The Myth of Inspiration
As an artist, I am often asked where I find my inspiration. To be fair, I describe myself as a nature inspired artist. But, to be honest, most of my work is not about trees or landscapes or any specific natural phenomenon. However, I find that when I spend time in nature, my creative source is renewed. A hike, trail ride or a trip to the beach all wake up some part of me that comes out as physical art.
The longer I work at this creative process, the more mystical it seems. When I look for inspiration I am rarely successful. Waiting around for it show up is definitely not the answer. So, where do I find inspiration?
A couple of years ago, I probably would have had a different answer. But with the unfolding of recent events, I have received so much clarity about how inspiration works for me. I thought I’d share it with you. It might be helpful if you’ve ever been fully unmotivated and caught in a creative slump.
About 2 months ago, I was living in that slump. Perhaps it was more like a small dip. Either way, I wasn’t really making a lot of progress. So, I decided to just go make something. It didn’t have to be good. It didn’t have to be experimental. I just had to be engaged in creating something that hadn’t existed before.
I picked a color palette, had a very loose plan and reduced the friction of getting started by making the art quilts small and simple. Nothing larger than 24 inches in any direction. Some of them were more like twelve inches or less.
Next thing I knew, I had made eleven of them. I was having fun. And that was all I needed to keep going. I changed color palette and carried on. Another seven were done in about a week. Picked another palette and off I went. Another eight small pieces came together so easily and I was happy with what I saw. Mostly, I was happy with how I felt. Free, loose, joyful and maybe even a little bit productive.
While this body of art quilts was forming, I was also doing my morning practice of starting my day in the studio. It was good to get in there and just draw or collage or mess around before my inner critic was awake. When I heard the voice say things like “What the heck are you doing? Don’t waste time or materials. Blah, blah, blah.” I cleaned up and left the studio.
However, the act of starting my day creatively, primed me to return later and keep going with my little project. Twenty-five pieces later is when inspiration came knocking.
I kept making art without any specific goal and then during my morning practice the voice appeared. Instead of saying “What are you doing?’ It said “So, you’ve been busy and perhaps you could combine the process of your art quilts with this process you’re involved in over here.” It was the voice of inspiration that had replaced my inner critic. It came when I was happy. It came when I was working on my art.
I think that my persistence in the process summoned that inspiration. I certainly would not be on the path I am now if I had avoided my studio and stopped creating altogether. The inspiration showed up after 25 quilts and probably 30 drawings and 30 collages. It showed up because it knew I was serious. And it showed up because I was having fun.
I don’t think it shows up when you’re feeling frustrated or searching for it. It arrives when it knows that you are dedicated to creating something. It shows up because once you put in the effort, it joins you and brings for forces of the Universe along with it.
My advice to you if you are looking for inspiration, GO HAVE FUN. Keep at it and stop tapping your foot waiting for inspiration to show up. Shut the world out and go inside to that place of deep contentment. Once you are there, inspiration will join you. In the meantime, feel free to invite inspiration. Set the stage, clean the studio, prepare the materials, start moving. It is a powerful force. If it came when you weren’t ready you might get bowled over.
In closing, it’s probably not accurate to say that artists find inspiration. We get busy and inspiration finds us. The more you work, the more likely it is to show up and lend a hand. If you are waiting for inspiration to strike, you might be missing the mark.
