Art experiences and well-being

Art experiences and well-being

Art experiences and well-being (#86)

Claudia Tordini ¹ ²

Appanage LLC, Arlington, VA, United States
Organizational Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Background

I am a practitioner working at the intersection of art, experiential learning, and personal development. I’ve developed innovative tools to use art to improve people’s skills and performance. I’ve been doing this in the academic environment[1] as well as within private organizations.

Aims

My goal is to help people bridge the gap between knowing about themselves and becoming themselves. A believer that individuals possess all they need to become themselves within[2], the importance of self-determination and self-efficacy[3], I focus on creating that space of experiencing themselves through art.

Method

John Dewey brings to our attention the importance of aesthetic experiences, the ones that awake emotions in us and make life worth living For Dewey, art is “the most direct and complete manifestation there is of experience as experience."[4]

I adhere to Dewey’s perspective on art as experience. My focus as a practitioner is on the experience component because it is key for art to transform us. Helping individuals learn how to experience art, in any of its mediums, is incredibly powerful as they marvel at their natural capacity to connect with and appreciate a painting, a symphony, a ballet or other artistic expressions. That alone boosts their self-confidence and enjoyment followed by some level of fascination with art. Ultimately, they are connecting with themselves and becoming themselves. This is very rewarding.

Results

Based on my practice and work with people, experiencing art awakes positivity, awe, achievement, clarity, confidence, connection, courage, engagement, encouragement, excitement, fun, hope, openness, peacefulness, positivity, presence, renewal. People become more resilient, open-minded and creative.

Conclusion

Experiencing art rather than seeing art or listening to music is an area that needs more attention when it comes to show then impact of art on well-being.

[1] Penn College of Liberal & Professional Studies, (2022, December 22). Art and leadership: Two novel Organizational Dynamics Programs courses bridge interpersonal-skill theory and practice through art experience. University of Pennsylvania. https://www.lps.upenn.edu/about/news/art-and-leadership-two-novel-organizational-dynamics-programs-courses-bridge
[2] Rogers, C., (1995). On becoming a Person. Houghton Mifflin Company. NY: New York.
[3] Leotti LA, Iyengar SS, Ochsner KN. Born to choose: the origins and value of the need for control. Trends Cogn Sci. 2010 Oct;14(10):457-63. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2010.08.001. PMID: 20817592; PMCID: PMC2944661.
[4] Jacob. M. J. 2018. Dewey for Artists. The University of Chicago Press.

Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Arts and Humanitie, Creativity

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Authors contributing to this presentation.

Tordini, C

Claudia Tordini uses mixed media to bring the many dimensions of human experiences to life. She is particularly focused on including art as a powerful tool of communication and learning in non-traditional areas. Claudia’s vision is one of humanity experiencing life through mind, heart and body connected and in harmony. Her mission is to help individuals and organizations bridge the gap between knowing this and becoming it. Claudia's research on art and learning won her the Faculty Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in the Organizational Dynamics Program at the University of Pennsylvania. In her winning project, Claudia proposed a model of using art as an experiential learning process. She continues to expand her research to apply art and creativity to more domains of learning. Claudia has pioneered a powerful model using art and creative expression in her role as an executive coach and organizational consultant. She brings together her background in business, art and creativity to provide consulting services on family wealth and inheritance planning, team building and leadership development. Claudia is a member of the affiliated faculty of Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches courses that use art as a tool to develop Emotional Intelligence Relational Skills. She also facilitates art-based courses in the Arlington Public School System and other organizations including Embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through the Arts. She launched a one-year Leadership Development through Art Program with a cohort of mid-career professionals through Appanage LLC. Claudia has a Master of Philosophy in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Organizational Consulting and Executive Coaching. She holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a concentration in Human Resources and Strategy. She was awarded her BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Art experiences and well-being (#86)

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