Finding Inspiration

As an artist there is one question that I get asked a lot. "Where do you get your inspiration?" One would think that would be such an easy question to answer, however, it's one I struggle with each and every time I'm asked.

My inspiration comes from all over the place, from nowhere, from nature, from architectural designs and curves, sometimes even just from something someone said.

Sometimes the inspiration is quick and instantaneous, like a light bulb getting turned on in my head. Other times it takes time to cultivate in my imagination. And sometimes I have to force the inspiration by getting online and pouring over hundreds of pictures of all kinds of things.

It's something that it always there, though. Even now, as I finish up a piece, my mind is already working itself around my latest inspiration - a contest on a jewelry community forum that I'm involved with http://cageycrafters.invisionzone.com/ (which, by the way, is a fantastic collaboration of like-minded individuals.). The contest is to make a piece with a butterfly incorporated into it, using one of the color palettes found here - http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2007/06/01/colorful-beauty-in-nature-butterflies/. These are all colors palettes of real butterflies! How fun!! So my mind is racing with inspiration at the moment.

So you see, a question that is seemingly such a simple one, is one of the most difficult for me to answer.