LISTENING FOR THAT INNER VOICE

Inspiration is key in making art, any kind of art.  My inspiration comes from a myriad of things like the sky clouds, atmosphere, plant life, scribbles on a wall, pealed paint.  I see things in my every day life and they get stuck somewhere in my brain that eventually ends up in a painting.  The process is somewhat mysterious that way and I am not sure how other "creatives" do it but that is my process.  As an artist, it isn't just the seeing and the logging it in for future reference but the doing.  The doing is very important and sometimes intimidating.  For me, I usually need time between the seeing and the doing because I often do not know what I am going to do with that bit of inspiration.  It often just shows up.  It says, "Hey, what about me?  I would be perfect for the little area in the upper left hand corner that you are struggling with".  I listen for these bits of inspiration while I paint.  Assembling a good painting requires the ability to listen to the inspirational voice floating around in your head and it always requires the skill to put it down on the surface of your painting in your hand and in the way you paint.  I am always looking and following my inspiration.