Inspiration

Inspiration.........What a word!...we all want to be inspired in our lives, be moved by something or someone.

It provides the driving force behind impossible tasks, to be inspired is the one thing that makes the shedding of blood, sweat and tears all the more bearable!

The lyrics of a song, the vibrant or delicate brush strokes across an artists canvas or the wholeness of that thing you strive for.

To an artist who relies on it to fulfil the constant need to express their inner most thoughts it can be a savage gentle beast! (yes I said savage & gentle)

The one that claws you into wakefulness in the ungodly hours of the morning, demanding there be no time for sleep…of course for the creative person who realises how seldom that beast strikes….we run with it!!

Life as you know it must be paused because this beast requires taming, calming and channelling, it requires careful handling. Rush the process and savage it stays but with patience it can be nurtured into profound beauty...those conquering moments are exquisite.

Personally I would love to time these invasions to more practical time slots, ones that fit in with family life and normal sleep patterns. Preferably when I’m seated in the studio with art supplies at hand, not a worry in the world until school pick up. But alas the nature of that magnificent thing is not about convenience, and when it strikes I’ve learnt to grab the beast by the horns and stroke it gently between the eyes… that tends to calm it enough for me to make a cup of tea & head to the studio in my pj’s

Oh I know there is a science behind it, you know that practical reason why it strikes when you are most relaxed and open to take on ideas, (in my case 4am and fast asleep!), when your brain gamma waves and electrical 'you know whats' are firing… But I like to look at it as an unpredictable and exciting possibility that sneaks up behind you in a dark alley and says “Hey I dare you to paint this!”

Written at 3.42am…..yep!