There were two reasons for creating this website. The main one was obviously a place for Gumnut Inspired to live – a place for my art, my blog, my shop, my corner of the web. However, there was a second reason that might not be so obvious, mainly because I forget to advertise it.
This site was designed to be useful for other artists who need inspiration. Inspiration can sometimes be elusive and I know if I want to do something creative I often need a starting point just to get me going. I may not stay with that starting point, but it gets the ball rolling and the art arting.
The sources of inspiration you can find on this site include:
- The Inspiration Directory – this is a list of challenges that can be found online, just like the Blogging A to Z challenge or the 100 Artworks challenge. I have found these to be a fantastic resource for motivation and connecting with other artists and bloggers. I also list South Australian courses and competitions (though I need to add more to these last lists, I’ve done so much since I last updated the directory!)
- Tools and Techniques – I’ve collected together all the posts where I discuss particular tools and techniques. How to finish a painting, how to glaze, various techniques I have explored over the years of this blog. You may find something sparky in that stash.
- Explorations – where I’ve tried something new and documented it in detail. Here you will find things like my bubble painting exploration, the butterfly paintings and experimenting with acrylics. There are videos, diagrams and extended how tos.
- Inspired People – some time ago, I did a series of interviews with artists discussing what inspires them. I’ve kept all these and you can find them here. It is very interesting to get inside another artist’s head and see their creative process and how they beat all the obstacles we all face in trying to art. I really should do more of these, they are fun.
- Recommended Reading – a short list of artist’s blogs – those artists who really inspire me. They have some fantastic work and are well worth drooling over, and maybe to grab a little inspiration from. and I think I need to add a few more to this list.
- Inspiration Point – I have written about my personal inspiration sources. Those moments that have just sizzled with possibilities or hit me across the head with an idea (these last usually occur in the shower :D). Things that inspire me that others might share or borrow to startle their own inspiration.
I often write to share ideas and techniques in the hope of sparking some inspiration in other artists, even hosting my own challenges in the past (they have been fun). If you ever see something I’ve done that you’d like me to write more about, do let me know.
Best wishes,
Liz