Inspiration

Today I ponder inspiration. Having just been inspired as thoroughly as one can be... akin to being hit upside the head with a sledgehammer creatively, I wonder what type of inspiration others find in their lives.

There are most definitely people in my life that have inspired me. My father is probably the most impactful source of inspiration. We didn't always get along very well... too much alike, I'm sure, in some ways. But he has shown me the true meaning of patience, tolerance, forgiveness and love more than any other human being in my life. I never would have thought that possible ten years ago. Well, ten years ago, it wasn't possible. We all learn and grow, and that has no time limit.

My son was one of the earlier sources of that inspiration. I was constantly in awe of him ... and to a point, still am. My awe is now tempered with heaping excesses of reality, but when I look past all of the teenage/young adult angst, he is still an amazing combination of intelligence, sensitivity, creativity and love. He is the perfect combination of all of his father's and my best (and, unfortunately, worst) traits. My mother always said that she hoped I'd have a child and "it" (since this was long before we knew what gender this child would be) would be just like me. LOL So, yes, he inherited my good points... and my awful ones... to remind me that patience is something one must practice... eternally. I only assume that his father has had the same realization, though I don't think his mother ever threw that particular "curse" at him.

There have been people in my life that have been muses, as well... those that have inspired songs, stories, poems, dances... that will always be the case, I suspect. :) Where would artists be without their muses, regardless of their medium?

What about the more mundane sources of inspiration? A sunrise/sunset... a stormy sky... color... movement... sound... rhythm... music... a photo... a painting... a piece of fabric... muscle... contour... the soft curve of skin... the list is indeed endless.

Mine, right now... well, it's that music I've been talking about. One of Antoine Dufour's pieces has reached out, grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, shaken me up and DEMANDED a response. LOL How can I possibly ignore something like that?? A new veil piece is in the making from this... a blend of styles to suit the music... both smooth and frenetic in its movement... again, what is required by the percussive guitar and the silky violin. If all goes well, this will be a combined effort with another of the people that inspires me.

This week, it's all about Dufour, creatively. Hmmm.. well, that's not quite true after all. I did some nice photoshop work today for another D that turned out pretty well. :) Multi-musing... interesting. LOL So, let's hear from someone ... what inspires you?

*check, check.. testing, 1...2...3... is this thing ON?*