Inspiration

Close up from larger painting

Inspiration.  What's yours?  For me it's everywhere.  There are not enough days and never the energy to paint all the paintings in my head!  I see a potential painting daily if not hourly!

It wasn't always that way.  Inspiration used to visit on a whim.  If there was no way to take the inspiration to canvas or paper in that moment, the moment, and the inspiration passed.  Though not always forgotten, the initial excitement to act faded.  And more than not, nothing came of it.

Inspiration has to be nourished.  When I began to seize those moments and also learn to recreate them I found they visited with greater frequency.  Now I find inspiration in daily things and not just  those grander moments .  I see them in the light that hits something or just the color of the sky.  Now, the artists and the art I am most drawn to are those who paint common things and distill a scene to it's essence.  The common.

The One Sketch a Day journal has been inspiration for me.  Finding something to draw daily requires I draw what is at hand.  It's amazing what presents itself in the ordinary.  I fear I've been looking to far for inspiration in my painting when it's always been right under my nose!

Painting, drawing, writing, singing, cooking or whatever your art is-it should come from your heart.  From the things you love.  Which for me are often far and wide.  I love to travel.  I love to travel and PAINT even more!  But ordinary and close are where I spend most of my time.  To find the inspiration there makes me grateful for "the daily". 

Last week the Daffodils were blooming like crazy right here in my own back yard. I've planted many because they make me happy.  Gone so quickly and with other commitments I wasn't sure I'd get to them.   I will be heading out to teach a class at the Delaware Arts Castle on Flowers in Watercolor and I wanted fresh paintings to bring. (click the link! if you hurry you can still register!) .  Last year I tried to paint every type of flower as it bloomed in my yard.  The Daffodils never turned out.  For years I've painted them and was never really happy with them.  I'm pleased these at least resemble daffodils, even though I did them a little tighter than usual.  (I do that when I'm struggling!)  So from my own back yard I finally had a break through with the Daffodils.  Learning to keep at something and work from the ordinary has been my lesson for the week. Also I learned I'm grateful the deer don't like daffodils!

My challenge to all you creative's out there: find theinspiration in the common, the daily, the ordinary.  I hope it makes you happy and grateful.  It does me.