Highly sensitive artists: How can touching your abstract art ignite pleasant emotions?
- Dr Pranita Rao
- Aug 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 18
What does science say about highly sensitive people and touch?
Touch is the foremost sensation developed in most humans. In fact, most vertebrates and invertebrates could use touch to understand the world around them.
It has been debated that highly sensitive people manage sensory inputs and touch sensations differently. This could be due to an enhanced posterior insular cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for bodily awareness and localising difficult incidents.
A study (2022) showed that highly sensitive people had strong brain responses while feeling touch on the palms of their hands. It also displayed that highly sensitive people were more empathetic. The study showed a link between empathy and touch perception in highly sensitive people, which is an interesting finding. This research had limitations; hence, it doesn’t prove that highly sensitive people respond more to touch. However, it does make one wonder if highly sensitive people are more affected by touch. Here, touch could include the touch of animals, humans, or non-living things too.
I hope that we have more scientists working on research surrounding highly sensitive people. It would help our planet massively, as more and more people are evolving to become sensitive. I presume I could record my emotions as a highly sensitive person when touching different objects, animals, people, or artworks. It would tell me how I really feel about different living beings and non-living things. It could be my own experiment (chuckles)! I feel like Dexter. Also, I mean, I feel like Dexter from the cartoon series and not the TV series.
What does abstract art say about highly sensitive people?
I consider abstract art practice to be a way to showcase self-empathy in highly sensitive people. In the past three years, I have created over 200 abstract art pieces on paper and canvas. I have created two abstract art books, and I have written over 100 blog posts about the impact of abstract art on highly sensitive people. In doing so, I have found myself falling in love with abstract art.
Since we are on the topic of touch, I must admit that I have consciously stroked finished artworks with my fingers, palms, and face (guilty). I find it amusing and soothing at the same time! I remember painting an abstract snow-clad mountain with texture white paste. It was a raised painting, that is, there was so much texture on it that it was almost an inch higher than the canvas. I remember running my fingers over the dried texture, and it felt fascinating. I had butterflies in my stomach; the feeling was subtle but present, almost like when we recognise our first crush.
Anyway, I consider texture white paste to ignite my touch sensation. It makes me feel like touching it, literally! It sounds silly, and it is silly, which is why it is fun to work with texture white paste. To me, texture white paste is like the way children perceive slime.
How about you, sensitive soul?
Do you enjoy touching art or abstract art?
If you do, how does it affect your sensitivity and creativity?
Does it make you feel sensitive to your emotions or your art?
When you get an answer to my questions, please do not forget to share them in the comments section below. I would love to know your relationship with touch, abstract art, art, and high sensitivity.
Moreover, if you feel you need support in doing so, please make sure to reach out to me and book a session to support your highly sensitive and creative self. I would love to talk to you about your artistic and highly sensitive self!
Until next week, my dear friend.
-3, 2, 1, Cheers,
Pranita Rao
Science communicator | Intuitive abstract artist | Energy worker
Reference: Schaefer M, Kühnel A, Gärtner M. Sensory processing sensitivity and somatosensory brain activation when feeling touch. Scientific Reports. 2022;12(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15497-9
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Disclaimer - Please note that the information on this site and blog is not medical information. Expressive Sensitive is a space to inform, educate, and engage highly sensitive people about the relationship between abstract art and high sensitivity. Please be advised that I utilize my education and experience as an artist, self-healer, energy worker, and a science communicator to create authentic content in this space.
To get medical support, please reach out to a qualified medical professional. Please reach out to authorized educational professionals to replicate my artistic or emotional coping methods.
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