Who Inspires You?
Posted by Deirdre Quirk on Jun 4th 2019
That's the question we asked everyone at C&T, and their answers are illuminating. We're inspired by our friends, our family, other artists (famous or otherwise), and of course, each other!
Dawn: I feel creativity is directly tied to whatever emotional state you find yourself in. It is always changing as our emotional well-being ebbs and flows with Life. That being said, I am currently inspired by Picasso (especially his Blue Nude painting).
Blue Nude, Pablo Picasso, 1902
Kerry: My dad was an amazing artist. Now my kids inspire me with their creativity.
Betsy: My mom was a huge creative inspiration... she was an amazing artist and craftsperson. Painting, drawing, knitting, weaving, sewing/quilting, ceramics... the list goes on and on. She inspired, nurtured, and encouraged whatever creative path we decided to follow.
Alice: My husband (who is artistic and crafty), my kids (who have great ideas), my coworkers, my friends on Facebook.
Tim: Easy, that was my mom. She was an artist, and I'm pretty sure I got every creative bone in my body from her.
April: I think "who" is a hard question since I often get inspired by art and artists in various specialities but don't retain who did it. Honestly, it's probably all of you!
Deirdre: I'm inspired by anyone who takes time out of their day to be creative, whatever that looks like. When I see other people being creative, I'm inspired to start!
Debbie: My family. All of my grandmothers worked with fabric, making clothing and quilts. One crocheted afghans and bead necklaces, too. My mom has dabbled in painting, paper crafts, all yarn arts, and sewing clothing, quilts, and home decor. My uncle created games, quilt racks, and whole kitchens with wood. My brothers can build any type of structure, from a simple shed to full-blown energy-efficient homes. My sister is like me; we like to play with all of it: wood-work, painting, tiling, sewing, embroidery, just about anything!
Quilt made by Debbie's mom, embroidery by her sister, paper crafted bottle by her mom, and quilt and necklace by her grandmothers.
Jen: My coworkers, of course.
Gailen: My family. Everyone's an artist... my mom, dad, and brother. I went into words (as an editor) initially to avoid the competition! ;) But I do create art in my crafty way now. I'm thrilled that both of my kids love art. They get it from both sides, since my husband is a woodworker and his sister and grandfather are artists.
Jennifer: Anyone I interact with can inspire (and probably has inspired) my creativity. I’ve been inspired by my family, teachers, coworkers, friends, C&T authors, and more. Other artists (writers, musicians, illustrators, painters, sculptors) tend to inspire me as well—for example, John William Waterhouse, Arthur Rackham, Harry Clarke, Edmund Dulac, and Jeff Campana.
The Lady of Shalott, John William Waterhouse, 1888
