Where I Get My Dose Of Art Inspiration
I think one of the most common questions people have for artists is where they get their inspiration from, and of course, every artist is going to have a different answer. In fact, you may even get different answers from the same artist depending on the days you ask or the mood the artist is in at that particular moment! There are so many things that inspire my work, so I thought I would share just a few of them here.
WHERE I GET MY DOSE OF ART INSPIRATION
Travel
I love to travel and when I do, I always keep a scrapbook, be it my sketch pad or a photo journal of my travels. This year I travelled to Tavira in the Algarve and spent a lot of time photographing all the different elements of my surroundings from door handles to tiles. I love to document everything so I have a visual scrapbook to keep my memories should I ever want to paint the local landmarks.
The Jealous Curator
I follow the Jealous Curator on Instagram and I’ve recently started listening to her 'Art For Your Ear' podcasts, which are all about various artist’s journeys to success. I like to listen to them in my studio while I’m working on my paintings or when I’m in the car doing errands or taxiing the kids around. I find it incredibly inspiring to hear about how each artist has followed their own unique path and the stories to go along with their journeys.
www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/art-for-your-ear-podcast
Liberty Of London
I love painting unique architectural features, so when I returned to London after living for eight years in Singapore, The Liberty of London building was an easy choice for my first painting in my London Landmarks collection. I feel a special connection to the striking black and white Tudor revival style, the intriguing history of the building and business, and their unique design-lead gifts. You can read more about the painting and my connection to this building that Oscar Wilde once called ‘ The chosen resort of the artistic shopper” here.
Friends of the Royal Academy
Ever since the Royal Academy of Arts was established in 1768, they have been an entirely independent institution run by artists and architects, and their goals have always been to support contemporary artists and inspire imaginations. I have a membership as a Friend of the RA, which allows me free access to all the wonderful exhibitions they host throughout the year as well as workshops, special tours and talks.
www.royalacademy.org.uk/friends-of-the-royal-academy
Tate Membership
How could you not be inspired after spending a day perusing works by artists like David Hockney, Picasso and Alberto Giacometti, as well as boundary-pushing contemporary artists who are just breaking into the international arts scene? My Tate membership allows me unlimited access to every one of the exhibitions taking place at the four Tate galleries, as well as special events, talks and tours. Even better, children under the age of 16 can tag along for free.
www.tate.org.uk/join-support/tate-members
Local Landmarks
I’m always exploring local landmarks to decide what to paint next, and at the moment I’m absolutely loving Wisley Gardens for it’s gorgeous flower beds, tranquil ponds and lush greenery. I’m especially interested to see their Exotic Garden when it is unveiled this summer. Another favourite landmark at the moment is Hampton Court Palace, which was the home of Henry VIII and has a beautiful rose garden. It’s definitely on my short list for future landmarks to paint.
Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens is another London landmark that I love, and yet another great example of absolutely spectacular botanical gardens, but I thought I would mention it separately because I’m actually currently in the process of painting this one. In fact, I have two Kew Gardens paintings on the go at the moment: one of the interior and the other of the exterior. Be sure to check in with my Instagram account to see these works in progress and the final finished paintings.
