This class was incredibly inspiring, Chris, just like you! This was a brilliant idea for a class and motivated me to write a bit more, another art form that I love. I finished rather late, but was able to get back to it after you got the workbook reloaded. 

Inspiration!!!!!!!   I feel like I live in a world of inspiration. Everywhere I look, I see things that spark ideas—whether it’s a landscape, the shape of a shadow, the edges that appear and disappear, or the endless variety of colors that shift with the light. Inspiration surrounds me in such abundance that it sometimes becomes overwhelming, and that can leave me just as stuck as if I had none at all.   

What gets in my way the most isn’t a lack of creativity, but fatigue and illness. Those are my biggest challenges. This past year especially, they’ve been hard to push through. When I can’t paint because of that, I feel the stress build up. But when I’m feeling better, I try to grab hold of those good moments and take advantage of them. That’s how I get going again.

When I paint or create, I feel calm and relaxed. I refer to it as my "art zone," where the rest of the world fades away. This is where I find excitement and joy. I never feel stressed while I'm actually creating; it's only when I'm forced to step back that stress starts to creep in. Great ideas from this class will help me focus on ways to rest and relax, allowing me to stay open to creating whenever I have the energy.

I’ve come to realize that inspiration is more present in my life than not. It’s a unique way of experiencing the world, one I wouldn’t trade for anything. I may not yet know exactly how my work will encourage another artist, but I believe that by simply sharing it—by showing the joy and resilience behind each piece—I can offer something meaningful. If nothing else, my art is a living reminder that even in the midst of fatigue or challenges, beauty and inspiration are always waiting to be found.

Smiles :):):)  Diana V

Oops!  I realized I had forgotten to add some of my inspirational photos….Here there are!  There’s just beauty and inspiration all around us!!!!

Color in Nature

 

Local Nature Multnomah Falls

 

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