Inspiration

I have people ask me, “Where do you get your ideas?” Good question. I was asked that today and also had an idea pop into my head, so I thought I would share how it sometimes happens.

I had to drive into downtown Atlanta this afternoon to meet with a client for my ‘day job’. While I was driving I was listening to a CD. As I listened to the same songs I had heard over, and over, and over again a thought popped into my head – a single verse was sung by the artist. I hit the button that plays the song over again, and listened one more time to the song and verse. And I did that at least four more times. Each time listening to the words of the verse and what they meant to me, the emotion they inspired, the thoughts that whirled around my mind by the words.  The way I knew there was an idea in there was that instead of just obsessively listening to the same song over and over, the words of the verse began to create calligraphic images in my head. I could ‘see’ how I would write the words, which pen and nib I would use, and what other verse, phrases, colors and mat collage I could create. The idea from the verse sparked not only by the emotion and thoughts surrounding the song, but in my mind I had created the piece and now wanted to get it down on paper.

So when I arrived at the parking garage, I quickly got out my handy pen and idea notebook, and wrote out the verse/phrase that sparked the idea as well as made notes on the piece I had created in my mind. That is the easy part. Now the challenge is to get the piece from my head through my hand and onto a piece of paper, surrounded by a mat and frame.

I have learned that an idea is precious, so you need to get it down on paper while you have it. So I always keep a notebook and pen handy for just that purpose. Once it is written down, there is no fear that I will forget it. I can tell you that I have many ideas brewing in that notebook and may not live long enough to put them all on paper. THAT is inspiration. A notebook full of sketchy ideas is like aspirin for creative block…one small peak and the pain is relieved.