Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Inspiration


I listened to Pikaland's chat last night on "creativity" and enjoyed her thoughts on the subject. I came away from that chat thinking that before we can be creative we must be "inspired". There has to be something that inspires us to be creative, some thought, experience, something. Something that provokes us to express something of ourselves in some way, with each of us having a uniqueness of our own that comes from different experiences and thoughts.

As a quilter I find inspiration in fabrics. I have loved to sew since I was a child watching my mother create beautiful prom dresses and bridesmaid dress for family and friends. The textures of the fabrics were fascinating, smooth, soft, cool to the touch or rough, grainy, stiff and difficult to crumple. The colors, warm, bright, fresh, pale, vibrant, all evoking a connection to memories such as a cold winter's day or a bright fresh spring morning, the purple of a beautiful eggplant or the bright red of an apple and the cool aqua of the ocean. Memories are often the inspiration to create, such as my Fiesta bags, inspired by memories of childhood in my home town.


What inspires you? Where do you find inspiration to create whatever it is that you do? Let me know what inspires you and what it is that you create.

14 comments:

esque said...

Hi! Music really inspires me when I draw, and for sewing, buying new fabrics inspires me too! Thanks for visiting my blog!

[inkihandmade.blogspot.com]
[inkihandmade.etsy.com]

quiltingfrenzy said...

esque, it was my pleasure. I find inspiration from all new experiences.

GrandmaMarilyn said...

With me it is a theme that goes through my head. And, hopefully I can get it to paper.

illi said...

I make cute little earrings and other accessories. My inspiration and influence comes mainly from my mother who put tiny Sanrio earrings in my ears starting age 2.

Jane Public said...

Hey! I find that situations inspire me. Taking something icky and finding a positive then use my art to work through it. Like the incident that inspired my Angel Guards. Blessings!!!!

FabricFascination said...

Color, pattern, texture, making things fit and enhance each other like on a scrapbook page or in a quilt.

Sue Runyon said...

Just getting my hands on my pearls and beads and wire and putting them together in different ways, seeing the colors and textures and shapes inspires me.

http://www.suerunyondesigns.com

Ilena said...

I am inspired by nature and the beautiful things around me. Sometimes I will see a picture or photo in a magazine (not fabric oriented) and the way colors or layout is presented will inspire me in my sewing.

laura west kong said...

Inspiration is everywhere, from things as big and spectacular as the Grand Canyon or the Aurora Borealis to something as small and insignificant as my coffee cup or a spool of thread.

I create quilts and jewelry and love to paint stuff, anything that the paint will stick to really. =(^_^)=

Robin@creations-anew.com said...

Great post...I can see how you are inspired..your quilts are lovely. I remember watching my grandmother's match colors with knitting...beautiful.
Robin
CreationsAnew Photogrpahy & Design

Needlelove2 said...

I think color is the biggest inspiration for me when I'm making quilts. I love the colors of nature, and the different hues in the sky or in water, for example.

Anne said...

I'm mostly inspired by nature: a walk in the forest, flowers in my garden, birds and animals. I need to be in the right frame of mind to create though, and I find if I'm bothered about things my inspiration dries up.

Kelly said...

Very true, even when I have a requested project it is very hard to get motivated unless I have been inspired by the materials or my surroundings. I think that is why I am always listening to music when I work.

PersimonDreams said...

I find inspiration in everything! My kids, colors, fabrics, beads, nature, other's work, EVERYTHING! I guess that's why I quilt, make jewelry, paint, dye fabric, and everything else you can think of!

www.kimscraftyapple.etsy.com