Do you ever get that feeling of blankness inside your mind? You have no idea what to do next or how to even go about your day?

I remember when I was attending college that I would beat myself up for not having ideas to create art pieces for class. I felt as though everyone around me was more focused then I was.

One day I saw that a lecture with renowned Colombian artist Doris Salcedo was going to take place in the art department and I was super psyched! She has to be one of the most influential and political artists in South America and it would be crazy for me not to attend.

During the lecture while I was awing of her brilliance and hoping that some of her talents would rub off on me with her every word, she said something that always stuck with me:

“I don’t believe an artist is a person who has huge talent, huge experience, suddenly gets inspired and produces an extraordinary work of art. I don’t believe that is true at all! I believe an artist is a very humble person that has to study. That has to work hard in order to be able to connect different experiences: human experiences, poetry, philosophy, etc. All different fields of knowledge and THEN you web all that into a work of art.”

I was stunned!

Artists tend to stay in their field and assume that inspiration is going to hit them, they just have to wait. But in actuality, if you wait for inspiration to hit you – you are going to be waiting a loonnggg time.

It’s up to us to push on through our artist block. To keep going with our calling even when we don’t want to work on it. If we are in a full creative blockage and can’t think of anything, then go out into the world and find things to be inspired by ( like a good book, a painting class or a walk).

There are so many things that surround us and that can lead us to be inspired to create something awesome. This concept is not just in art but in everything that we do in life. All we have to do is look around and work for it.

Now it’s your time to shine!

In the comments below, tell me what will YOU do to be inspired today? What action will you take to create something awesome?

I’d love to hear your story!

With Love,

5 Comments

Jodi on October 4, 2014 at 12:53 am

I went to a costume store with my daughter!
Kimberly Patino on October 13, 2014 at 3:18 pm

Really!? That must have been so much fun! I love going in and trying on masks and stuff. Hope you both had a great time together 🙂
Jean on October 20, 2014 at 12:10 pm

I agree art is indeed work. Have you gone to a museum and spent hours taking in all that you can? Its exhausting! We artists walk this world using our senses, absorbing like its food, find your pace. Do what you love, and remember it takes work, play, and recover.
Kimberly Patino on October 20, 2014 at 4:15 pm

I completely agree! Not a lot of people understand the focus and dedication is it to create a piece of work.
Lou on March 1, 2017 at 6:18 pm

I like where you said to go out in the world and find things, like take a class, read a book, etc. It all fuels the self and that fuels the art. I had a misconception that I was supposed to figure it all out on my own, after art school graduation, so I was inspired by another writer and you just added to it – to take a class. It’s good to learn from others to get better. That person was saying if not knowing something is keeping you from your work, then go know it – go take a class, or read some books or get a lesson or whatever and get past that hurdle. So, I just finished an online class and it cleared up a 20 year technical mystery and now I can work better. Thank you for your article.

Jean – I totally agree. Visiting galleries and museums is great – and completely exhausting. So is Pinterest and Instagram.