Inspiration

According to the Greeks, Inspiration  really means to be "in spirit" " to breathe in and be filled with spirit of the gods . Greek myth explained that all creativity came from the gods .

Inspiration defitnitely comes from somewhere and as an artist , I find myself inspired all the time. Inspiration can come in quietly like a cloud drifitng in during a meditation or with a flash like a lightbolt when I'm washing the dishes . It comes to me in my  nightly dreams and quite often it arrives on tiptoes at the light of day when I'm on the verge of waking up.

I think the Greeks really knew what they were talking about ...to breathe in and be filled with the spirit of  the Gods ...but I also like to  think of it as breathing in and being filled with the Light of the  Creator.......and I can't think of  anything more beautiful than  to have one's paintings reflect this light.

 Certainly in my meditations ...when I'm breathing in and breathing out ....there is a connection there and the ideas seem to flow. And everyone agrees that life is much easier when you're "in the flow"

Whatever our source of inspiration, be it nature, music  or just being with people, slow down, be in the moment,  and just experience the flow ............... I think you'' be surprised what arrives !

The inspiration for one of my favourite paintings

came from a painting of my daughter wearing a white dress. I got lost light and colours  that were reflecting off of the sleeve.

I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes:
"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle"

Emerging From The Cocoon

Creativity is an experience, a spiritual experience. It does not matter which way you think of it: creativity, leading to spirituality or spirituality leading to creativity.

What a beautiful quote from Julia Cameron , "The Artist's Way"  to start of my blog. It really does sum up my experience as an artist, or at least the way it has unfolded. Starting from my artistic pursuits when I was young, creativity just was.........it was a part of being me . I'm not sure I felt any divine connection or expression of spirituality, or at least I couldn't put words to it. Over the years my explorations were part of finding myself.

Fast forward many years and many life experiences and my creativity has definitely settled into a spiritual experience. Whether that be through choice or the necessity to emerge from the pain and anguish I've experienced in the last two years, I'm not sure. I only know that it was a necessity that I create again and after much reflection and many spiritual experiences, I feel the divinity  beginning to emerge in my artwork. As I begin  to express myself through my creativity once again, I truly do feel like a butterfly coming out of the darkness of a cocoon.   Knowing that the light is there, within my reach ........ how beautiful it is.  As painful as it can be, change is often something we  don't have a choice on in life. But if there was no change, we would never experience the beauty of a butterfly.