Oops! I almost didn’t get this up. It’s been a crazy month for me, working my ass off on some big new projects. It’s been hard to keep my days straight.
Today is Blog it Forward day for me. Blog it Forward is kind of like an old school webring. Victoria from sfgirlbybay got a bunch of creative bloggers together to share what fuels us and also link readers to new blogs. Here’s where the next part of the webring comes in: tomorrow’s post comes from Nancy at Plum.
I share what inspires me pretty regularly, in my generally-weekly photo dumps. Today I think I’ll focus on what keeps my mind jumping in a broader sense. These are the things I turn to over and over to give me new ideas for paintings, drawings; things to make.
1. Stories. With the advent of podcasts, Netflix and iPhones, I’m finding it really hard to do anything without a story coming into my ears. I listen to This American Life, Risk! and The Moth every week, I haven’t missed the morning NPR news podcast in months, and during the day I spend bus rides reading books, keep a Netflixed movie going in the background while I work, and pop my earbuds in when I walk. It’s a little ridiculous, so I’m spending this week trying to let myself have some headspace sometimes.
Stories are just so…interesting. I’m on this constant, addiction-like quest for new information, new ideas, new turns of phrase, and these sources help keep fresh ideas on my mind.
2. Cartoons. I could watch good cartoons all day, every day. They combine the stories with art. Flapjack, Venture Brothers, Adventure Time, Chowder, Tiny Toons, Looney Tunes…
3. SCIENCE! I’ll never lose the science nerd part of me. Science makes mystical things less mystical and more awesome at the same time. Science finds new reasons to tell me every day that my brain doesn’t work by magic, but the more intricate its workings, the more absolutely incredible it is, right? Right! I’m a particular fan of all things in zoology. Like snub-nosed monkeys.
These are the main three categories that get me fired up to make. Check out sfgirlbybay for the full list of participating bloggers, if you’re looking for new reads!
