Recently, a woman popped into my art tent and asked me a simple, yet loaded question. "What is your inspiration?" My tent was full of colorful and textured palette knife paintings of wildflowers, so I heard the question and knew right away I was not mentally ready for it. I simply stated that I was inspired by colorful flowers. Boy, it's so much more than that.
Honestly I used to paint everything. Oceans, animals, people, cartoon characters, robots, landscapes. I realize looking back this was such an exploratory time for me. In 2013, I painted a series of fish, with no florals in sight!! I've also done a series of trees and plenty of pet portraits (which I still enjoy doing). I would see something and instantly want to paint it!
I also painted in a variety of "styles" from realistic to more abstract, plus incorporated mixed media, tried lots of different art supplies, and came to know what I prefer in that way. I have taught art classes for a decade now, so this testing and exploring came easily. My students have always pushed me as an artist to try new things, because they wanted to try new things! So I learned for them, which in turn benefitted me as well. (If you've never taught a class, I recommend it!) Check out my book on this topic here.
A lot of times when we speak about inspiration, it refers to an image or another piece of art that moves us. We get inspired by certain music and photos, people around us, new art supplies or speaking with a friend.
My top inspirations have always been sunlight and color.
As I focus on painting wildflowers more and more as my subject, I find that my inspiration has shifted to be an internal process. I do get inspired by looking at sunlit gardens and colorful florals of course. But since my theme has become more set, the majority of my enthusiasm and drive to paint now comes from my own emotions and enjoyment of painting. I crave the process even if nothing has "inspired" me. I want to paint regardless. Here are the parts of painting that I enjoy most:
1) mixing colors, layering colors
2) "saving" the painting from a hot mess to a better looking painting
3) photographing the painting when it is finished and getting creative with that
4) using the palette knife to apply thick paint
5) shopping for new paint
6) hearing reactions to my painting, I love feedback of any kind
7) selling the painting
8) not selling it right away and getting to hang it in my home for a while
9) being so excited about the painting's direction that you work on it late at night or early in the morning 10) putting in some fine detailed lines at the very end
inspiration- defined as: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
I'd love to know what inspires you??
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