I’m home this evening from a weekend visit with family at the beach on the other of the state. Driving makes me sleepy, and I stretched out on the couch for a short snooze when we returned.

It was very short. My body was sleepy but my mind is jazzed. I am filled with ideas about what I want to do next on works I already have started in the studio and new works I want to begin.

How does this happen? I don’t write this as a complaint or a rant. I am genuinely curious. I am grateful to have thought processes that regularly generate new ideas that are challenging and interesting to me. I know that many artists struggle thinking of what to create.

So, I’m just thinking back through a few events of my weekend to reconstruct.

I dipped my feet in the Gulf of Mexico. This morning it was chilly on the beach, but the sun warmed my skin. I felt the cold water on my bare feet. I watched the ripples move and change as they hit my feet. I listened to the wind and the surf.

I looked at interesting work by other artists. We spent Saturday afternoon strolling several nice art galleries. I felt especially drawn to ceramics this weekend, and looked deeply at works that are not at all alike – except that they are made of clay. A rough-textured sculptural form pulled me into its soft palette. Some bright red serving pieces revealed interesting expressive scribed mark-making. I looked at these a long while.

I looked at blank walls. I have found before that I frequently find the beginnings of inspiration in the dimensions of a possible work. Sometimes, just sketching out the perimeter dimensions with dark marker on drawing paper will allow my mind to start filling in the blanks. I have been working large and square for a few months. Some narrow vertical spaces might be interesting to me for a bit.

I took the long way home. The direct route across Florida is I-4 Tampa-to-Daytona. It’s a horrible, stressful experience. We chose to go up through older towns and less-traveled roads on our drive. It took about an hour and a half longer to get home. But the trip was a gift. Old homes. Small towns. Fruit stands. Cows. No trucks. Quiet. Without trying to create, just allowing some space for it to occur can be a beginning.

Tomorrow I have an un-scheduled day. I’m looking forward to being in the studio allowing things to happen.

And a nice e-mail waiting for me when I returned….
I am so pleased to have a work accepted in the 100% Pure Florida Exhibit at Fifth Avenue Gallery in Melbourne. It’s a very nice gallery, and the show will include works in all mediums. I have to admit, encouraging news always help to spur inspiration too.

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
bobbibaughart@gmail.com
--Bobbi

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