Where Do You Get Your Inspiriation?

Lately my mind has just been going crazy thanks to some other incredible artists out there that I have ran across lately. I've seen techniques that I'm just too excited to try. After a long time, many years actually, I've been dying to get down to the actual hands on mediums - paints, pencils, watercolors and paper again.

I have also been thinking a lot about the fine art direction I would like to start going again, that is not specifically scrapbook design related. I have put it on the back burner for a while, but I'm feeling the need to do more of it again. How do I combine all that I've learned? What is my style or how do I develop a style? How can I combine the opportunity I have to make money on scrapbook designs and things, as well as start doing some of my own hands on - get messy type of art? These are the questions running through my mind all the time.

Well it came while I was washing dishes. It always seems to come while I'm washing dishes. Ideas, tons of ideas, ways that I can incorporate the two, how to enjoy both worlds and combine efforts so I'm not even more scattered than I already am.

I think it's funny that I get these ideas and inspiration while washing dishes. Ironically about 5 months ago, I had my husband get rid of the dish washer. Our kitchen is really small, and it was taking up most of the room in there because it was a portable one. If all the dirty dishes didn't fit in the dishwasher at the time, I would rationalize that there was a whole other load that could be done later... well that rarely happened, and I had dirty dishes in my sink more often then not. So I had him get rid of it, and started doing them by hand again. (Even though I said I would never do this in a million years, especially with 3 kids.) Well now all the dishes have to get done, and now there is something about my hands in that hot soapy water that lets the ideas, thoughts and inspiration start to seep out. I need to learn to just keep a sketchbook or journal next to the sink. It would probably end up pretty waterlogged.

Yet I think there is something about mundane tasks that lets your brain take a break. They let you slow down and relax because you have to and that lets the creativity happen again. So are you short for some ideas? Have you been procrastinating doing some monotonous cleaning because it is just not as fun? Go do it, you might find the same thing I do when my hands are in hot soapy water.

Photo by: Lauren Lank