Monday, May 21, 2012

Inspiration Board IV

When asked the question "what inspires me?" I often answer simply walking out my door into the streets of NYC. While that is 100% true, I actually do not even need to lift my butt off the chair in my studio. That is because I have filled my studio space with enough stuff that all I need to do is look around and I am immediately inspired. When I am creating, I love to be enveloped by the things that speak to me: art, supplies, collections, doo dads, trinkets, ephemera, flotsam, jetsam... Well you get the point.

Some people crave constant change and move their things around daily. In effect, they are curating their lives into ever changing exhibits. I, on the other hand, find comfort in consistency. I would rather curate a very long running show! That being said, I also believe that change is good and in that spirit, I am in the process of updating my studio, both to make it more functional for me and more inspirational too.

Where to begin? My inspiration board - which is slowly turning into an inspiration wall. Thanks Lisa Hoffman for inspiring that! If you look closely, you will see pieces from many familiar faces. You may even spot something that you have created!

May 2012

I have posted images of my slowly evolving inspiration board before and am including below the three pics that I have already shared on my blog:

June 2009

February 2008

August 2007

And predicting that many of you who comment will note my, ahem, "tendency toward symmetry", I am including the following pic of my work table to show you that when I work, I am as messy as the best of them!


Have a picture of your inspiration board? Leave a link in the comment section and let's all get even more inspired!

49 comments:

Leslie Avon Miller said...

My favorite image is of your work table! Wishing you many happy hours of creating Seth, even if it's in 15 minute increments.

Raylee said...

i am liking the "steps" in the corner of the first photo.

Anonymous said...

Hi Seth! I actually love the more organized inspiration board. It seems to give each piece space to breathe.

ArtPropelled said...

Phew! I feel so guilty about my mess so I'm relieved to see your work table. As for my inspiration board ..... it looks similar to my table top. Your inspiration board/wall is very inspiring!

elizabeth said...

Yes, I love looking at people's work spaces and often photograph Robert's work table and sometimes think his spare papers are art in themselves.
Your inspiration board IS astoundingly tidy!

lyle said...

Thats inspiration to the max! fun to see.

Judy Shreve said...

Love seeing your inspiration wall! And all that symmetry helps when that work table is so messy - heehee

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Love the space Seth!
I recently had to go through a whole studio re-do (it had just gotten too deep) and it was the first time in years I took art down and rehung different pieces.
It's all good; I think we know internally when it is time for a visual change.
BTW....love the table shot! *Work* is beautiful!

XXOO~~
Anne

john said...

Love the inspiration board! You may be the most organized person I know. It is fun to peek into your studio space where all your wonderful art begins!

Terrie said...

I love the smaller bulletin boards that you use as a backdrop for your inspiration pieces - seems like it would make it so much easier to switch things up or add more. I just have one bulletin board that is stuffed and then pieces tacked to the walls. But I worry that my walls are beginning to look like swiss cheese - this would be a good solution. Thanks for the peek into your studio - you're always inspiring.

Patti Edmon Artist said...

My inspiration 'board' looks a bit like you're last photo, which I am really glad you included. I have found that nailing paint to the wall makes it ever so hard to use - ha. This is a great idea and when my organizing helper friend comes over I'll make my mess into wall art too!

fairyrocks said...

This is something I haven't dedicated a space to...well other than the windmills of my mind.
I do have little piles of things that I love to look at {magpie eye} to get in the mood to make something. Your wall is wonderful. Keep smiling and creating

Kathryn Dyche said...

So in love with your inspiration wall! Love the creative mess too, makes me feel so much better about my worktable.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing your wall of inspiration and treasure! Always a great visit.

Lynn Cohen said...

I have art I have received from other artist friends hanging on my bedroom walls so I see them before I go to sleep each night and when I wake in the morning. Nice times to be inspired! Thanks for sharing yours!

Anonymous said...

Impressive wall! While I like looking at other's walls...I prefer fairly blank walls in my studio....the quietness of this appeals to me. Of course, I'm a Tumblr junkie so I constantly bombard myself with images that way...

Maureen said...

I never did accept that claim that a messy table is evidence of a messy mind. Looking forward to visiting that studio some day.

Jann Gougeon said...

I, too, gravitate to symmetry and grid composition. Seems to be kind of "built in" to me. Nice to find when another leans in that direction! :)

eb said...

love your inspiration boards!
I see some old pals there too...
my whole house looks a bit like your table - now spreading out onto front and back deck - oh and there is the rust station...
I am inspired by summery blues: fields of for-get-me-nots, lily of the valley and these lovely early days of summer...
fond memories of the Jersey shore and collecting sea shells...

xox - eb.

Lisa said...

great inspiration boards...but really..how long did it take you to design that photo set...i mean mess? wink ;)
my work mess is not only necessary ,...it makes me nuts and can interfere with my creativity...what a conundrum...

Jo Murray said...

Who wouldn't find all that inspirational? A fabulous collection of images there Seth.

trish quilty said...

Thanks for passing on that idea. Love the look of it. My bullitin boards start out neat, but then I don't know what happens. I think the images take a tour at night!!
Love visiting your web site Seth. Such creative work.

Sandy said...

What a fabulous collection of inspirational art! I have three little areas in my studio where I display inspiration pieces and like to rotate them on occasion too. Mostly it is the art supplies themselves that inspire and call to me to create. Happy rearranging!

Carol said...

Thank God you posted that last picture- you are human after all!!!! Your inspiration boards are like a beautifully composed piece of art in themselves.

Carol said...

Your inspiration boards are art lessons all on their own. And so comforting to see your messy desk. My inspiration board just came down to make room for more shelves so now I'm looking for another space. I get great comfort from being surrounded by all my "stuff" but I do run the risk of being over run by the ever growing hoard.

IsAug said...

Wow, Seth you are too much! You breathe art and creativity :)
My inspiration board is a bit embarrassed afer seeing yours ;)
Salutations from sunny Portugal!

Carin Winkelman said...

Wonderful inpiration board you have. It reminds me I could make better use of my walls. It's not like there's nothing on there, but there could be so much more on there. So far I always put images in my sketchbook, but it might be nice to surround myself with them on my studio walls (and heck, why not other walls too?).

Wen said...

OK Good to see your board evolution. You certainly will never be bored! Grin!
I tend to cover every space on my wall. I never could do the Georgia O'Keefe thing of naked walls. She said she liked the walls white to write her dreams on.
nice

quinncreative said...

There is something about this post that is very personal, more than the other posts. It's lovely to know you are inspiration walls and that they change. Best of all, they seem to satisfy you and seeing that is most satisfying of all.

Wen said...

Okay Seth- did a blog post aka your stash view/review-
http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com/2012/05/studio-stash.html

Harnett-Hargrove said...

Funny ... I WAS thinking you were a bit tidy on the wall candy. Did not know you could also read minds. Oi! I sometimes think if I would have been called to do ANYthing else I would have. The
having to have so much STUFF to create from ... A singer only need a voice. Just one of those having-trouble-with-the-physical-world days!

Messy in process, clean outcome.

Harnett-Hargrove said...

OOps! Der ... forgot to mention, wonderful collection of inspirational fodder.

Anonymous said...

Your work desk is the best. Thanks for sharing the most important part of the who as a artist you are. xox

NM_Creatrix said...

I have an inspiration wall beside my computer station, so if I am working on technical, non-art stuff, I can still glance over my shoulder and get a shot of artistic inspiration. There are some of my pieces, some of others pieces, flags and pictures. I love it. I prefer your chaotic later boards, but I am a chaos person. Here is a link to my inspiration boards, one from 2010 and another from 2012. The board is constantly changing! http://www.creativitycontinium.com/2012/05/22/wall/

NM_Creatrix said...

I have an inspiration wall beside my computer station, so if I am working on technical, non-art stuff, I can still glance over my shoulder and get a shot of artistic inspiration. There are some of my pieces, some of others pieces, flags and pictures. I love it. I prefer your chaotic later boards, but I am a chaos person. Here is a link to my inspiration boards, one from 2010 and another from 2012. The board is constantly changing! http://www.creativitycontinium.com/2012/05/22/wall/

Unknown said...

Oh the neatness of it all. I have discovered that after many (ahem) years of living/working artisically as a piglet, that after a session, if I clean up...really my mind works better. So I am always trying to clean up but always surrounded by chaos. Here's a shot of my inspiration board per se; it's directly above my computer screen and the mirror reflects six 'Billy' bookcases filled to the brim with books (lots of them art books/mags.) which inspire me. The shelves are right behind me so I just have to swivel. I go from poetry, to non-fiction, to how-to...(fill in the blank), to art magazines [Art in America is one of my favs.]; oh gosh there are tons of inspiration in the pages. But the crew keep an eye on me (link to the crew: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/7024510323_c87cca43b8.jpg) Love your messy worksurface! *smiles* Norma

Mary Helen-Art Saves Lives said...

I seem to be always collecting images and bits of evidence...sometimes I post them in my tiny office or paste them down in the journal I happen to be working on at the present moment. I thought all tables where we work look like this. Take care and keep creating with your own evidence. I love this word...don't you? Imagine and Live in Peace, mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Anonymous said...

There is a feast for the senses to be found on your wall...in spite the symmetry and the harmony. It is indeed nice for us viewers to see some beautiful personal imperfection of the great Seth (-:

marianne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
marianne said...

http://mkonvalinka.blogspot.com/2012/04/beautiful.html

love seeing your studio, and how you organize your inspiration. glad to see that at least the art table looks familiar! i wrote this post on what inspires me a few weeks ago- most of it is right outside my door, but i would have to include my tuesday studio night with fellow artists who work in a variety of disciplines in the mix too. thanks, as always, for another interesting & thoughful post-

~Babs said...

Funny, when we sold our house I had to spackle,primer over two walls in our 4th bedroom which was my studio. Both walls had been used as inspiration boards for so long they were a mess. But I loved those walls.
They looked a lot like your work table,,,,

Lisa H said...

Let's hear it for THE WALL. My best wall memory? the wall on one side of me and you on the other as we worked at the desks in my office. Your version is structured and "styled" in such a beautiful and intentional way. lovely lovely lovely.

Parabolic Muse said...

I don't have a bit of wall space in my studio for an inspiration wall. At work, I move a few pieces in at a time and swap them out for others. It sometimes feels like my inspiration flows in a circular fashion, bringing the same favorites back over the horizon again and again.

It was really a treat to see your inspiration wall. I recognize quite a few styles!

rivergardenstudio said...

I love all your boards, especially your newest one, it's like they have changed and grown with you. Taking a close look is even better, and what a happy surprise to see some of my paintings again!
roxanne

Gwen Buchanan said...

Great to see the inspiration that helps fire your imagination Seth. order and the mess, it is all good...

.Trudi Sissons said...

I'm inspired by your inspirations!!

Anonymous said...

Looks like reverse- entropy. More and more structured. Thanks for sharing your corner of the world.

jane said...

Always great to see other folks inspiration walls - normally I'm ion a guddle, but recently I was at an artists residency in New York State. so had a lovely clean studio to muck up - evidence - here

pedalpower said...

It looks great! I just moved my studio a few months ago, am still tacking inspiring pieces all around.
Love the messy shot at the end too..