How I Create: Artists and Authors Reveal What Really…
I’ve interviewed so many incredible people throughout the years as part of my “How I Create” series. One of my favorite questions to ask is: “What are your inspirations for your work?” Because, like I mentioned in my previous post, I love learning about other people’s process. I love learning what sparks and drives their projects. What gives them pause? What holds their interest? What influences and affects them so deeply?
Below are some of the answers from some of my interviews, which I hope you find inspiring, too. I think my biggest takeaway from these insights is that anything and everything can inspire us. Which means that paying attention and being a keen observer of our world, our everyday couldn’t be more important or powerful.
Maya Stein, a poet and writer: “People, relationships, love and all of its complications. Actually, complications are inspirations for me. Conundrums. Contradictions. Forks in the road. Moments of departure. In-betweens. Human nature. Human error. Imperfection. Indecision. Almosts and not-quites. I like writing about middles a lot. That see-saw place between here and somewhere else. That’s very rich territory for writing.”
Todd Henry, an author: “I’m perpetually inspired by people I encounter who aspire to do brilliant work in their domain. I speak at a lot of conferences and events, and I get to hear the stories of people across various industries and roles talk about the problems they are experiencing and how they are trying to overcome them. That’s what fuels me in a major way. I aspire to be something of an ‘arms dealer’ for these people and to help them be better positioned to unleash brilliant ideas and act on the work that matters to them.”
Barbara Abercrombie, an author: “Other writers. And things I need to figure out or learn in my own life. You write the book you need to read.”
Carla Sonheim, an illustrator and author: “I’m inspired both by other artists’ work and the world around me. Other Artists: Everyone! But especially Outsider Art, children’s art, contemporary illustration, illustration from the 1950s and 1960s, and the work of early 20th century artists such as Picasso, Modigliani, Klee, Matisse, Calder and others. The World Around Me: Mostly ‘little’ things. When on walks I look at the ground a lot. I “see” animals in leaves and sidewalk cracks. I love living in Seattle where the spring flowers are spectacular… and then especially when they “die” and dry up a few weeks later. On the bus or train I stare at the faces of other passengers. (I have to catch myself, that I don’t REALLY stare, but I do spend probably a moment too long admiring the curve of someone’s nose, for example.)”
Samantha Reynolds, a poet: “I am inspired by every person—artist or not—who is brave enough to speak with an authentic voice. It is tempting in this world to say what people want to hear and I am as vulnerable as anyone to this people-pleasing urge. My poetry is the loosest I’ve ever felt, letting the ideas and words flow without concern for how or where they will land. I draw inspiration on this path from unlikely people every day—taxi drivers, 8-year-olds, activists—all releasing the clarity and power of uncensored reflections on their lives. In their own motley ways, they are my creative heroes.”
Susannah Conway, an author, photographer and e-course creator: “Honestly? My experience of life as a 39-year-old woman and all the preoccupations, obsessions and distractions that entails.”
Christine Mason Miller, an artist and author: “I am inspired by the smallest details of life, and how those details—rather than the “big moments”—give us the purest glimpse of all the beauty and love and truth that is available to us everywhere, in every moment. I am inspired by the way my husband’s face softens when he stares at our granddaughter. I am inspired by the memory of my grandma’s hands. I am inspired by the way my entire outlook can change after a walk on the beach. I am also a passionate traveler, and after every trip, I come home filled with ideas and inspirations. But while they may be inspirations from another country, they are still usually about the smaller moments I experienced and witnessed wherever I was – the textures, snippets and details. Everywhere I go, I collect all of these little bits of beauty, and try to figure out a way to express them in my work, whether it is a painting, an essay or a class I’m teaching. How to channel the potency of a brief moment in time into something written or visual is the kind of artistic challenge I love to tackle.”
Mara Glatzel, a life coach and writer: “I am inspired by what makes people do the things that they do. I like to create between the lines of human emotion, examining the undercurrent that inspires daily action. I am inspired by my clients, my sisters, and people that I overhear in public. I like art that makes me feel the full breadth of my emotional range – laughing and crying and then laughing through my tears. Generally speaking, I am a sucker for bright colors, short sentences, and a complicated story line.”
Miranda Hersey, a writer, editor and creativity coach: “What inspires me most is seeing other people show up and do their work. The commitment of others motivates me like nothing else: reading Poets Writers and seeing who’s published what and who’s won which award or grant; Bookmarks Magazine and the New York Times Book Review are shots in the arm. I love reading interviews with working writers that delve into their daily lives and practices. As for actual nuggets of inspiration that make their way into my writing, it’s all about using prose to make sense of the often unfathomable experience of life — while telling compelling stories that resonate with the reader. I use a lot of autobiographical material as launching points. Many years ago, my friend Roland Pease (poet, editor, and publisher) shared with me this Grace Paley quote: “Write what you don’t know about what you do know.” It’s the best writing advice I’ve ever received.”
What inspires you? What inspires your work? What do you love to learn about? What’s your favorite response from above?