Why we need art more than ever...The Hidden Benefits of Beauty in Daily Life
- Claire Hankey
- Jun 22
- 2 min read
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”— Deepak Chopra
The world isn’t short on speed. We’re surrounded by movement, notifications, news cycles, timelines and expectations, but in all this noise, it’s stillness that brings us back to ourselves. This is where art helps me incredibly, both in the act of making art but also in having art in my home.
It’s more than something to hang on a wall. It’s a way of remembering what matters, of slowing down and seeing beauty. When we live with art, we give ourselves a place to rest the eye, settle the breath, and connect with feeling. Each piece becomes an anchor in the ritual of daily life, it's a reminder that not everything has to be rushed or optimised or explained.
Art makes space for stillness, for memory, for meaning. Why we need art more than ever...
There’s something grounding about returning to the same image each day and noticing something new: a shift in the light, a detail that hadn’t caught your eye before, the way it reflects your own changing mood.
Living with art is also a way of building memory. The paintings, photographs, and drawings we choose become part of the rhythm of our days. They accompany us, witness our lives, and over time, they hold the essence of seasons passed and moments felt.
I have a particular painting passed down from my grandparents, I remember this painting so well as a child- it's a simple, softly painted vase of flowers. Looking at the painting, transports me back to the times I spent with them but also I continue to notice new things in it, the brush marks and colour shifts. It reminds me of a different era and it takes me out of my day, for just a moment.
In my own work, through paintings that echo nature and light, and through my collaborations Of Light and Layers Studios (with Petra Blacklock) and A Tale of Two Places (with Shilpa Agashe), art is a way of slowing down and allowing me to access creativity.
The recently created Veiled Collection of Fine Art prints were made with this in mind, the aim being to create pieces that invite this kind of noticing . These prints don't overwhelm a space, they enrich it and are so subtle that they need to be taken in slowly; the kind of work that encourages you to pause, breathe, and reconnect.
If you feel the drawn towards slowing down and want your interiors to reflect this I’d love to stay in touch.
Join my mailing list
You’ll receive:
Thoughtful updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses
First access to new collections
Occasional reflections and tips on how to use art to slow down.
And a subscriber-only discount from 30 June to 13 July, celebrating our participation in the Leigh Art Trail—including work from Of Light and Layers Studios
Because beauty belongs in the everyday and art isn’t just something to look at, it’s something to live with. Let me know if enjoy the new Veiled Collection- email me your thoughts at hello@clairehankeyartist.com - I promise to read, consider and reply!
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