Inspiration is a funny thing, isn’t it?  Sometimes it seems to come running at you full speed, while at others, it’s nowhere to be found. Even when you do feel inspired to write, paint, sew, dance, or make music, sometimes getting started can feel overwhelming. We talked about some tricks to get past “stuck-ness” in this post.

Because I’ve made it my job to help you make more art, I spend a lot of time gathering inspiration. It’s a pretty sweet task, actually. Whether I’m listening to podcasts, reading, or looking at artists’ websites, there is so much to share with you about beauty, creativity, and soul-nourishing art making. There’s no shortage of inspiration in my life, and I’m thrilled that I get to share it with you.

[bctt tweet=”Who inspires you to make more art? #inspiration”]

Gathering sources of inspiration is key to fueling an art practice, but you can’t just collect it. You have to do something with inspiration. You have to synthesize it, get it in your bones, and make it your own. You can check out more ideas on getting inspired here.

My challenge to you is to pull out your journal and make some sketches or notes about what captures your imagination or speaks to your soul from these artists, or any 10 artists you admire. These scribblings will fuel your future creations, just as these artists’ creations were likely fueled by similar notes, sketches, and fragments in their artist journals.

[bctt tweet=”10 of the artists who inspire me to make more art right now. #inspiration #makearteveryday”]

1. By Bun: http://bybun.com

Roxanne Coble is a mixed media maven whose art journal spreads are painterly, pattern-filled, and soul-stirring. I feel pulled into a gorgeous inner landscape every time I see her art.

2. Koosje Kone: http://koosjekoene.blogspot.com

Koosje has been responsible for the resurgence of blind contour drawings in my journal recently. Check out her sketches of food, life, and whatever she can see. Maybe I’ll share this technique with you soon. Would you like that?

3. Orly Avineri: http://oneartistjournal.com

Orly’s art journal spreads are mysterious, fearless, and show what can happen if you let go of expectation and let the art lead you. She’s inspired me to use more dark colors lately.

4. SARK: http://planetsark.com

SARK has made a career of helping people everywhere embrace themselves and their creativity. Her books are published in her handwriting, and most are meant to be read in random order. She is a powerful advocate of the word YES and what it can do for you when you believe in yourself. When you learn more about her story, you’ll see why.

[bctt tweet=”There’s no shortage of inspiration if you just look for it.”]

5. Jennifer Hewitt: http://jenhewett.com

I am fairly new to Jen’s work, but was immediately taken with her beautiful block prints, fabrics, sewn creations, and fine art. I took one of her online courses this past weekend and had a blast exploring, brainstorming, and creating.

6. Flora Bowley: https://florabowley.com

Flora’s art and teaching come from a place of joy, authenticity, and acceptance of creative and spiritual grounding. What’s not to love?

7. Dirty Footprints Studio, Connie Solera: http://www.dirtyfootprints-studio.com/blog

Connie’s art and blog speak to the ways in which we can use our art to live more authentically. I love that. A recent Instagram post she did of some seed pods got me inspired to get drawing and painting some pods of my own. You may have noticed that it’s a bit of a pervasive theme at the moment!

8. Lisa Congdon: http://lisacongdon.com/portfolio/

Lisa’s use of pattern and celebration of color really excite me. I hope you love her too.

9. Ali Cavanaugh: http://www.alicavanaugh.com/black/

Ali’s watercolor paintings are some of the most exciting I’ve seen. Hyper realistic and yet so full of feeling, they move me. I was lucky enough to catch one of her shows in Boston recently, and got a chance to chat with her a bit about her art and how her children inspire much of her work.

10. Sophie Munns: https://instagram.com/sophiemunns/   http://sophiemunns.blogspot.dk

Sophie does some amazing nature and pattern-based work. She also has a big thing for seeds!

 

I hope you love these artists as much as I do, and get inspired to do some work of your own. Will you also drop into the comments and add some links for the artists who inspire you?

You can also connect more with our community at Creative Self-Care on Facebook, the Mindful Art Studio Facebook page, or follow me on Instagram to keep up with what’s on my art table.

Finally, if you haven’t already, you can get on the Mindful Art Studio mailing list to get your free guide to creative self-care and weekly tips and freebies on art, art journaling, and self-care.

Creatively Yours,

Amy