My Secret To Finding Dream Inspiration

Last updated on January 30th, 2012 at 01:00 pm

Most people are familiar with the term “writer’s block.”   But I believe that block comes in all forms.  How about “Dreamer’s Block?”  Or for me “painter’s block?”

I am just finishing my first semester of grad school and I have one more still life to compose and yes, I am blocked.

This post on Saturday night started as “Blogger’s Block.”

All this “blockage” made me start to think about what drives our dreams. What pushes us each to go beyond these blocks?  I thought back to some of my hardest struggles and found…

Inspiration

“Inspiration” has several definitions but the one that resonated the most for me was “Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind.”

Though I am not a very religious person, I believe those feelings of inspiration are Divine.  It could be compared to that “Ah Ha” moment when everything falls into place or when you witness a breathtaking sunset or something miraculous.

I was seventeen, in Paris, when I discovered inspiration for the first time. I already loved creating art but I had not studied any of its history.  I found myself exploring Musee d’ Orsay and wandered into a room full of works by Degas.

That was a magical moment.  I did not know that artwork could generate such an emotional/ physical reaction. His compositions and draftsmanship was phenomenal and his colors  glowed.  I was inspired! I could not wait to return back home to paint.

So now,  when I find myself overwhelmed, I open up my art books and fall into pages of inspiration.

Great sources of inspiration can be —

• A walk in nature
• Movie-score music
• Classical music
• Dane music
• Dancing
• Inspirational words
• Books on the subject you need inspiration for

How do you find inspiration?

Wendy

Wendy rotated off 8 Women Dream in 2010 to complete grad school. You can find more of her plein air paintings at www.braytonart.com.