Finding the Muse

Let's discuss what inspires us to make art. I will call this segment Finding the Muse and hopefully do a post each Thursday on finding inspiration.

As far back as my memories go, I have loved the written word. I read.

Books are little adventures and teachers, carrying me off to new places. The library is one of my favorite places.

At any given time I have a novel (often a cozy mystery) for bedtime reading, and non fiction for daytime reading. Today I finished the book...

I plan to further explore writing this year. I am already writing every day, either a short story or a personal glimpse into my life.

This book on writing was so well done, that I wanted to stop reading every few pages and go write a story. So I did. Then I ordered the book from Amazon, as it may be one of my go-to inspirations.
I love going to the library as it's like shopping for free, but sometimes one wants to have the book always at the ready, no?



One day while on a walk with my wee family of three, I saw a scene that prompted an oral story that had dh chuckling.
It didn't come out quite so funny days later but here it is:
     The Tree had a Splinter
As we passed a massive Oak tree on our walk, I swear I heard it call to me.  It's people had pushed a large metal rod into it's side, and hung a planter full of flowers from it.
Pretty I suppose.
I felt sorry for the tree. I imagined it saying...
"Hey! I think I have a splinter. Something hurts. Could one of you other trees reach a limb over here and pull it out?"
"Sorry man! Can't reach you but you do have something in there" said the elm
"In that case could you send a squirrel over? They have great hands and I've seen them chew through many a garbage can. Thanks!" 

I tell you that story because that's the way I think.
My imagination is always on.
 It entertains me, and often my husband.
So where do I find the Muse? I think she's always there.

Back to reading. One of the things I like a lot is a magazine. I love Country Living for one.  One day my husband said he got an offer for $5 subscriptions to magazines, so I ordered four and now I feel rich. Every month I get little written gifts in the mail! As I look through a magazine, I pull out what speaks to me
 (as directed by the Muse, lol)
such as, these clippings, the sofa pic for color (coral and yellow with dabs of blue) and the composition.

This one is just lovely.
It called to me first because of the intense red and sort of turquoise blue. I pull pics that speak to me quickly without thinking too much of why.
After I am finished with the magazine I look thru the pulled images to see why they interested me, and make a notation.
I wanted to remember the mix of blues and greens that made up this background. That can be used with paint or fabric later.


Look closer, the proportions of color are lovely too. Mostly the blue/green, but also red, dark brown, and white. Can't you see it in a quilt? Choosing a block where you mostly use a mix of blues/ greens with little accents of the other colors?
The horoscope told me I'd be writing more this year. Amazing! After I decided to spend the year writing I have gotten at least three messages about that from other sources.

I pulled the jewelry page because it gave me an idea for beading on fabric. The one on the right was for composition and well, magic. It's enchanting isn't it? I love the line, I see the dog, travel up each suitcase to the high heel, kicked back foot, to the kiss then stop at the Eiffel Tower. I may not do a painting of a kiss but I might stack something.

Two other books on the table. I'm kind of excited to do the exercises in both the Lettering and Faces books from our library. Better get to it as the library lends them for just a short time!

Mr Not Afraid of Color and I were discussing color while having coffee one morning. He got his Ph.d. in something related but distilled down to molecules of light and color. I asked him to share something of how he views color theory.
Wow!
And I thought I understood colors! And I do... for the way I use color.
He checked out this book from the library, (my scientist guy!) so he could build a bridge from his concepts to mine.

So that's it for today. Reading and writing are very inspirational to me. What have you read that inspired you to make art?