How entwined are creativity and athleticism? Art and athletics appear to be in completely different spheres of their own and many students often find themselves having to choose between pursuing art or continuing their sports journey. Within each sphere lies so many different routes and paths– painting, drawing, sculpting, digital art combating track, swimming, basketball, or skating. Sometimes, all these choices can be overwhelming! Perhaps we are focusing too much on their contrasts when in actuality, arts and athletics work in tandem to stimulate our minds and bodies.
There is a certain passion and drive that creates a foundation to pursue either interest. Athletes and artists are constantly striving for their personal bests– fine-tuning either craft requires dedication and a lot of time. Professionally, both are rigorous, competitive fields to pursue. In order to achieve such a high level of skill, people have to be willing to undergo all the obstacles and setbacks.
Neither athletics nor art is exclusive. There are so many ways to combine these two passions to create a more fulfilling experience. As for creative expression, athletics can make its way into self-portraits and body art! You could draw your favorite sports player or perhaps cover your basketball in paint and make your mural by dribbling. Excelling in sports requires artistry and precise technique; being detail-oriented in your artwork can impact your sports performance and allow you to focus on small improvements.
It’s healthy to utilize different parts of your brain and, as an athlete, tune in to your more creative side. Art can act as an outlet to release all the pent-up nerves and anxieties that your athletics may bring, and vice versa! Being able to freely express yourself can be extremely relieving and can boost up your mood and energy for future endeavors.
Allowing worlds of art and athletics to collide also breaks down stereotypes. Our typical images of what an athlete should look and act like could be challenged when we see them in a whole different setting. Especially at professional levels, it can be hard to separate athletes from their field and realize that there are other ways for them to share their talents and stories with the world.
Cultivating these different strengths provides a well-rounded experience as we continue on to college and adulthood. There’s always an opportunity to explore different interests, things that you may have never tried before. At times, we may feel like we want to keep working on what we’re best at, thinking that we have no time to try anything else. Yet, just like the act of physical recovery, we need a mental break too.
It doesn’t always have to be a ‘choose one or the other’ situation. In fact, sports themselves can be considered an art. Sports are spontaneous; boundaries are constantly broken and there are often high emotional stakes behind the game. There are game plans like there are rough sketches, graceful movements like graceful brushes. Most of all, art takes practice. It’s a form of expression– how people choose to display themselves and their talents is subjective.
Links:
https://blog.americansforthearts.org/2019/05/15/the-art-of-athletics
https://theartofeducation.edu/2016/09/26/september-artists-athletes-really-different/
https://news.vcu.edu/article/Melding_art_and_athletics_and_the_benefits_of_creativity_on_the
http://blog.lofty.com/top-10/top-10-depictions-of-sports-and-athletes-in-art-history/