inspiration

Sometimes ideas and inspiration just come you. Use your phone to capture those thoughts.

The easiest way to capture ideas is to take a picture. Even if it is not a beautiful photo is can capture the essence as a reference for a stencil or a painting or art process.

Another way I use my phone is to write a note to myself. Then I can come back to the notes later.

A third way that I save inspiration is to record sounds. Sometimes I just want remember that feeling that is created by the crashing waves or babbling brook.

Then turn that inspiration into art making action.

Even a little bit of letting go makes space for something new.

It is challenging for a mixed media artist to let go of things. Because we think, “Oh I could use this for something.”

Yes but, how long have we been saving it?

• Months?
• Years?
• Decades?

I challenge you to experience the opening created by letting go. 

Try one of these approaches:

• Sort through one box and trash 1/2 of it
• Tackle one small table and let go of anything you don’t use right now
• Get rid of old work – (it might be weighing you down)

It is hard to let go.

But I always feel lighter and ready for something new when I create an opening by throwing out something that no longer feeds me.

I think our job as artists is to help others to see differently.

So often I something catches my eye and when I try to photograph it, the essence is not captured.

For example this solo beech tree looked striking and beautiful to me, but that is not so in this photo.

But what I could do is make a painting or print or drawing that captures and conveys what my eye selectively sees.

I encourage you to look and see differently today!

Sometimes we grow in directions and then stall out in a funk.

When that happens to me, I like to go back to my source of inspiration – playing with printmaking. I turn to play to move beyond the rules and should “do’s”.

I give myself the space to play with out any expectations, and then I can usually break out of the funk and move on with a few new ideas.

Three ways to play with printmaking

One – Ten sheets of paper – I pull out 10 ten sheets of paper and just print with abandon. I get a couple of stencils and stamping tools and just print. No goal of making beautiful prints – just get into the process

Two – Use “stencils” from the waste basket. This one can be quite surprising. It is fun to play with scrapes from a collage project. I get inspired to work in new abstract ways.

The print above is a combination of ideas one and two. First I printed 10 sheets with the “found” stencils from a collage project and then I cropped and collaged the prints into a larger print. And I am pretty pleased with the outcome.

Three – Print with a kid. And follow the uninhibited and fearless way of printing. Kids will just do it, use too much ink, layer with abandon and go through tons of paper.