What is “inspiration”? As a noun, it is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. The Thesaurus lists similiar words: example, muse, motivation, encouragement, influence, stimulus and catalyst.
Artists, designers, and anyone creating something derive inspiration from numerous sources. We use it to influence what we create with our own interpretation – it sparks a creative impulse that goes through a thought process in our minds and souls to create something unique. I especially like the word “catalyst” because what we see that inspires us is just the beginning. Our end result is totally different and uniquely ours. It doesn’t matter what we create and it doesn’t have to be a “Mona Lisa”, its ours!
I’m participating in a blog hop “Be Inspired”, the wonderful idea of Brenda Pinnick. Check out the artists listed below to see their inspirations. The purpose of the hop is to illustrate how to create using inspiration instead of copying someone elses work.
My inspiration is based on something I saw in my brother Nick and sister-in-law Lyn’s kitchen. Lyn loves black spotted cows and has collected many different ones. While I was visiting a few years ago, I saw this cow catching a Frisbee.
It triggered a new idea for me and I painted a collection of animal ballerinas, starting with a black spotted cow ballerina and added a frog and cat. 
It was then licensed for a fabric collection with Cranston Printworks in both this aqua color and in a pink color collection.
Be original in what you create based on inspiration. Don’t copy (verb meaning to imitate or reproduce rather than creating something original). And when you create something original, you are protected by the copyright laws, rather than being a copyright infringer from copying what someone else has created.
Please check out these artists’ blog for their wonderful inspirations.
And please – be inspired to be original!
Phyllis
