Beauty Spotting
the practice of
beauty spotting
poppies in the village
hello my creative friend,
Are you feeling inspired these days? Lately I'm rediscovering the joy of what I call taking an "inspiration walk": it's just a walk, but with the deliberate intention of spotting beauty. Sometimes I will capture it with my camera, other times I will simply stay a moment, looking, taking it all in, then keep going.
Some of the pictures might end up being the starting point for a color combination, a series of marks in my journal, or even get printed out to use as collage. Some I might dig out months from now as inspiration for an abstract painting….
graphic circles by the side of the path
But most of the time, it's just a way to train my eye, spot interesting shapes, colors, textures and scenes. Become more aware of what draws me in and what resonates with me. Slow down and pay attention. If you've been on a quest to "find your style", then this is a great practice and I highly recommend it.
Whether I'm walking in the countryside, in our little village or in a city, my kind of inspiration is always about Nature. I use to say that she's my favorite artist! When you start paying attention, it's amazing how much beauty can grow in a crack in the pavement, the bark of a tree, the layers of a meadow… It's all there for the taking, all the time, but it's up to us to take the time and open our eyes.
beauty grows in the cracks
Lately, I've started listening to podcasts as I walk. At first, I was worried that I would get too distracted, that it would disconnect me from nature and from being fully in the present moment. But you know what? It does the opposite. Sure, I might be missing out on birdsong a bit, but I don't really mind because we get to enjoy it all day long (especially now with as they’re feasting on cherries!).
Mindfulness is all very well, being in the "here and now", but as creatives we also need to have our heads in the clouds, in the stars, so we can catch our dreams and bring them back down to give them life.
Just like when I'm in the studio, I find that listening to an audio keeps my thinking brain happily busy, which then allows my creative brain to loosen up and be a lot more intuitive. As I listen to an inspiring interview, my eyes will spot things they might never have, if I had been proactively trying to. All of a sudden, a tiny flower will stop me in my tracks, or my gaze will gently follow the swaying movement of tall grasses.
Let me know in a comment below!
soft neutrals and intense color in the meadow
I’ve always loved to walk, but doing so with headphones is very new to me (of course I'm being extra cautious of any vehicles) and with sunglasses on most of the time, I probably look a bit like an alien!
I never would have thought this would become an actual part of my creative practice but in fact, I find that it keeps me motivated to get outside more. I might also take a longer walk if an episode I'm listening to isn't finished, taking detours that will lead me to new places and unexpected inspiration!
I know some of you will ask so here is a link to the headphones I'm using. They're wireless, very comfy and even have an option to let you listen to ambient sounds while cancelling noise from the wind. I also use them at home with the noise cancelling option turned on, to create a little bubble of stillness if I need to concentrate or if the migraine monster is lurking. I'm not much of a techy girl, but these have quickly become big favorites of mine. I can even let go and dance to my favorite music in the studio, and no one will know!
texture, color and even a favorite symbol at my feet
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
In my online classes, we very often start with an "inspiration quest" because it makes such a difference in how we approach our creative process. I don't believe in "waiting" for inspiration (that's usually just an excuse). Instead I believe in consciously inviting it, finding ways to make it want to "collaborate" with you so that in turn, you can pass it on and inspire others.
If this finds an echo in your artist soul, then I would love for you to join me in the art studio. Let’s get painting!