October Musings; how to find inspiration?
It’s the end of October and now we are officially in autumn, I am fully embracing jeans, jumpers and autumnal walks! I do love the slightly crisp, blue sky days filled with autumnal colours and I am in absolute denial that winter is nipping at its heels!
It was a busy start to October with Art:Surrey at Epsom Racecourse, where I had a great weekend chatting to both visitors and artists. I always find I leave these events with lots of ideas, inspiration and things to ponder, which massively fires me up once I get over working the whole weekend! I have already been planning new work and prepping the panel boards ready to get going after the October half term!
I think one of the many reasons I enjoy art fairs so much is meeting and chatting to creative people as I predominately work in isolation in my studio and along with being surrounded by art, I find them so inspiring. Like every artist, I have periods where I am feeling uninspired and not very motivated and let’s be honest it does get lonely! It can be difficult to be creative at times which led me to thinking about how important and difficult it can be to stay motivated and inspired. So for this month’s blog I thought I would explore the different ways I stay inspired….
Galleries, Museums and Art Fairs
The great thing about galleries, museums and art fairs is that you are surrounding by art, and not just one genre but lots of possibilities and directions. Visiting these places opens the doors to inspiration and how different artists respond and express their creativity.
I always think galleries, museums and art fairs have so much energy; they are full of colour, techniques and expression to become immersed in. One of the positives of an art fair is that you can actually talk to the artist, whereas in galleries and museums you can take your time and loose yourself in your own thoughts and impressions about the art.
Out and About
It’s always good to get out and about especially in nature! Taking a break from the studio or place you work, getting some fresh air and soaking up a different environment can be food for the soul and inspiration!
I often will visit somewhere with my family and more often than not I will be lagging behind them taking photographs of something that has grabbed my attention. Normally it’s nature related! There will be times I am inspired to play with the idea straight away, sometimes I will mull it over and let the seed germinate and other times I will file the photos away to be used another time. Either way it is freeing to get out, experience different surroundings and take a deep breath!
Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest
Although I am a firm believer in getting outside, there are times when this can be difficult; illness…poor weather…being super busy….or just…..life!!!
So, when life is full on and visiting places or getting out is difficult, I say the art work and inspiration comes to you! This is the beauty of social media!
I mainly follow artists and galleries and love that I am not only part of this creative and supportive online community but I can see and discover art and artists that I may never have found otherwise from all over the world!
Yes, social media has its downsides, but if it is used in a positive way, and people are careful and aware of its negative aspects then it can be a great resource for creatives.
Screenshots and Photo albums
My photographs and screenshots are one of my greatest inspirations. I organise them in folders so they don’t get lost and absorbed within the trillion of photos of my kids and dog. They are the results of visiting galleries, museums and art fairs, being out and about, and taking screen shots of something that I have seen on social media that has sparked my interest for some reason. They really are my visual library of inspiration.
You Tube and other ‘How to’s
And of course I mustn’t forget You Tube as another great inspirational resource especially for techniques and processes. I normally use You Tube for a specific reason, whether that is how to use watercolour ground or how to mount paper onto a panel. The artists that film these ‘how to’s are so informative and generous to share their experience and thoughts. It’s a great way to solve problems and expand your technical knowledge!
Books and Magazines
I always look forward to the arrival of my Artist and Illustrator magazine, although I do tend to squeeze it in when I can! For me, this is a monthly inspiration fix that I can enjoy straight away and keep to look back on as a reference source.
This is the same with books. I have all my art books in my studio and will have a flick through them sometimes for a few minutes, other times the whole morning will pass! I will pop on post-its to mark pages and leave books out that I either find inspirational or focus on a technique I am using. Books and magazines are in constant use and are a great way to build on areas that are of interest.
There are so I many ways to find inspiration wherever you are and whenever you need it. It is important to remember these ways when you are feeling in a creative slump and when you aren’t! Inspiration feeds your creativity, even if you are not being physically creative; you are being exposed to different ideas, techniques and possibilities. This is something I need to remind myself of when things are not happening in the studio!
Hope you enjoyed this blog, hope to see you at the same time same place next month!