Finding the Time for Inspiration

I’ve just returned from Nova Scotia and my head is full of ideas. One thing that truly inspires me is travel. I try to fit in some travel as often as possible. It can be an overnight, a week, or a few weeks but, getting away from home and seeing new places definitely gets my creative juices flowing. I take notes on my phone about artists’ work I see and their websites that I want to explore when I get home. I try to find local foods that I’ve never had before. I have taken on the habit of wearing a baseball cap instead of sunglasses so I can experience the true color of the environment. This often inspires me to try new colors and color palettes.

Another thing I do almost everywhere I go is pick up stones that I find interesting. Sometimes it’s because of the shape but, more often it’s because I want an accurate representation of the colors in the landscape. The painting at the top of this blog post was inspired by pieces of petrified wood that I collected, legally, just outside of Petrified Forest National Park. The colors of those small bits of rock led me to create an entire series of paintings and then some collages. Those half a dozen stones were creative fodder for probably six months.

I also notice that I am very curious about little things in general. If there’s a food I haven’t tried, I’ll get some and look up how to cook or prepare it. I like to try new recipes too, Pinterest is great for that. If I see textiles that I find intriguing, I will buy some to play with and see how they go with my stash at home. It’s about finding new things and then seeing how they connect or disrupt your ideas about art.

I think it all boils down to differences. I am endlessly curious about new places and the surprises I find there. I will go in small shops just to see what local craft items or kitschy souvenirs are in there. I don’t usually buy them - after all, my suitcase is already full of stones! But just seeing things I’ve never seen before can get my mind working.

What inspires you? If you are creating anything from food, art, music or writings, what makes you get motivated to keep at it? Finally, when was the last time you took the opportunity to feed your inspiration? We are all pressed for time and fitting in time for curiosity can just be something you put on your to do list - that just doesn’t get crossed off because it’s not a priority. I get it. The laundry, errands, dinner and family obligations are important. But what can you let go of to make time to fuel your curiosity and creativity?

Here’s how I did it. I started playing guitar at the age of seventeen. I played for 30 years. I was good. I wasn’t great but, I could keep up and I liked playing. I earned the skills like every musician. Practice. But, practice takes time and I realized that I was playing other people’s music. I wasn’t writing music. I wasn’t creating songs - although I was riffing around a bit and on occasion I would play with other people. I had a few public shows. But I wasn’t creating music. I was repeating what had already been done.

I took stock in what role I wanted music to play in my life. I wanted to continue to appreciate the work of people who were born with the music inside of them and fulfilled their purpose by letting it out for the rest of us. You know it when you see it. The look of utter joy on their face as they sing, play, collaborate and perform. It’s their magic and we get to enjoy it. I wasn’t born with that. I was just playing around because it was fun. But, I wasn’t driven to write song lyrics or chord progressions. Instead, I decided that I wanted to create visual art. The only way I could do that was to either invent more time - which seemed a bit daunting. Or I could let go of playing guitar and free up that time to explore art quilts. Which led to collage and then to painting.

When I tell you that you have more time than you think to explore your creative pursuits, you may resist. However, if you look at how you spend your time and look for ways to invest in your curiosity and creativity, the time will appear. But, you might have to let go of something that is not serving your creative spirit. It might only be 15 minute bursts. I started with 20 minutes after the kids went to bed - now my kids are in their 30s. I have amassed a lot of creative output and learned a lot in short burst that have gotten longer as life permitted.

If you are wondering how to do it - examine your time. If you want help, I do personal coaching which you can find at the button below. Either way, I hope you find the opportunity to feed your curiosity and have more fulfilling days.

Thank you for being here. I hope that you find the time to bring into the world the thing inside of you that is waiting to be released. You deserve the happiness and we deserve to receive your gifts. Making art is not selfish - keeping your talents to yourself - that’s unfair to the rest of us.

Canyon Walls Acrylic on cradle Panel 12” X 12” X 1.5” in Solid Maple Floater Frame