Whether you find yourself lacking inspiration, facing a terrible creative block, or just looking for something fresh, turning to nature can lift your spirits. Spring is in full force, so there’s no better time to get out and explore some new inspiration. As the season of new beginnings, spring provides a plethora of sources from which to pull some inspiration for your art. Here are some of our favorites:
Plants: Spring is here, the sun is shining, (finally) and the flowers are blooming. Plants have always had an influence on the arts, even the performing ones. You don’t have to create the next “Water Lilies” by Monet or “Waltz of the Flowers” by Tchaikovsky, just aim to create something that is fulfilling and matches the warm, bright feeling of the spring season. Maybe your creative muse is the flower box outside your neighbor’s window, or your favorite tree to pass on your morning walk, or even the color of your birth month flower in full bloom. The beauty of plants is that they’re all around you, no matter where you live. Those of us that live in big cities may have to look a bit harder to find the eventual ivy growing up the side of a building or dandelion growing through the cracks in the sidewalk, but there certainly is a specific beauty about plants that grow even where nature is not plentiful.
Landscapes: From famous paintings to computer screen savers to your aunt’s Facebook post about her recent trip abroad, humans have always felt the need to capture the beauty of a landscape. While nothing can truly recreate the beauty of seeing a stunning horizon line in-person, we can certainly try to capture the way it made us feel. Through more literal modes like photography, drawing or painting, or by interpretive modes like performance, or even picking small elements to incorporate in pottery, there are endless ways to include landscape in our works. The other wonder of landscapes is that they’re all around us, we don’t have to search far to find their inspiration. View your city’s skyline from a new angle, or drive to your local beach at sunset, or even watch the way the sunlight hits the trees in your back yard. Landscapes are abundant, stunning, and full of beauty ready to inspire your next creation.
Animals: Finally, don’t forget about our furry, feathery, and otherwise friends when it comes to finding inspiration in nature. Does your dog like to roll in the back yard? Is there a bird’s nest on your windowsill? Maybe the same family of bunnies come to play in your garden every year. If you live near a body of water, seagulls are surely a staple of your everyday outdoor view. Animals start to wake up and roam around in the springtime, so be sure to capture the moment if you can. Don’t feel like you must paint, draw, or construct the animal as a whole, inspiration can come from any part of the animal. Start with what makes you comfortable. If you’re not into drawing the whole bird, paint the iridescent colors of a pigeon’s feathers in the sunlight, carve the texture of the bird’s nest into your next mug before firing, or compose a melody that reminds you of birdsong. There are endless ways to pull inspiration from the animals all around us.
With spring in full swing, inspiration from nature is in no shortage. Find something that helps you channel the happiness and brightness of the season and get creating! In need of a space to let your creative juices flow? Consider renting a studio space at AmFab. Apply here today.