Using inspiration to become an authentic artist.

I've been thinking lately about authenticity and inspiration.

I was trained as a classical artist, but as I've gotten older I've realized traditional art, as exquisite as it can be, doesn't really "speak" to me as loudly as it used to. Instead, I'm much more drawn to 'newness', saying and showing things in innovative ways, although I'm afraid this attraction doesn't always appear in my own art.

The artistic process is such a fascinating journey, and I think a large part of it is a lesson in "listening". Listening to others, and deciding when not to--listening to yourself, and sorting out what's true for you. Part of my own evolution has been a battle between my right and left brain. After being immersed in the highly analytical and practical world of mental health for so many years, transitioning into a place of imagination and intentional rule-breaking has been, at times, pretty challenging. Fortunately, I can think back to myself at a young age, when I was completely consumed with creativity, and use that as a map for my adult self.

After thinking about these things for a few days, I decided it would be helpful to create an actual, tangible, visual map for myself. As the years have passed I feel like my artistic restraint has been loosening...but I want to take that even further. Really test my limits. So, last night I created an inspiration banner, filled with images and ideas that always get me excited, or passionate, or feeling inspired. Most of these images have a theme--magic, dark fantasy, vivid colors and strong blacks. There's also a rawness to them, a sense that they were created in a dream where only the most strange and whimsical things live.

Just looking at this banner is personally motivating. I don't want to "be" these artists, but I do want to explore and tap into the part of me that strongly identifies with them. I'm learning to listen to myself--and this is where I want to continue to go.

[Click to enlarge]

In the banner: Mirrormask, Pan's Labyrinth, Dave Mckean, Tom Waits, Red Nose Studio, Dennis Mcfarland, Andrew Bird, Mike Maxwell, Stephen Moffat, Byroglyphics, Malcolm Liepke, Regina Spektor, The Fall.


If any of you feel like creating an inspiration map, please post the link here--I'd really love to see it.