Creative Inspiration

I have been quite amazed, after reading through various blogs to find that many people are talking about the same thing: What inspires you,  the process of creativity. Robert Burridge's blog http://www.robertburridge.blogspot.com/ and Paulette Insall's blog http://www.pauletteinsall.com/blog/ amongst others, provided some interesting food for thought.

So, what inspires me and what's my creative process? Well there are different ways I create. Mostly I get ideas that just come to me. These can be in the form of 'pictures' (images in my mind), random ideas, God ideas and even a scripture verse or a song can get my creative juices flowing. I'll jot down or sketch my ideas. Usually the final product is quite different to what I originally sketch. And then sometimes I'll explore a theme. This week I worked on a painting inspired by the country I live in, Qatar, and the verse "but we have this treasure in jars of clay". I tried to pull in elements from Arabic design and of course the clay pots found in this region.

Jars of clay, a work in progress

Hope 1

And then, there's the process whereby I just start to paint; something always emerges as the colors come alive on the canvas. I began my painting called "Hope" in this way. I find that this approach is very liberating and can help any blocked wells of my creativity to become unblocked. 

I'd like to end with two of my favorite quotes, which remind me that creativity is supposed to be fun, to be enjoyed...that's why it's a gift!

"It is a happy talent to know how to play."

                                  (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

" Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 

                                                                                       (Pablo Picasso)             

Hope, Final