By Popi Iatrou | popiart.com
As Sydney moves into the light of summer, I’ve been reflecting on how art transforms not only our spaces but also our state of being.
When we surround ourselves with beauty, we aren’t just decorating — we’re creating an environment that nourishes our senses, calms our nervous system, and connects us to meaning.
Science is beginning to affirm what artists and collectors have always known intuitively: art changes us.
The Science Behind the Feeling
Researchers in the growing field of neuroaesthetics are discovering that when we engage with art, three parts of the brain light up — those linked to sensation, emotion, and meaning.
In simple terms, every time you gaze at a painting that moves you, your brain releases chemicals that heighten pleasure, evoke memories, and awaken empathy.
That’s why art isn’t just visual — it’s visceral. It reminds us that we’re alive.
Owning art that you love doesn’t just fill a wall; it fills your life with emotional resonance. It becomes a mirror, a meditation, a quiet dialogue with something greater than yourself.
Why Living With Art Matters
When you live with art, you live with energy. The colours and textures you choose affect your mood, focus, and creativity.
Art invites reflection. It encourages stillness. It stirs imagination.
Collectors often tell me that their favourite pieces seem to change with them — revealing something new as the years pass. That’s because the brain keeps finding new connections and stories every time we engage with art we find meaningful.
It’s not about having the perfect piece; it’s about finding the one that makes you feel something real.
Art as Connection
Art also connects us — to the people who create it, to those who see it, and to the stories it carries. When you bring a piece of art into your home, you’re participating in that exchange of energy. Each artwork holds the devotion, vision, and emotion of its maker — a moment of humanity, captured and shared. To me, this is the true beauty of collecting art: it’s not ownership, it’s relationship.
An Invitation
As summer unfolds, I invite you to look around your space.
What do you see every day that uplifts you, that softens your heart, that reminds you of who you are becoming?
If your walls could speak, what story would they tell?
Perhaps it’s time to curate a space that reflects your light — one that feels alive, soulful, and inspired.
Explore new works and originals at popiart.com, or visit me in person in my home studio and gallery by appointment. You can contact me at popifineart@gmail.com
Because art doesn’t just change your walls. It changes you.
With love and light,
Popi Iatrou
🎨 popiart.com
Studio photos by Suzi Chadwick Photography
