Tips for finding inspiration

Today I'd like to share some tips on finding inspiration,  BUT FIRST, I will announce the winner and monthly feature from "inspiration in everyday" facebook group. The winner for this past month, and creator of the beautiful necklace pictured here, is Sarajo Wentling!!

Here is the collage of what inspired the necklace:

Congratulations Sarajo!! Thanks so much for playing along and sharing your inspirations and beautiful necklaces. Another thank you for being a brave trailblazer as the first person to share in the group!! Your creativity and enthusiasm are much appreciated in this new and humble group!!  

Sarajo made the above necklace along with another one, both inspired by the Meadolaronk Botanical Gardens. You can read her full post about it on her blog at Sarajo's blog post.  Or check out her post on the "inspiration in everyday" facebook group here.

Sarajo your prize is two sets of my feather headpins in your choice of color. Let me know your address and color choices.

The photo below is a photo of the prize for the next random feature who posts on"inspiration everyday".  The winner will be selected at random from those who share their inspirations over the next 4 weeks. Winner will be featured here on the ABS blog and win this bead set. If you have not joined yet - come on over! Click here! Ceramic hand painted birdie bead set.

There is so much inspiration around us and so much to discover in the simple things in life!  In this post I plan to give some tips on ways to find inspiration in everyday.  In a future post I look forward to sharing some ways to act on inspiration!  Here are three different ideas/exercises you could try in order to help spark inspiration.  There are obviously many more ways to find inspiration, and sometimes it just finds you!  But for those times inspiration is not free flowing, here are some things to try. 

- Go for a walk in a place that is new to you

 New things, and new places can often easily spark new inspirations.  As you walk try to view everything you are seeing through the eyes of an artist. How? Pay attention to colors, shapes, textures, images, light, shadows, patterns and combinations. Take with you, a means to gather and collect findings. Maybe it's your camera to photograph these things. Maybe it's a sketchbook/journal  to sketch or write things down.  Or a purse or bag to collect bits of nature that speak to you.  Better yet, a combination of any or all of the above.  I know for me, having a place to put bits of the natural world I like to pick up (usually for pressing into fresh clay), is very important when I go walking in nature (often it's just my pocket).

-  Go for a walk in a place that is NOT new, instead, very familiar

  Look around you trying to see things from a different perspective. Try looking in different directions than usual. Look up. Look down. Bring your camera/phone for the purpose of taking photos from different angles.  You will likely notice things/details you may have missed before!  Slowdown and take in even the smallest details.  Fill your well with wonder and curiosity! The goal here is to look at old familiar things and places in a NEW way!

-  Look through books or magazines, either ones you own, or at/from your local library.

I know it's a less popular thing to do these days, but I still love to go to the library!!  Looking through magazines you own is the most fun because you can rip out pages to keep as inspirations!  It does not even matter if they are magazines or books that normally don't appeal to you, as long as they have lots of visuals. You are looking past the obvious for the purpose of this exercise. This mean looking at what is in the background of the images. Maybe it's the wallpaper pattern or color in an image, or maybe the text that stands out to you.  Be intentional about looking at things within the images that don't first jump out at you. Just take your time and take in as much as you can!

When you start gathering inspirations, try keeping them in one place.  If everything you collect and gather is in one place it will be much easier for you to find when want to refer to them!!

If you are looking for a way to boost your inspiration, I hope you might give one or all of these a try and see what you can come up with!  Maybe it could even lead you to share what inspired you with us at "inspiration in everyday" facebook group!! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!!

Wishing you inspiration in "everyday"!!

Terri Del Signore

artisticaos