inspiration

I take a lot of photos. I use my phone and download them to my computer. I use Lightroom to index them.

Captured these red berries and the family beach cottage as the season was coming to a close.

There can be 5,000 to 7,000 photos a year. Most of them are of my printmaking and the process and its inspiration.

Smiles came to my face when I remembered the trail ride we took about a year ago.

So to scan through last year’s images is kind of like a visual diary. It is fun and informative and I encourage you to give it a try.

Happy Halloween shopping with Mario and Luigi.

MORE of when I looked back over this year:

I made a lot of drum leaf bound books last year.

I explored mountainous layers and hand stamping with wood type.

I got addicted to playing with clay!

I went to the beach in the late fall for fresh sea air, maybe I could do that now.

We had some early December snow. Capturing Shadows.

I played with hand written fonts.

I hope the look back lifts you up.

I have to breathe fresh energy into my practice every day. Things that help:

Get Outside

Today, I walked my usual woods walk, but I started from a different point and it changed the experience. I also allowed myself to photograph shadow in the path.

I am hoping that these shadow photos inspire:

• stencils
• drawings, doodles and
• books

Take a Class

This always gets my creative juices flowing. Recently, I took the Make It Move class with Kara Kramer and Carla Sonheim Presents. We played with making simple animations. It was fun and got me excited about playing with colorful paper.

This is one of my short animations:

If you can’t take a class, find a YouTube video and try a new skill or technique. Pick something that you would not normally do.

Clear Your Design Wall

Every so often I take all the art work off my studio wall. It is like a fresh start. Then I can pick new inspiration to pin up.

Then slowly add bits of inspiration or new work.

MORE ways to energize your practice:

1. Make a mess
2. Use old tools in a new way
3. Purge unloved work
4. Play new kind of music
5. Move your workbench

Hope you are happily creating in your studio space!

I am so grateful for the short walks that break up my day at the studio.

Sometimes I just go around the block trying to get a little fresh air and sunshine. Often that is just enough to clear my mind.

Sometimes, I find a rusty treasure. That I use to stain paper and fabric.

Other times, I see shadows and shapes that inspire stencils for printmaking.

I will pick up weeds and twigs to use to make printing plate.

So I highly recommend taking a walk to inspire your printmaking practice.

• Just walk out your studio door and see what happens
• Go to the woods or beach before you even head to the studio
• Go at a comfortable pace without expectation

Enjoy!