Need Inspiration?

Need inspiration? How am I inspired? People ask me this all the time.  Hello!  This is me with one of my paintings I just created!

I don’t create paintings this size without inspiration!  Now look at the next pic; it’s a tiny artist trading card.  A whole lot of my inspiration begins on teeny, tiny pieces like this.  I really liked the leaves in this little card and have been painting leaves big and small ever since. You need to also note my blue fingernail polish and long fingernails.  I haven’t polished my nails in a LONG time, during this lovely quarantine, but we’ve been ‘stepping out’ a bit lately so I’ve been inspired.  Pretty much thinking that when it wears off I’m also going to chop my nails off.  They’re getting a bit TOO long!

This big painting, which I named ‘Enter,’ was done entirely with palette knife. I gave you a couple closeups so you could see and feel the texture.

(It IS for sale on my website)
 Sooo... if you feel uninspired, start small.  Small things don’t intimidate.  Small things beg to be created.  Do it! 🙂 Just one tiny thing! 

Inspiring Dr. Seuss

It’s so true! God made us each as individuals.  Let’s spend our quarantine time exploring those wonderful things we usually don’t have time to do.  What are YOU going to do?  As for me... continuing to streamline my online classes, cleaning FAR more than I should, lots of family time, gardening, making music and of COURSE, making art.

Inspiring Art Quote

I believe that artists of every type are commissioned to speak for all of humankind. I myself feel a deep responsibility to use the gift, and sometimes receive comments that surprise me about how what I created has so deeply affected another person.  All I know is that if I’m true to myself and true to my God, then what I feel and create will touch others. I’ve also learned through the years that if I stay true to myself and true to my God and DON’T receive affirmation for my work, that’s okay too.  I know in my heart that I followed the call and did the work, and that’s what’s important.  (my quote is on a portion of one of my paintings).

This painting is so warm it’s just what we need on a cold January day. Love!

Teeny Tiny Art Time

Here’s a tiny piece I created inspired by a building I saw downtown.  Sitting at a stop light I looked to my left and there it was in all its beauty!  Believe it or not, it was a parking garage.  A very NICE parking garage!  

I like doing these tiny works as they inspire me to bigger works.  I can get the inspiration out with no pressure and it’s down for when I have time or need to be inspired.  Here I’ve got it sitting on my palette for a nice pop of color.  I think it’s time to get back into artist trading cards.

My Mother’s Hands

My goal is to keep this feed related to art because I’m a professional artist; however tonight I must make an exception. Actually, maybe it’s not that big of an exception.  These are my mother’s hands. She’s caressing our cat Calypso who loved cuddling with both my parents.  My mother is gone now, and so is my father.  So is our beautiful, good natured sweet kitty.  I miss all three of them.  This photo brings it all crashing back.  But really, what IS art? It can be many things, but taken down to its very essence, I believe it’s living a life to glorify God, loving people and caring for your own.  And boy am I thankful that God was gracious enough to give us animals to love us and to teach us how to love. And living a well-lived life?  Now THAT’S art!

Creative Inspiration

This is so very true.  I’m wondering if other creatives feel the same way? There are so many things I’m interested in, so many things I want to learn, so many things I want to try.  There is always something I want to create and it takes time alone to think in order to produce.  And ya know what?  If you are good company with yourself, you’ll be good company for others as well. 

This is my own quote on a mixed media piece I did. ❤️ 

Creative Inspiration

I believe that artists of every type are commissioned to speak for all of humankind. I myself feel a deep responsibility to use the gift, and sometimes receive comments that surprise me about how what I created has so deeply affected another person.  All I know is that if I’m true to myself and true to my God, then what I feel and create will touch others. 

I’ve also learned through the years that if I stay true to myself and true to my God and DON’T receive affirmation for my work, that’s okay too.  I know in my heart that I followed the call and did the work, and that’s what’s important.  (my quote is on a portion of one of my newest paintings).

And by the way, the INSPIRATION for this painting, of which you see a little portion, is a bag of grapefruit a friend gave me.  They had stems and leaves still attached and were gorgeous!!! I had to draw and paint them for DAYS before I could eat even one!

Cat Painting Installment #5, Creating

Okay, here we go with Installment #5 spelling out how my creative mind came up with my recent cat painting and the steps I took to get ‘er done.  These four shots show the next set of layers into which I brought golds to pull those royal colors together.  You can see I used my handy dandy linoleum acanthus leaf stamp that I recently carved.  Now... we’re getting close to actually painting a cat!

For me, a painting has to hold my interest, just like music.  With all the layers of color and texture, I never tire of work like this! :)

Portrait of an Artist

There are many ways to do a self-portrait.  The important part is that you reveal something of yourself. This photo, shot by my friend Stephanie, is a telling portrait of me.

How would you do a portrait of yourself?

Creative Block

Are you ever creatively blocked? You can be blocked in business, writing, art... whatever. Get into your workplace and do some mundane cleanup! I find the very act of hand sharpening pencils inspiring. Sometimes simple studio cleanup or paint testing will do the trick as well.  The point is... do something! I’m not often blocked, but I’d say I’m more creatively-time-challenged.  I haven’t had a chance in my art studio for TWO WEEKS so a little pencil sharpening is a relaxing way to ease me into the ‘zone.’  What do you do to get over your creative block? 

An Artist’s Desktop

It doesn’t seem to matter how big my desk is; it pretty much always looks like this.  Unfair that I’m not showing you the outer edges which sport PILES of books, papers, information, inspiration and ephemera. What’s on YOUR desk? Is it clean? 

I have an insatiable personality which means I read an unbelievable variety of weird things, just because it’s good to know.  And as far as art supplies, I pretty much have to try everything, which means I’m constantly experimenting.  Thus the Daniel Green watercolor crayons you see in the little five-pack at the top. Each stick is the equivalent to approximately four pans of watercolor and they ARE pigment loaded.  The jury’s out on them thus far... As far as both the Golden paints and the Matisse paints, they are so luscious and pigment packed that I could eat them.  But I won’t.  Because I expect like many materials they are carcinogenic in the State of California.  May be safe here in Texas, but let’s not be chancey.

Einstein Quote

Einstein quote on my painting.  I definitely agree with this one! 

Watercolors

Oh my goodness I love watercolors!  I usually use tube watercolors but am stepping out and trying some liquids for a change.  Yes, because the bottles were pretty; that’s a valid reason for purchase.

These bottles glowing in the sun really do make me want to get busy!

 Sometimes even one color will inspire me, then I’m off painting again. What inspires you?

Watercolor and Mixed Media Florals

Celebrate the heat of summer and find some cool florals on my website.  Just what you need to make you go ‘aaaahhhhh...’ 

Check out my website at 

colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

to find all kinds of florals, and more pictures of this painting too!

Inspiration for This Artist

These are my Peruvian Lilies.  I prefer to call them Bad Hair Day flowers.  Aren’t they just lovely? Even though they are beautiful, they DO look like bad hair in the morning, though, don’t they? Scroll down to see what the background pattern is.

It IS a nice background.  Actually, it was serendipity.  I washed one of my summer dresses and hung it outside on our umbrella table.  It just happened to be hanging there. Of course, turquoise is such a nice compliment to red that it seemed like the perfect foil.  So there you have it!

I spend a lot of time outside. Working in the garden, puttering around, biking, swimming and of course having coffee in the morning with my guy. ❤️ I cannot overstate the inspiration I draw from the beauty of God’s creation.

A Creative Life

If you’re curious about the crazy artist responsible for this feed, here I am in a bush.  Actually, this is a telling portrait because I tend to immerse myself in pretty much everything. These are lilacs which grow only in the North.  I haven’t had a chance to see them blooming for 20 YEARS and every lilac we passed got to meet me personally. I believe that artists are a little more in touch with, well, everything.  If you took a walk with me, you’d find out about that because I have to stop and examine whatever interests me. Part of my mission as an artist is to show these beautiful things to others.

My friend enhanced the above image somehow.  And below... just can’t stop talking...

Inspiring Flowers

One thing I miss about the North is the flowering trees.  Here I’m enjoying a nice crabapple.  We were lucky to be able to go to Minnesota during the beginning of the heavy flowering season.  My wooden ‘bracelet’ is one of my mom’s necklaces.  Intrepid person that she was, she went on a trip to Israel with a tour, leaving Dad home to work.  She got this there.  I’ve been wearing it a lot lately as it makes me feel close to her.  It’s been one year this month now that she died. Aren’t these flowers just gorgeous? 

Looks like I’m going to have to paint some crabapple flowers.

My Sketch Pad

Working it out in my sketch pad. Sometimes just laying down some leftover paint on a couple pages can be inspiring.  I’ve had mulberries on the brain for several weeks since it’s picking time and I’m a nature girl. Mentally working out some designs, I happened upon these painted pages and it was the perfect place to lay down some ideas.

I look at my sketchpads as recipe books.  Something wonderful may come from this little sketch.  Maybe in a couple years, something ELSE wonderful and totally unrelated may come from this same sketch.  You never know.

And in the meantime, if anyone needs an artistic manicure, just come on over.

Art Studio Inspiration

This feed is supposed to be about art, but really, all art we create is just a cheap imitation of the art God creates.  This is my delphinium sporting what I think is one of the most perfect combination of blues in all creation, tying for first place with the bluebird.  Because we had such a nice cold winter and a long, cool spring, it’s on its second bloom. 

God’s Beauty, My Garden

All nature rejoices at the beautiful rain we got last night.  My coleus certainly do!  These pretty babies make ME rejoice!  Wasn’t God good to give us beauty?  He didn’t have to do that.  A tiny reflection of Him.

These do well in the shade, and actually get dappled sunlight for several hours a day. So pretty, and really inspiring for this artist.