A little inspiration…
As an artist who has several day jobs, I often find it hard to transition into make-stuff-mode. It would be lovely to be constantly filled with ideas and urges to paint, draw, photograph, or write. And it is lovely- on the rare occasion that it happens that way. On most days, being creative means taking ten minutes here, and five minutes there, to jot down some ideas that you’ll get back to later, or pushing bedtime back an extra hour so you can get just a tiny bit further on your masterpiece. (We’re all working on our masterpieces, right?)
When I need a quick jump-start to put me in a creative state of mind, I look to these artists and resources for inspiration.
Sabrina has long been an inspiration to me and my art. She works in mixed media and photography and her images always have a certain air of freedom and playfulness. Her images usually contain handwritten text– true moments from her life. To get the good stuff, check out her books.
Esopus is a twice-yearly magazine that features artists, writing, interviews, and music, much like another much-loved zine I know… hint hint. The beauty of Esopus is how it is physically crafted. They spare no expense to use unique textures and different papers for each feature. I especially love the little inserts- usually a replica of the art that is featured, or a replica of a letter or found object. I like to think of Esopus as Vain’s chic and well traveled cousin, who shops at vintage stores and wears sunglasses at night. Yep.
Sally Mann is one of my all time favorite photographers. I love the feel of summer in Virginia through her eyes. Not to mention, her photographs have a beautiful tonal quality. Check out, “What Remains,” a film about her semi-recent “body” of work. (Pun intended.)
That’s just a little about where I go to get inspired. What inspires you? Where do you get your jump-start?