Art Inspiration

I've always loved art; viewing it or creating it.  Anything from interior decorating to floral design, from paintings to sculpture (though I have not tried this last one yet).  I love visiting art galleries and museums.  My favorite museums in the two places I reside are the deYoung and the Legion of Honor in San Francisco and and in Phoenix; the Phoenix Art Museum (where I'm a volunteer).

Visiting a museum or gallery is a wonderful way to pass an afternoon.  I'm amazed at how an artist can create a painting that looks so life-like or one where the colors in an abstract can mesmerize. It's fascinating to me.  And because of this - I want to produce art as extraordinary as these.  Something to aspire to but, seriously?  Probably not going to happen in my lifetime. In any event, I can keep learning and doing whatever it takes to improve.

Another thing I have explored are art books.  Oh my, have I ever!  Here are just a few I've read and highly recommend: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, Think Like an Artist by Will Gompertz, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert , The War of Art and Do the Work both by Steven Pressfield, Art and Soul Reloaded, Pam Grout, Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk, by Danielle Krysa, 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, Gail McMeekin and my all time favorite; The Artist's Way by the prolific talent, Julia Cameron.  And those are just the books I have in Arizona.  I have another assortment of books in my California home.

Yes, I am inspired, encouraged and consoled by these books but the problem arises when I spend more time reading than doing. Reading these wonderful books can also be a form of procrastination or postponement  (out of fear, perhaps) of what I really want to be doing. And that's making art.

One of the solutions to this delaying tactic is to set a certain time of day for creative work. Right now my project is either writing a post for this blog or working on a collage (my latest art interests). Generally, afternoons are best for me, however, I'm going to experiment with mid-morning for my blog. Often I get a sense of what I want to write about in the morning and by the afternoon the great idea has disappeared!

The point is, if we want our talent to flourish, we must simply dive in and do the work.  Books can be a great help and wellspring.......read and create!
xo