I will not brook the babbling of fools... but for solace listen to the babbling brook I was told that one of the most soothing sounds for humans is of rain falling. A quick google reveals that "Our species evolved where trees met savannahs and where freshwater sources were present. Our brains are deeply encoded with the love of water – we revel in the delicious feel and noise of burbling brooks…" So if you can't make it down to the brook, substitute this micro version and find comfort.
The question of why and which art appeals is age old. With the use of functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI), researchers are attempting to answer this question of why we find art aesthetically pleasing. One study done by Edward A. Vessel, shows images of art to people while their brain is being scanned. The researchers are hoping to find that a certain area of the brain will light up when the participants see art that they rate as pleasing. This is an example of the new field of neuroaesthetics which uses neuroscience to explain or understand aesthetic preferences. Howard Hodgkin (UK) is a painter known for his abstracts, he says "I paint pictures of emotional situations". This pho
My first trip to Enoggera Reservoir with kids and kayak in tow. After setting up the picnic and urging the kids into the water, I was able to sit on the bank taking in the view. Seeing all the trees busily producing oxygen, made me breathe deeply in appreciation. Waterlily pads dotted the shoreline creating pleasant patterns of green and yellow circles, which I simplified in my sketch book. When the kids got hungry I took the kayak out for a longer paddle towards the dam wall. It's a wonderful feeling to sit on the water, focusing on balance and propulsion. Peaceful, yet purposeful. I understand how fortunate we are to have ready access to places of natural beauty. In my research into the po