5 Things I'm Finding Inspirational Lately
Inspiration for an artist is something etherial, but tangible. Elusive, but readily available. It’s hard as an artist in today’s world to seek inspiration when every where you look people seem to be copy-pasting the latest trend.
I don’t necessarily mean art art, but social media, pop stars, movies, fashion trends, etc. These days people seem to be taking the easy route. The commercial route.
And in a world where our attention is the most valuable currency, it’s hard to find real inspiration. I’ve been trying to stay off my phone and tune out social media. So here is my analogue(ish) list of things that have been inspiring me or making me happy lately.
I haven’t seen a movie like this in a long time. One where every spare minute of my time I find myself recalling any detail of this film I can. I saw it on my own (the first time I’ve ever gone to the theater alone by the way) last Sunday and I haven’t gone a day without thinking about it.
The house. Oh my god, the HOUSE. It is a character in the story and they found a house that perfectly encapsulates the theme of the movie. I want to move to Oslo now.
2- Butter
My mother in law gave me this book without having read it. Based on the blurb on the back I figured it would be a murder mystery/thriller. I was wrong. Instead I found myself learning to love and accept my body all while thoroughly enjoying the pleasure of eating.
As a woman growing up in the early 2000’s, I remember being praised for how skinny I was, shamed for gaining weight, and spending the better part of the last 20 years fighting my body and hating it. Somehow this book shifted that for me. Food should be a pleasurable experience, not a tool you use to punish your body.
If you’re looking for a speedy plot with twists and turns, this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re looking for a book that encapsulates the insane beauty standards women are subjected to and the societal expectations that come with looking a certain way, this is a great read.
I’ll be honest, I had never even heard of the brand until Daniel Roseberry took over as Director. Since then, I look forward to seeing anything he creates, but especially his Haute Couture collections.
They are incredibly detailed and contain so much story telling. Every six months, I don’t think he can possibly top his previous collection, but then he does just that.
This collection has reptilian and avian references with so many INSANE details. For instance the skirt on this dress, ALL BEADS!
But what really takes the cake for me, the bird shoes!
4- Quilt Patterns
I’ve been inspired to bring some of these fun geometric shapes into my weavings. There are so many takes on similar patterns, I find myself getting lost in all of their intricacies.
5- Light and Shadow
This one isn’t really new to me, but I find it fascinating that after years of observing the light change with the seasons and seeing different shadows emerge as the light and seasons shift, I don’t get tired of it. My camera roll is a lot denser than most people’s — filled mostly with failed attempts to document my work, but there is a large collection of sidewalk photos.
I’m sure a stranger analyzing my phone would say I accidentally took a photo of the ground, but really its the way the light and shadows are blending that I think would make a beautiful painting.
There is a reference to this in Sentimental Value and I have never felt more seen. I can get lost in looking out the window at “nothing” or staring a my feet on a walk. But internally I’m sketching the scene and deciding how I would blend the colors.
I was often in trouble as a kid for dilly-dallying or not paying attention, but as an adult I realize it’s not that I’m not paying attention. It’s that I pay attention to the different things than other people. And that’s what makes me an artist.
