. “Think about it…when was the last time you just sat and colored or painted a pretty picture? For me it was probably more than 35 years ago. I recommend that you try it. It will make you feel happier and more chilled than in a long time.” Along with coloring solo or with friends, many shops offer coloring classes that you can take with your child. Kelly Mitchell and her 10-year old daughter Zoey love coloring together since the activity offers them challenge and fun. “Some of these designs are quite intricate,” she said. “She loves that we can have some mommy time, and I love getting her off the iPad!”