Inspiration is the essential spark in a chain reaction.It sparks off strong self-motivation and leads on to action towards valued goals. From the office to the Olympics – inspiration means we achieve more. Achievement itself can fuel further inspiration which leads to continued motivation and action so that a virtuous circle is created.
Without inspiration, there is no catalyst so motivation is shaky, energy is low and action is hard. When we’re not inspired, things can be a struggle.
So what’s the secret? How do we get inspired?
It may appear that inspiration comes from ‘out there’ – perhaps a beautiful sunset, a piece of music or the touch of someone special, and then hopefully to inspire others.
I love to inspire people and love to create new art, so I knew there were more people like me, and I wanted to know just what gave other artists their creative impulse, so I approached one contest holder at FineArtsAmerica and I suggested to include the contest winners on my blog.
I was able to contact two of the contest winners and learn a little bit more about each one and what was their source for inspiration.
In first place we have Alan Hogan, with his entry called Zebra-One.
Alan, tell us a little bit about yourself:
“A little bit about me? Hmmm..what can I say, I just like to create good visual imagery. I haven’t spent most of my life painting though. I spent many years in the print business working in different areas. This has been valuable experience to me though as I regard all artwork a sprint related. I have developed a good sense of what is required for good print reproduction. Nowadays I like to work with bright colours so they may be reproduced to reflect the energy and thought of the originals.
I can’t exactly related my art to any particular style. My style is not to be pigeon-holed as I like to reinvent myself and discover new techniques. I think it is very unfair for an artist tobe ‘trapped’ to one style of art. It only limits the adventure,excitement, discovery and self-expression of the individual.
My art is also reflective of my own state of mind. A journalist from The helsinki Times recently wrote a nice article about my work. She decried its sources quite well. You can read it on my website here HTTP://alanhogano.webs.com/press.htm
You can find any more information you may wish to read at this site also.
And if you’re a fan of Facebook you can be a friend of The Art Garage, Finland by clicking here“
What was your inspiration behind it?
“This painting was made over twenty years ago in the eighties. There was a lot of bold design work coming out of this decade, big images and big lettering. I was not a big fan of this style. A lot of the alternative artists of this time made less intrusive images with no bright pastel colours so reflective of the eighties. One such image wast hat from early album artwork by American rock band R.E.M. While the cover of this album called ‘Reckoning’ was very original, it was there verse cover with its monotoned imagery that inspired me to paint my’Zebra One’. I was a big fan of this band back then, I went to see them play in Dublin, Ireland in 1984 which was my first ever concert. For my’Zebra One’ I reinvented a similar monotoned image while also making something artistic from the zebra’s stripes. I also have a second imagecalled ‘Zebra Two’ http://fineartamerica.com/featured/zebra-two-alan-hogan.html “
Is it for sale?
“Unfortunately the original is not for sale. It was painted in low quality ink which has faded slightly over the last twenty years. My art funds were quite low back then. The picture still hangs on a wall in a nice big frame back in Dublin. I am in the process of making a better quality reproduction of this piece, worthy of calling a new original,if that’s possible. 
In the meantime, quality prints of ‘ZebraOne’ are available to buy at Fine Art America here http://fineartamerica.com/featured/zebra-one-Alan-hogan.html“Then we had a change to talk to Bob Guthridge. He won 3rd place with this photograph.
and this is what he had to share with us.
Bob, tell us a little bit about yourself:
“I am a professional concert and nature photographer, and videographer,
based in Memphis, Tennessee. I have been very fortunate to photograph
artists like the Stones, Sheryl Crow, Carlos Santana, and many more. I have
been honored to have BB King as my largest client, and my photos of BB are
seen all over the world. My concert and nature work has appeared in 8
books, and numerous publications”.
What was your inspiration behind it?
“Texas Long Horns and White Egrets normally have a mutual relationship
and friendship. I went out on this day to try to photograph egrets on the
backs of the steers. I caught this shot of a different kind of interaction
between the two – it appears that the Egret said something that really upset
the Long Horn”.
Are prints of your art work for sale?
“Prints are for sale on FAA, or you can contact me for signed and
numbered prints”.
you can reach bob at bob@bobguthridge.com or visit his website at www.bobguthridge.com
We all find inspiration in different places, where do you find yours? and once you find it and you create something, do you share it with others?
What if you were to share what you find inspiring? You could create some inspiring conversations with two immediate benefits:
1. You will become inspired by telling others about what inspires you
2. You will inevitably inspire some of the people you tell
In the longer term, you will also be encouraging others to tell their inspiring stories: there is a potential generative effect.
Sharing what inspires you may sound fine among close friends but what about the wider picture? You may feel that it would be awkward to share this in certain contexts – at work for instance. Yet these places are often where some inspiring input is needed most.
No one wants to be labelled ‘wacky’ so when we share our inspiring stories, we can do it with social skill and sensitivity.
Here are some suggestions where you could start:
1. Art (in its widest sense) is a great place to start. Whether it is music, film, painting, writing or whatever, our culture already gives us ‘permission’ to find it inspiring. What art experience do you find inspiring?
2. The natural world is another area where people feel comfortable about expressing inspiration. This is helped by the increasing awareness and concern for our natural environment. Like my account of the dawn chorus, what do you find inspiring in the natural world?
3. Biographies – life stories – are another category where we can share inspiration. Who inspires you? What is the reason? Who would be in your top 10?
4. You may have a good cause or favourite charity that generates inspiring stories. This covers a whole range of possibilities and, when you look at the generosity of donations, you can see that many people are inspired by them. What cause do you find inspiring?
So whether it is over lunch, in the office or on the road, there will be opportunities to share what you find inspiring. Take the lead and watch for the difference you will make!
