What inspires you? What catches your eye? Do you pay attention to the little things in life and go out to smell the roses, touch the soft petals, and get lost in the colors? You should.
To me inspiration is both sexy and sensual. By that I mean it stirs me emotionally, physically, and spiritually, usually all at once, often, for no good, danged reason! It is a joyous occurence; an exhilarating and thrilling ride. The experience can give me goose pimples (sometimes I feel like Connor MacLeod after defeating the Kurgan)….it is incredibly easy to get thoroughly electrified by the moment, and the very definition of pleasure. Oooh-la-la!
Inspiration is a form of madness, at least for me. I have learned not to ask too many questions when inspired, even if it leads me to do odd things. I trust that at some point down the line the reason shall reveal itself. Which is why, when I sit down and the urge to cut several dozen long strips of paper (which I then spend hours filling in with colorful vines) comes over me… I just go along. The results may be of use at some point later, it may just be my brain working out a particular problem. Either way, it is artistic progress.
If you are an artist, or even if you are not (or don’t even think you are one) you should take notice of what inspires you. It will expand your world, lead you down new paths, and give you new solutions to old problems. Letting inspiration take you can also lighten your load, fill you with hope, make you laugh, and lead to new friends. Who couldn’t use some of that?
Too often those who don’t understand will encourage you to ignore your inspirations. It isn’t practical, it is a waste of time, it is day dreaming and you are dilly-dallying…. Beware, they can convince you not to follow your path. In fact listening to them can cause you to commit one of the biggest sins of all: to question yourself and edit your process.
Editing in the middle of inspiration leads to self doubt, and is a confusion inducing dream killer. It gets you to block your own path, willingly. It can convince you that you are NO artist… or even worse, that you are a lazy, wasteful, do-nothing. Beyond that, it feels awful.
Doubt is the foundation of artist’s block. Ideas get backed up, you become mentally constipated, frustrated, aggravated, even angry. It is fear at its best. Like I said, a real inspiration killer.
So seek out inspiration, find it where you can, hunt it down in the smallest details. There is beauty in a grain of salt. I find inspiration for my painting and felting in just about everything I can see or touch, including in a glass of tea. Those who know me well understand I have a magpie’s eye and that I don’t look where I walk because I am distracted by all the ‘shinies’.
Besides museums, filled to the brim with the inspirations of others, I would have to say Mother Nature is the biggest contributor to my euphoria. When it comes to color, Ms. Nature is never wrong. And like any true diva, she is incredibly hard to imitate. She tasks me and I love her for it.
I thought I would share with you a few photos I have taken of these things that inspire me… yes, a few of my favorite things. I am confident you will see something of what I saw in each instance, and I hope they inspire you too.
Thank you for reading my blog. Tune in next time for: Eat Your Heart Out Instagram!
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