Cliches are sometimes true: inspiration does come in many forms.
Inspiration may be one of the most important parts of leading a creative life. Without that spark of an idea — a hint or glimpse or flash of insight — there isn’t a place to start let alone a finish line. While it’s true that inspiration without discipline leads to dreams rather than art, discipline without inspiration may create something, but it probably won’t have the life and energy of a piece of art.
I find inspiration almost everywhere. It may be a piece of dialogue in a movie or tv show or a line in a poem or book. Music, dance and other types of performance evoke images and ideas that can be turned into other forms of art. The natural world as well as daily life in a house or office can also be inspiring. I would be remiss if I left out the inspiration that can strike by viewing the work of other artists — or by studying their lives and techniques.
An overlooked source of inspiration is the process of creation itself. Many times I sit at my art table with no idea what to create. By choosing a specific technique to try or looking through the materials on hand I can experiment and play with methods and of color and texture until an idea begins to form into something solid.
I don’t want to forget the other reason artists need inspiration. Sometimes we are blocked or allow anxiety to keep us from working. At those times we may need inspiring music, words of encouragement, or other reminders or why it all matters in order to get us back on track. This type of inspiration plays a crucial role in keeping an artist in working mode instead of procrastinating or avoiding the creative process.
To see some of the things that inspire me, peruse the links below.