Inspiration comes in many forms. We receive inspiration through what we see mainly. Most artists need to be visually stimulated in order to create a piece. They need to see the colors and textures they would love to apply to their piece. Some crop and arrange photographs to get the form and idea they are looking for. Music also plays into inspiration for some. Some artists put on their favorite music and it seems to direct the shapes and color of their mood. A different genre of music can change the size and shape of the piece. I know when I am listening to punk or some kind of rock group or set of music it gives me bright colors and hard edges. My boldness comes out. I feel alive so my pieces come out very vivid. IF I listen to classical music I feel a sense of calm and my pieces tend to come out very relaxing and soothing colors. Soft edges and flowing lines. Not so erratic. You get the idea. Music can dramatically change the look of the piece.

I know of artists that use drugs as a way of inspiring them to create a more colorful piece. They are releasing their fears and limiting themselves. All their artistic inhibitions are removed and they feel free to use any and all forms of creativity without fear. The farthest I have delved into that sort of inspiration or at least I can say it was more like an aid. I had the idea but I needed to relax. Same thing. I used alcohol. Still a drug. But tamer than say..crack or something. It is not any more or less morally wrong. It still alters one senses. It is still considered a drug. I have been able to recently get myself into that state of mind where I feel like I am high by the happiness I fill myself up with. Appreciation that I can create. The chemical our body injects naturally from being happy is like a drug. It is so powerful and strong it can sustain you for longer periods of time. Our mind consciousness can take form and thought or feeling we want convincingly directing our moods. We can believe anything we want and we are so powerful that it can actually materialize. Ok. I don't even understand what I just wrote.

Inspiration also can come from pain. Art can be used in a therapeutic way. We can release al the stress in our lives by creating. In this way our art tends to carry the subject matter of how our pain was passed on to us reading more like a dream sequence. We can tell a lot of an artists by looking at their works. We sometimes get so wrapped up in our pain that we are blinded by it and that is all we have to hold on to and we feel comfort from keeping that pain. It is like an addiction. We feed off of that hurt and sub-consciously we feel like it is a part of our being. This is untrue. We do not need it. It doesn't belong. \

There are other senses we use to inspire our creativity that trigger imagery and ideas. Our touch and smell. We can feel texture and feel inspired to incorporate that into our pieces as an interesting addition to a piece. We can take a deep breath of fresh air in the morning and feel compelled to create. We can smell natures scent and be inspired to paint the countryside or a beautiful smelling flower. Or smell death and create something gothic and scary. I know I am rambling like I usually do...but you get the point. We do not need to be so narrow minded to think our only inspiration comes from looking at pictures online. Get out and see the world with all your senses and explore your creative side. Feel compelled to create from life. It is all around us. We just have to open up.

With the world always seeming to fall apart around us I always can count on the art in my soul to keep me inspired and positive. Lately it seems as if everything seems so dismal and saddening. I have found peace within the walls of my artistic fortress. I can be on a plane on the way to work and feeling down because I hear conversations from the other passengers that the sky is falling and yet If I start a conversation with my fellow passenger sitting next to me ....it never fails to amaze me that art is a apart of our conversation. I always have a wonderful chat regarding creativity of some sort. Our lives need uplifting and what better way of lifting our mood up than to talk about art.

We as humans are always facing catastrophic events. History never escapes recording such frightening times in our journey where lives are lost and scores of souls are released from their bodies. Where do they go? Only God knows. We are here. We as in all who can read my words. The handful of you that have decided to share my thoughts. Thank you. With all that is going on how do you expect to stay so grounded and positive in your lives? With all the tragedy how can we manifest our lives into something we can hand off to our children. Is there a beautiful silver lining to all of this nonsense? Some venture to say that it is the earth itching and change will cause change in our world. Cataclysmic events of huge proportions, the human factor deciding change for their future. Freedom abound! What direction is it going? I don't know. All I know is my children look to me for some kind of awe inspiring answer. All I can say is feel and stay positive. All we can say is that. See yourself being and feeling happy. Look at where you want to be tomorrow and dream. Cry laugh. Desire to be happy daily! If tragedy hits your doorstep? what steps did you take to avoid it? Were you living a paranoid life worrying all the time about things that might or might not happen? Was your thought process thinking of ways to avoid tragedy? Were you preparing for the worst and planning for plan B? Was your time consumed with when we have that big event? I wish and hope it never comes! Or ..Or Were you seeing yourself happy and appreciating every moment with loved ones. Enjoying the time you do have and smiling instead of frowning. Laughing instead of being angry. Singing instead of complaining. We all have a choice to turn the script and flip the result. We do not have to have such a dramatic life and yet if drama ensues then we need to be courageous and be happy. Truly happy.

It is easier said than done I always am told that I am living a fantasy now and sometimes I let it sink in that being happy is false. I have walked away from relationships and conversations in my life that sicken me and make me unhappy. I limit my contact with these people and try to focus on being happy inside out trying not to fake being happy from the outside hiding what really is inside. I try and match the mood to reflect my heart. I reach out to people that are positive to help me get our of it. My art is always a good way to exercise thanks. My gift. I love to express myself to others by giving them art to love. I love to show my appreciation in my art. So many artists are selfish and they do not give themselves a chance to experience this love and feedback from others. We as artists are natural creators. We create artworks to give life to an image or an idea. We then create love with our works in people. People give birth to inspiration from our works. They feel emotion and give life to happiness in their hearts. It is infectious. People next to them want to know why they are happy...Art made them happy. Someone else's creation inspired them to smile. To cry with joy that someone connected with them though their works.

We as artists need to carry that responsibility. It is not hard. All we do is create and create. Show our work to the world and the rest will take care of itself. If you think you are not adequate then think again....We all have different tastes and uniqueness about us. We all connect to different foods flavors and tastes. We all have a certain preference in things. As such our choice for art. We all have a connect. We all are different in that regard as well. What you might paint today might not connect with someone in the moment but later your piece will talk volumes to another soul. Continue to create. Be a responsible creator and let people love you. Love others through your creativity. Open up and be seen.

If you are reading this you either know me, have met me through my art somehow, work related, or are a loved one of mine. Either way you find it in you to keep track of what I am writing. Some of you have connected with my rants in some way. Others.....I do not know the purpose for you to visit my blog. If you are interested in my art thank you for your support. If you know me personally you will know the internal struggles I go through regarding my creative side. As will all artists of any genre we all have something that inspires us. Whether it be a person or thing or situation. A feeling we have sets us off into a frenzy and we create the most amazing things. I have realized I have a following. What a responsibility. I guess you can know you have a following when people know you by your art and not any personal relationship you have with them. It is a compliment when I have heard my name come out of peoples mouths ddescribing my work and I do not know who they are right in front of my face. Very humbling because I do not have that high regard for my work. I am just an average guy who has a pasion for my work. I have a pasion for people and their creativity. I love talking to epople in general and helping. I love beiong a part of helping people get out of their bad way and think and live positive. I know sounds really corny but that is what life is about for me. I want to create full time and enjoy the last of my days as an artist. I see it. I will accomplish that before I leave this earth. I lived it this past year and have a wonderful memory of it. Lately I have been traveling for my work as a contractor. That is what they call people that are for hire without benefits temporarily for a certain amount of time and at any time they can say thank you good bye. I have not been able to create much since I have been traveling. It is frustrating. I am still happy. I am happy meeting people and visiting the art galleries where I visit. It seems as if I am always meeting people where I visit that are artists in the most random of places and they have totally unrelated jobs. I enjoy ev ery moment and try to remember not to take it for granted and appreciate the experience. I have met so many beautiful souls. People I have had the opportunity to reach out to and help encourage them in some way. It is remarkable the hospitality of strangers. I have experienced wonderful friendships in my life time. Some come and then go. Some have been lifetime friendships. I value all of the friendships I have had over the years and am very thankful because everyone has had a part in my maturation. My life is a journey that gives me lessons to be learned. I used to ask why I was going through all the trouble and what do I teach my children about this journey. What do I say when they ask why are we here? I used to question why. I did not know nor did I have an answer. Do I have an answer now? NO. But I know I have a purpose. I am an artist. My soul tells me to create. The fiber of my being tells me to Love everyone and be generous with myself. It goes deeper than just being nice to everyone. It goes beyond having compassion for my fellow man. It is a process we go through. To appreciate everyone and Love everyone is easier said than done. To appreciate the relations we have. That is humbling. As an artist we take all the experiences and turn them into either inspiration for a masterpiece or imagery. For me I have to be happy with myself to create. I have to be letting something go to create. I cannot create with nothing. I cannot divulge the secrets to my soul and not feel like my Art is the vesel in which I tell the story. We have to have passion when we create or others will see right through it. We cannot be fakes when it comes to it. We have to be genuine with regards to our work. We might be shit in our life but when we express ourselves and let the world in .....be real . our work is what we live for. That is our purpose.

The world we live in can seem very intimidating to the point that we do not want to go outside of our cave. We see all the bad in the news internationally and outside our own door. It does not matter where you are living in any class or status. You can find that negativity around, all you have to do is open your eyes and be aware. People can let their moods and emotional state of being became infectious like a disease. If I step into an elevator and there is a group of people and one person is feeling really hateful and down I can feel it like someone is punching me in the gut. If I am at the gas station and minding my own business and someone is waiting for the pump to open and waiting behind me frustrated because I am taking my sweet ass time...wow I can feel that person wanting to smash into me...lol. I know that one was out of no where. But you get the idea. Family can make you feel like shit as well. People can really destroy the mood in a room at work.....all they have to do is bring their issues from home to work and spread their ugliness to everyone by giving short answers and ignoring everyone. Crossing the street ...the light is green....car making a right turn blows the horn because you are taking your time walking across and you have the light....wow. Why are people in a hurry? Why cant we all just get along? LOL. Famous line. Really though. We can actually find ourselves become really depressed because we know that we cannot seem to win out there. Going to work and your boss doesn't have a life so he picks on you because you are always happy and he isn't, so he gives you the shitty hours and talks down to you. Yet you still keep your wit about yourself and arrive happy not letting this person get to you. Still...you can go home and wammo. it gets to you finally and then your home life changes. And now your family suffers because you decided to let some person who doesn't even care about you get under your skin. We need to choose to be happy. We need to decide to stay positive. Our lives are not dependant on a strangers reaction to us. We need to stay the course and stay focused. We need to be an inspiration to people around us. We need to remember to create our art work to give people life. Show the color and imagination we have inside us to create joy in peoples lives. We have this gift of creativity and we need to create and inspire. I sometimes find myself letting others attitudes beliefs and moods sometimes dictate my feelings for the day and then i lose out on a rich wonderful day that could and might be my last. Why waste the time. Take advantage of this beautiful life we have. We might have it only but fir a day more.  I often see other people make the mistake of wasting precious moments with not spending time with their children or parents. Wives and husbands going UNloved and marriages falling apart because of no communication. All of this can be resolved with one word or action or feeling. LOVE. But we make excuses. LOVE. Show our love anyway you can think of. Through our art. Through our attention. Speaking and saying hello to a stranger might make a difference in their life changing their perception of the unfriendly world. Give someone hope. Give a smile. Help someone. Talk to a friend in need. Love a family member reaching out. Buy a co worker a taco. Laugh at someones joke.
I know I am rambling. Sometimes It does not come out all pretty. But I say what I feel as I feel it. I am not a rehearsed soul. I give it the way I feel it. it gets me in trouble sometimes with people that do not like to hear the truth. I have never been politically correct. I used to be a hypocrite but at least now I know who I am and try to be straight forward...if I have not been to someone reading this then look in the mirror and ask yourself why? Buy the way..are you mr/mrs perfect? do you treat others as you would want to be treated? so before you comment negatively....take inventory and check yourself.
I love all of you and hope this finds you and helps you. I pray that you find that switch and turn that negative stuff off. if not. maybe ill make sense to you next time. Take care my creative friend and keep creating.