You Were Inspired by What?

OK, yes I have been extremely delinquent in my blog posting this week. I was so proud that I got a weekend post in last week, and then I just haven't been able to get it done this week. I actually have several posts already created in my head as well as 1 interview and another one I hope to get soon, so hopefully I will carve out some time to get back to blogging. I apologize for lack of inspiration this week, but hopefully this little post will make up for it.

I am often saying "take a closer look" at things and you may find some new inspiration. Well while looking a little closer at my sons treasures from the last post, I found a very interesting pattern inside the little hats of his acorns. The same pattern is on the actual acorn where the hat sits. I am guessing the pattern is created from the place where the 2 connect. (I know a brilliant deduction) Well I thought it would make a cool texture for something, so I went ahead and carved a stamp. I actually carved several of the little circles on one stamp, but I didn't like the effect when I put it to clay. So I put it away until I bought some great antique brass finished ring bases. The warm brown color made me think of the using the little stamp again, only this time using just one circle. Oddly enough the circle fit perfectly in my cutter, but it left an untextured ring around it. I wasn't too sure what I would do with that, so it sat a little longer. Meanwhile the boys and I went on one of our nature walks and found a bunch of acorns in different colors. I had an inspiration. The non-textured part would be perfect for a little punch of color, so I took the cues from the acorns again and used a golden yellow, green and rust red. of course I distressed them a bit, and I really love how they turned out. They are perfect for fall and a bit smaller than my other rings, so hopefully they will appeal to folks who though the others were too big. I think overall they have a lovely texture and organic feel. I already have some ideas for similar pendants and necklaces, so we'll just have to see if I have any time to create them. So, I tell you to take a closer look again, and if inspiration strikes, but doesn't turn out how you thought it would, walk away and come back to it, you may find that the inspiration just needed a little more time to marinate in your brain.




















These last 2 photos show a different pattern that I found. Maybe they will inspire you. Also check out and/or join my new Flickr group, Nature Inspired Art. It is a showcase of artist creations inspired by nature. We already have over 200 members and 128 photos in our pool!

Inspired By Leaves

I don't know about you, but the first thing I think of when I think of fall is leaves. All the amazing fall colors are so inspiring, so I thought I would take this week to pay homage to leaves. Plus leaves are a favorite subject of mine and I love to recreate them in my work. Hopefully you can find the same inspiration this week. There are so many shapes, textures and colors of leaves , that the possibilities are vast. The life cycle of a leaf is incredible to watch and offers so many different inspirations; from the first glimpse of a sprouting leaf to the soft, smooth, bright green baby leaf, to the mature leaf in all its dark green splendor and distinct shape, to the dying leaf as it changes color to reveal something completely different. Even a dead, dried up leaf or the "skeleton" of a leaf can provide interesting textures, shapes and patterns which can be translated into some form of art. Of course you can also use the actual leaf in your work, or as the subject of a photo. Here are some leaf items I found on Etsy. It was very hard to choose just a few, there were so many gorgeous leaves (I told you they were inspiring). To see more work by the artist or purchase one of the items, just click on the photo to be linked to their Etsy shop! The skeleton leaf photo above was found on Flickr, and is titled "Delicate" and was taken by Kit, the 2nd is a photo, titled "Fallen" was found on Etsy and was taken by annwidner.etsy.com .




















So take a little time over the next couple weeks to study leaves, especially as they begin to change into their fall colors. I love to see the leaves that are just beginning to turn or are halfway there. You might find vivid bright greens next to bright yellow or red with a little brown. They truly look like watercolor paintings at that point. Look carefully at the structure of the leaf, it's shape and it's veins and pay careful attention to how they connect, and the patterns they create . Look at how the leaves are arranged on the tree and











it's branches. For example think of the fern and how it is leaves are very symmetrical and made up of many tiny leaves. Pay careful attention to texture as well, like the texture of my favorite, the ginkgo leaf, or the texture of a dried leaf and how it contrasts with the smoothness of a new leaf. The best way to study leaves is to get out in nature and observe them in their natural habitat. Take a walk in the woods, or just look at the leaves in and around your neighborhood or yard. I make it a practice to collect interesting leaves whenever I take a walk. I dry them and save them for later when I need a reference or a little inspiration. If you can't get out to see some leaves in person, then get a reference book from the library or check out the amazing photos in these Flickr groups: One Leaf, Leaves, Leafs and the Like, or Leaves.

A great way to share a little inspiration with your little one is to do leaf rubbings. Gather some leaves and place them under a piece of paper and rub crayon over the leaves to see the impression. This never ceases to amaze kids. They think it's magic and they get to create a beautiful piece of art.

So get out there and jump into a leaf pile for a little inspiration. You may never look at raking the leaves the same again. It may seem more like a treasure hunt than a chore!

Be Inspired by Animals

This week we turn to the animal kingdom for a bit of inspiration. Many of us don't have to look far to find an animal. There are always our pets, the birds that wake us up each morning, and even the squirrels that are forever in motion. They can inspire us in many ways. From the feelings they bring out in us, to the many expressions they make in response to us. Getting out into nature and watching animals is also a great way to be inspired. Try to look at the details separate from the actual animal. Look at how they are constructed, the color combinations, the textures of the different skin types and the patterns they use as camouflage or warnings.

It is also great to just take literal inspiration and recreate the entire animal as a piece of art. Many, many artists feature animals in their art in many fantastic ways. Here's one of mine and a few I found on Etsy (click on each photo to see more of the artists work):



















Inspirational Words: fur, scales, hooves, tongues, feathers, jungle, bird, primate, pet, pattern, color, camouflage, blending, features, paws, snouts, expression, habitat, conservation, predator, prey, texture, fly, slither, crawl, hunt, hop, leap, fear, shape, motion, survival, ocean, mating displays, wild, exotic, eyes, ears, anatomy














Take a little time this week to observe an animal or several animals. Maybe even take a trip to the zoo to see something more exotic than what can be found in your neck of the woods. You can also get inspiration by looking at the world through an animals eyes, try climbing up high and getting a "bird's eye" view of what the world looks like, or crawl through the grass to see what a snake sees. These different views can give you knew perspective and new ideas. The animal kingdom is rich in inspiration, all you need to do is look!

Remember, if you are inspired to create something from one of the Be Inspired features, please send a picture and description to my e-mail, blockpartypress@yahoo.com and I may feature you on my blog. The piece must be inspired by the Be Inspired post and cannot be an item created prior to the posting. If your Be Inspired piece is featured, I will send you a free pendant from my Etsy shop (I will choose the pendant and it will be a surprise).

Inspiration From Color

I was trolling the Etsy forums last week and I found a thread by LoveGemma.etsy (AKA Gemmafactrix.etsy, AKA Jewelry Artist Brooke Medlin). She had found a very cool site, COLOURlovers™ , "it is a resource that monitors and influences color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns, product design, or even in architectural specification - a place to check out a world of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related articles and interviews. "

Being a color addict myself, I checked it out. The palettes Brooke had posted were very timely for me as they were from butterflies and moths. I had carved a moth stamp about two weeks prior and already made 2 pendants, but I was struggling with what colors to use. Needless to say I was excited to find this site and try out some of the color possibilities. The two pendants I made were done in black and brown clay, so I knew I needed to use those as a one of the colors in the palette. After some debate, I chose 2 very different palettes, "Elena is warming up"by Glenset which included colors such as Fuzzy Wings (taupe), Moth Beauty (deep brown), Red Rsing (Red), Autmn Flight (Orange) and Warm Air (Orange/Gold) and "Butterfly Winter" by Ben Nelson which included Winter Water (A kind of sage green with a touch of aqua), Ice Wings (pale aqua blue) Flutter Snow (bluish white), Winter Warmth (orange) and Nutrient Soil (black).

The two color palettes were very different and not combinations that I would normally use, so it was fun to to try to make them work within the pendants I had already created. I really like how they turned out and I am very grateful to Brooke for sharing that site at just the right time.

If you find yourself feeling less than inspired, sometimes looking at color combinations can really get your creativity flowing. The COLOURlovers™ site is a great place to explore color and it's many possibilities. Take some time to check it out and get inspired!