I look for inspiration in just about everything; everywhere I go, everything someone says or does, books, pictures, landscapes,flowers, water, whatever.
Like most of us, less than half of what I think actually comes out into the universe in words and even less of the colorful visions I have ever manifest. I realized that sometimes its because inspiration often comes at the most inopportune times such as walking in the grocery store, driving, or like yesterday when the inspiring thought to write an online journal came to me while there was neither pen, paper or a computer around.
It was by chance really, because normally when browsing at Barnes and Noble, I beeline it straight to the art magazine section, but for some reason my attention was riveted by the title of a magazine – Artful Blogging. I thought to myself, “hmm, this could be interesting.” As I flipped through the beautifully formatted pages, I was inspired to consider sharing my “artfull” thoughts with the world. Many as they are. I was inspired to unleash more creativity through words and to talk about the inspirations behind various creative modes.
For instance, just recently I put out a new series of work called Soul Deep that is a continuation of an earlier series called Victory. But really this whole series was inspired by a real true feeling of defeat, of suffocation of loneliness. I just knew I couldn’t stay there and so I started these pieces on the floor in my little apartment in Plano, TX while working for T-Mobile. I would work on them on the weekends, after work, on my days off, whenever. They were just reminders that life is abundant when you know, think and feel that it is. The funny thing is that when I decided to move to Atlanta shortly after that, I couldn’t take any of them with me. So three of them I left at a gallery in Plano, one was at my aunt’s house and the last 2 of them a friend held for safe keeping. Finally, when I was able to return to Dallas I found 3 of them, and I returned to New Orleans with one. The one that I returned with hung over my bed for at least 2 years. It was the first thing I saw when I walked through the bedroom door. It kept me company through this first year of running M. Francis Gallery turned Passion 2 Paint at M. Francis Gallery – LOL! It helped me to remember to keep thinking positive thoughts – always. It inspired me through trying times, ups and downs and it ultimately inspired me to create a completely new body of work.
Sometimes inspiration does indeed come in short bursts and at the most inopportune times, but sometimes it manifests itself after lingering over your head for years! And so now I know and deeply understand – years later the power of following initial sparks of inspiration. I’m inspired through this reflection to keep looking, to keeping dreaming and to follow inspiration wherever it may lead.
Myesha
Creatively Yours-
