Inspiration, She's a Sneaky Mistress

  I've been asked time and time again where I get my inspiration from.  Sometimes it's a general question, but more often than not it's asked in respect of a particular piece.  The question, while seemingly simple, is quite a difficult one to answer.  I know what you're thinking, "come on, Mr. Artist Man, clearly, you know what you're going to paint before you set brush to canvas."  Yeah, well, you'd think so.  Seems logical, doesn't it?  And sometimes, I do have a vague idea of what I might like to paint.  However, more often than not, inspiration is sneakier than that.  It just sort of "happens".  For example, this piece, which I completed today and call Our Majestic Winter, didn't start out with me thinking, "hmmmm, today, I shall paint a winter landscape with birds."  I got up, had my coffee and sat by my window, canvas and paints at the ready, and just began painting.  After it was finished, I looked out the window and realized that what I had just painted nicely matched the day as seen through my window, some ice and snow on the ground, melting more and more in the strength of the warming sun and a few crows perched and/or flying in the bright blue sky.  I guess that's more "reverse inspiration" in that it doesn't directly present itself up front, it just sort of seeps quietly into you, undetected until the work is finished and you examine it.  Inspiration is a sneaky mistress, indeed.  ;)

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