On Inspiration...

This morning, as I drink coffee and mentally prepare for a private event in the studio, I'm thinking about inspiration. Where does it come from? What do we cognitively think inspiration is and how does that compare to our visceral, lived-experience of being inspired?

I have some strong feelings about all these 'drink and draw' and 'wine and canvas' events. On the one hand, I'm thrilled that there is enough demand for creative spaces, for mark-making and paint splashing! On the other hand, I wish these spaces emphasized personal expression over step-by-step execution. I also worry that it sets people up to compare or compete instead of express and enjoy.

But that does not mean I want to shut them down! I think there's room for all of it. If a 'drink and draw' event leads someone to buy a sketchbook and make coffee-shop portraits or doodle on their work agenda I'm all for it! If a 'wine and canvas' event opens the door to more creative expression, then by all means GO FOR IT.

Here's what happens in THIS art studio:

  • I will create space where your own, authentic inspiration can visit you.

  • I will encourage you to listen inward. Look inward.

  • I will facilitate use of materials to bring your ideas into the world...sometimes that means introducing a new term or technique or method. Sometimes that means silently bringing a new color to the table.

  • I will encourage you to play and make messes...and we make some good messes here!

My goal is to empower people to bring more creativity into their lives...to notice interesting things in their world and to feel more comfortable working in images and textures. My goal is not necessarily that each person makes a "masterpiece," though that frequently happens! If a poet feels she has a new language to write with or a marketing professional has an experience of healthy stress relief, then I've done my job and this studio has been a successful space.

I'd love to hear your stories of attending 'drink and draw' or 'wine and canvas' events. Did you want more? Did it open the door to continued creativity? What do you need in order to feel comfortable trying something new?