There are times in our lives when we feel stuck & uninspired.
Many situations may contribute to this state of mind & heart.
You read that correctly.
Inspiration isn’t tangible, it’s a state of being.

What brings you joy? makes your spirit soar?
gives you peace?

Hills of Gold 11×14 New oil on board.

It is especially helpful when I am far from the wilderness that I love,
to fuel my work and life, with other sources of inspiration.
It isn’t just necessary, it’s essential.

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Pablo Picasso

“Inspiration motivates our action” Joel Zaslofsky writes via Mark McGuiness of Lateral Action.
Joel was describing the children’s book,”Hank Finds Inspiration”, by Craig Frazier.
It’s an insightful story of a snake named Hank who seeks inspiration and one of my favourite books.
I thought it would be fun to share my other favourites for adults and children alike.
Among them, “The Dot”, “Ish” and “Sky Colour”, by Peter H. Reynolds,
and “Journey”by Aaron Becker,a beautifully illustrated storybook without words.

I enlisted my friend and fellow Artist Amy (7) for her opinion on my collection.
She arrived sporting a new butterfly bag filled with her markers and book.
“It was white when I got it.” she announced.
Her artistry has dressed it up considerably. Fashionable, and useful.

Amy is rarely without art supplies.
At 3, she toted a Princess lunch box filled with crayons and dog biscuits for her furry friend Duffy.
At 5 she painted a portrait of she and I in my garden still displayed on my fridge.( I am the one in the blue dress).

Last summer, Amy created her own little studio retreat,
equipping the tree house with a tote of art supplies and comfy chair.
She added cheerful pink curtains, colourful butterflies, and a decorated beach mat.
I understand her brothers were slightly horrified and no longer play there.

We began our session with Hank the Snake.
Amy saw what many would overlook.
Hank lives in a world with green clouds.
“Well, that’s kind of neat, and inspiring.” she said.
We were on page one. Hank hadn’t even started his journey.

Amy loved the beauty of “Journey” with it’s incredible illustrations,
and perused “Sky Colour”, and “Ish.”
“The Dot” was her favourite.
It is a great story of, Vashti, a little girl who is encouraged by her teacher to ‘make her mark’.
Vashti’s enthusiasm takes her to endless possibilities with her art.
Author Peter H. Reynolds writes “It is a book that encourages us to be brave about expressing ourselves. It gently reminds us to start small and explore the IDEA.”
It is also a story of sharing and encouraging each other, teacher, student, friend.

Twenty minutes after Amy left, she returned with a portrait of us drawn on a big Red Heart.
The inscription concluded “it was a happy day”
Yes, Amy, it was a happy day, Thank you.
~
PS: The Dot is a personal favourite, given to me over a decade ago by a shy little boy who came to me for an art “lesson”.
Joshua left, it seems, inspired.