Opening Up to Inspiration

I don’t like to pack, because it makes me antsy. I start thinking about all the things I haven’t finished yet, and that I now will have to prospone. No matter how many fun and exciting reasons I had for wanting to go traveling, I get antsy when it’s time to pack. All I really want to do is go back to bed, and forget about the trip… Can you relate?

I’m so happy I sometimes forget this angst and plan trips anyway. Because when I’m away, I find new inspiration, new energy. Once I’m on the road, all the worries usually settles and I’m fine. But before that, it’s like I never want to go anywhere ever in my entire life! But alas, I have to leave and once I’m out the door I forget about home, work, unwritten blog posts and dirty dishes…

I open up to the possibility that everything is as it should be, and that just feels lovely. Ah!

Last week I was away from home for five days, taking a summer class as regular school is empty now that “the kids” are on holiday. It was almost local, but I got to spend the nights at a friend’s country cottage (which was a huge part of the experience), and the days immersed in printing, embroidery and doing sketching exercises.

We did lots of different things, some that I’ve already tried or experimented with on my own. The most fun was learning a few things about melting wax that you can use on fabric and papers – I have big plans for my new collage materials. But other than that, I think what I liked the most was the newness of it all. It’s been a few years since I last did something like this.

I came home with a lot of new tools and materials, started and finished artwork… but most of all, inspiration. I preach that inspiration can be found everywhere, if you are open to it. But sometimes a change of scenery is the best tool for finding inspiration. Because a new environment will help open up your eyes wider than before. It will make you notice everything in a beautiful light of newness, and sometimes when you come home, you will even see new inspiration in your old house – just because you were away for a while.

A regular holiday will do just that, especially if you’re traveling on your own or with equally curious and creative peeps. A creative workshop or class, is another great option if you have the chance to attend one. For me, I hope this is a start of a new habit, to take at least one longer class each summer! I can’t afford to travel abroad right now, so this wee adventure was perfect for me.

Opening up to the Experience

There were so many things I liked about it. Beyond the class itself even.

I loved the brick building that housed the school, the painted floor in the school studio, the new smell of melted vax on my hands, the fruit breaks in the afternoon…

The hunting fox I saw on the fields outside my window at night, brushing my teeth plain air (with a wooden tooth brush a friend gave me), visiting the art gallery (twice) across the street, chatting with my friend about inspiration, nature and life, and simply sitting in the afternoon sun stitching on a piece of cloth.

I’m trying to stay open to inspiration even after this class, because I think inspiration wants to come visit. It’s not knocking on my door, but as soon as I stick my introverted head out into the world, there it is!

I hope you’re opening up to inspiration if you can, in what ever form it needs to find you this summer. Let me know in the comments where you’re heading or where you’ve been…