Whenever I am looking for creative inspiration, I turn to the artists who came before me and surround me. As well as their artwork and stories, they often have quotes that remind me of why I love creating and how I can find my artistic voice again. Here are a few of my favorites alongside artwork that aligns with their message.
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way… things I had no words for.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
This is why I love art. You don’t need logic. You don’t need reasoning. All you need are emotions. It’s an expression of how we feel, even if we can’t quite define it. This creative process is therapeutic for us as artists and for viewers who find belonging in what we have said through our art.
My glass hugs are pieces of art that represent what cannot be put into words, the feeling of a warm embrace.
“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse
In the moments when I start to doubt things, I remind myself of this. The doubt isn’t due to an inability. The act of creativity is challenging and vulnerable but I have the courage to take it on.
“Forward” reminds me to keep going, even when I’m not sure how things will work out.
“I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” – Claude Monet
This always makes me smile because it reminds me that art is natural. To create is intuitive. It’s something we all have inside of us. We just need to let it out and let creativity roam free. Perfectionism is never the aim. Honest expression is.
It reminds me of “Let It Be,” my glass mural that started as one frame and intuitively developed into two.
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” – Pablo Picasso
A great reminder! The power of art is that it is personal. Putting your heart and your life onto canvas (or whatever medium you work in) is what enables people to connect to it because in some way, they see their experiences in it. They can relate their life to yours and find comfort and inspiration in the art in front of them.
I took this approach with my series of portraits, representing learning to face myself as an artist including “Let It Be Beautiful.”
“The expression is the place that is desired, not the place that is being worked through. I want to revisit where I want to end up.” – Lisa Moriarty
This is a quote from a fellow Resident Artist at ALG Fine Art, Lisa Moriarty, about her current solo art show, “Breathing Space.” I love the recognition of art as a source of hope. It’s something that keeps us moving forward, even when the present seems tough. It helps us to see what else is possible.
“Dreamscape” is a piece that reminds me I have the freedom to dream and make those dreams a reality.
Take these words into your creative expression, whatever form it takes. Explore my artwork further by visiting ALG Fine Art in the Dallas Design District. The team is ready to support you in finding the right piece for your heart and your home. See my collection online HERE.