When Inspiration Hits...

Ahh yes, inspiration, such an amazing and sometimes fickle thing!  Thankfully though, I've been on the receiving end of artistic inspiration the last almost day. 
Having spent 3 days(ish) sitting in front of my computer working on a business plan (as well as doing any number of things on my computer that were NOT my business plan, just to avoid it) I was feeling pretty drained and, I'll admit a little cranky (I got called out in class quite a bit today for that. Thanks Craiger for keeping me honest!).  Of course, I was starting to doubt this whole art-making thing, feeling no inspiration for new work (even though I'm SO THRILLED with my last piece, this is the up & down life of a creative - I never feel I can revel for too long in one success, I always feel the need to keep going), and wondering if I'm just an imposter (like I said, sitting in front a computer for long periods of time makes me cranky).

To take a break (and to procrastinate) I decided to do some quick, rough work with new pastels I'd gotten in TO.  Outright drawing has never been a real strength of mine, so as much as I'd felt the need to just work with pure colour, to try and get emotions down on paper, it also left me feeling a less than impressed with myself.  I left everything out on my bed and went back to the business plan.

Then - inspiration struck! At about midnight, of course!  I have a lot of doilies I've been thinking back and forth about what to do with, ones that have linen centers, with crochet around the edge.  They seem the perfect natural frame to me, but to put what in?  I can't really draw, so that was out, and I really wanted them to be meaningful, not just done for the sake of being done.  So, as I said at midnight my brain started hamstering (Benita - I still love that word!) on these doilies, while the rest of my brain was business planning (or thinking of a way to avoid businss planning), then one thing took off to another: music notes have been on my mind a lot lately, as well as this colour work, and the doilies, and about 5 new ideas for rough series' came to mind that I am in LOVE with, and that can be really pushed with research  & text.  So I sat back down on my bed, surrounded by my art stuff, scribbling these ideas furiously and then my brain (on a roll at this point) started piecing together how to use my pastel exercises - scanning and more digital printing, with embroidery and overlays is in my very near future.  I probably could have stayed up until 3 or 4 refining these ideas and starting to go forward, but then it was 1:30 and I remember I had class at 9am.  I was so inspired I actually got up at 7:30 am just to get more sketching done (for anyone who knows me, this is big, and another possibly reason for my morning crank. Sorry classmates, but it was totally worth it!).

I just want to acknowledge and thank the Inspiration Gods for looking down on me kindly last night, and getting this grey brain of mine going.  AHHHH-EXCITING!!
The creative life can be such a rollercoaster, but completely worth it! When the creative adrenaline starts flowing, there's no feeling like it!

Below are images of my art explosion, on my studio bed!


My work table's space is filled up with sewing machines, so the spare bed's the next best place to spread out!




One of my old music dictation books, which after photographing I realized the last entry was May 17, 2000.  I quit 11 years of classical piano almost exactly 10 years ago.  Wow.  It's always in the soul though.





Pastels with my favourite mug, by Shanie Stozek.





Vintage doilies *swoon*




Why do I have a broken mug handle?  It's my reminder that I'm only allowed to bring mason jars out of the house now. whomp whomp.




An amazing and complete explosion of brain and materials. Gawd I love this life.