I was recently getting rid of some things around the house to take to the consignment shop to sell. Among the items was a primitive, white wooden chicken atop a spindle type pedestal. "Nana" my 11 year old granddaughter said, "you can't get rid of that chicken, I like it! Why don't you just paint it a different color?"
Wow! Out of the mouth of babes. Now why didn't I think of that? Needless to say, an hour later the chicken had a complete makeover, and I do mean complete. The body of the chicken was bright orange, it's wings were now aqua blue, lime green, and teal, as well as the pedestal. The inspiration came from my new drinking glasses that I got at Pier One in those bright colors. What a difference a little time and paint can make!
The newly painted chicken now sits proudly on top of my refrigerator in my kitchen, and has inspired me accent with those colors even more in my decorating.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Flow
Sometimes the inspiration well is empty. Other times it is like a river, the current surging, almost overflowing it's banks. For me, that is what flow is like. Whereas inspiration is the spark that ignites the creative spirit in me, resulting in a new piece of art, flow is a horse of a different color. ( no pun intended) Inspiration is momentarely, fleeting. Here one second, gone the next. When I feel inspired, I know that I need to act upon it quickly, for just as quick as it came, it will surely disappear just as quick.
But back to flow. Flow is different; flow is special. It comes wave after wave and it starts to energize me. For me it's like an electrical current pulsating in my veins. It's a tingling sensation that says to me "create ~ create ~create !!! The inspiration is not fleeting ~ it is continuous where time seemingly disappears and I am lost in the action of doing. It can last for days ( or even weeks) and I get totally focused in the process of creating. But then one day it too will leave, and I will feel the absence of it. At times like these I simply take a break from creating, knowing that in the least expected moment, "flow" will once more return and I be "in the zone" to create.
This applies not only to my art, but to my writing as well. When I am in the state of "flow", words will pour out on paper, like water from a spigot. I will write and write and write until there are no more words left to say. Like my art, I have learned to stop and put my writing aside, when the words no longer come to me. It is best not to force inspiration, but rather let it come to you.
In my writing, (unlike flow), sometimes I will have just a fleeting thought that I will simply jot down in a notebook. ( to me that is inspiration) Later, I will be drawn back to those words and have the ability to create something wonderful from them. I have notebooks of words, thoughts and phrases that have inspired me, just waiting to be utilized at some point in the future. When flow strikes, I'll be ready!
But back to flow. Flow is different; flow is special. It comes wave after wave and it starts to energize me. For me it's like an electrical current pulsating in my veins. It's a tingling sensation that says to me "create ~ create ~create !!! The inspiration is not fleeting ~ it is continuous where time seemingly disappears and I am lost in the action of doing. It can last for days ( or even weeks) and I get totally focused in the process of creating. But then one day it too will leave, and I will feel the absence of it. At times like these I simply take a break from creating, knowing that in the least expected moment, "flow" will once more return and I be "in the zone" to create.
This applies not only to my art, but to my writing as well. When I am in the state of "flow", words will pour out on paper, like water from a spigot. I will write and write and write until there are no more words left to say. Like my art, I have learned to stop and put my writing aside, when the words no longer come to me. It is best not to force inspiration, but rather let it come to you.
In my writing, (unlike flow), sometimes I will have just a fleeting thought that I will simply jot down in a notebook. ( to me that is inspiration) Later, I will be drawn back to those words and have the ability to create something wonderful from them. I have notebooks of words, thoughts and phrases that have inspired me, just waiting to be utilized at some point in the future. When flow strikes, I'll be ready!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
inspiration
What inspires you? Sometimes, inspiration comes to me in small bites. It may be a sweater at a thrift shop or a piece of broken jewelry. When I come upon random items such as these I feel a little spark of creativity and inspiration ignite. Usually I put the item in my cart to consider a while longer before I purchase it ~ but I am already thinking about how I will incorporate it into a new creation. If the price is right, I go ahead and buy it ~ too many times I've gone back to the same store only to discover that the unique piece of inspiration had been "snatched up" by somebody else. The moral of this is: if it speaks that loudly to you go ahead and get it ~ even if you are not sure what you want to do with it. Inspiration is like a muscle: use or lose it. Learn to recognize your creative voice: from the faint whisper (or even loud ~ be still my heart from beating so loud and nearly jumping out of my chest) ~ saying you can make something awesome out of this. Look around and see the inspiration all around you ~ just waiting for you to notice it.
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