How to Work with INSPIRATION.
I may be speaking for myself, but I feel like anyone who is an artist knows that artists are not always inspired to do art. Half of the time, my biggest wish as a 33-year-old artist (who only within the past 2 years finally admitted to herself that she is one) is to have an entire day to do art. And then finally when that day rolls around, I find myself dumbfounded because I can’t seem to be inspired enough to create anything. Maybe it is a little bit of self-pity, maybe it is a little self-doubt, or maybe I am simply scared and my ego is trying to protect me from sheer humiliation.
Whatever it was, I knew I needed something to change about my mindset and approach to creating. So in humble desperation, I sought some answers by reading the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was an absolute game changer. Here are the biggest takeaways I got from this modern creativity bible and also some personal conclusions I came up with after reading it.
Inspiration is more likely to come if you develop your technical skills first. Back to basics.
A perfect example of this for me is when I was able to create a recipe for a mango cupcake because I had already baked several cupcakes from different recipes before. I chose the elements I wanted from the recipes I tried, and voila - a new cupcake was born.
Showing up consistently makes it more likely for inspiration to visit.
Gilbert, likened creativity to a ghost that possesses you once it finds out that you are a fit to host it. So how do you indicate to the ether that you are ready to be hosted? It is by showing up. Give yourself enough time to actually warm up, and stay consistently warmed up. This is a signal for inspiration to come knocking on your door. And once it does, catch it, run with it, and keep the spark alive. Treat it with the respect and dedication it needs to come to fruition.
Take artistic breaks. If you feel jaded by one art form, you might need to take a break from it.
Allow yourself the time to take an artistic break. For example, some of the artists I look up to the most have taken artistic breaks, which led to a whole new trajectory in their creative expression. E.g. kelogsloops, Chey Barton.
Your art doesn’t owe you anything. Don’t expect your art to make money for you. Create for the sake of creating without attachment.
The idea of the struggling artist is long outdated. Why suffer your basic needs, just for the sake of creating? In my opinion, art is better fostered if it feels safe to do so. So if you have a skill set that can help you make money, use it…even if it is unrelated to making art.
Have a love affair with your art.
This is going to be a weird idea, but just hear me out. When we see drama on television of characters who are having extramarital affairs, no matter how crazy or tricky their lives are, they MAKE time to hook up. It’s because they are obsessed with the idea they are playing with. That is how artists should treat their creativity. Even if it is just for a mere 15 minutes.