Besponge Poem

I am open and I am receptive / Absorbent, perceptive / I take all into my collective / A solvent involvement / Movement in the current / I am present and digestive

Initiation of Inspiration: Recognition

There’s a pull. We’re drawn to inspiration. Once we’ve absorbed it, pulling it back out of ourselves can be troublesome. Being able to recognize its existence within us is a skill in need of practice. The basis of inspiration builds up within us and its permanent residence may cause new additions to be overlooked. “Oh, …

Initiation of Inspiration: Recall

When the itch isn’t accompanied by ignition, when we struggle to take initiative when hit with the urge to create, we must practice our information recall. Every interesting thought we’ve had since our last creative session has disappeared. Notes may jog our memory but lack the internal flow of a natural spark— we’re detached from …

Architecture of a Body

I have a vivid memory of looking through a wildlife field guide as a child and admiring the skulls of whales, bears, deer, shocked they could be of the same substance and yet come in so many shapes and sizes. Those field guides and my stack of encyclopedias were my pride and joy. My artistic …

Why I Sketch

What we see and experience is a powerful influence on our being. Our sensory input designs our reality. Receptors take external stimuli and curate logical imagery. Sketching, putting lines on paper, is a way we can once more replicate reality having passed into us and then out through us. When drawing studies of the world …

The Pull: Describing Inspiration

Certain aspects of reality appeal to us by crossing the boundary between Self and Other. Not just reflections, inspiration is an external twin of our most internal core. Exactly the same, yet separate, in union they form something new. Within me is the child naturalist and when I stumble across something related to the natural …

Inspiration as Proof of the Soul

All ideas come from somewhere. They’re a reaction, like fire, spawned from a connection. This is inspiration. The moment a connection is made between you and the subject, tinder and heat, some intrigue or recognition begins creating something new that’s neither tinder nor heat. Layers, boundaries, and relationships are the equation for inspiration. An idea …

Keep, Document, Archive Your Art

Within an artist is a demon who wants to throw out old pieces. This demon shames us, critiques our growing self, but we’re best off ignoring it. If it’s unreasonable to keep your art due to space issues, document it. Please, document your art. At the bare minimum, if you have a phone with a …

Good to Be Bad: Making Art

Are you afraid to create ‘bad’ art? The answer for myself is invariably yes, as is the answer to the question of failing or underwhelming, but it’s an incomplete response. Yes, I’m afraid, and I understand why I am, and why ‘bad’ art is important. Being aware of the whats and whys brings about a …

Reasons to Explore Multimedia Art

There is nothing inherently limited by working in one media, there is value and power in a piece comprised of one substance with singular support such as oil on canvas, charcoal on paper, there’s dedication. Skilled artists are unrestricted and are capable of using their material to its full potential which is, as potential is, …