to Inspire is to breathe

Julie & Julia (book/movie) explores the concept of inspiration from the perspective of Julie, who sets out on a journey to teach herself to cook by attempting all 524 recipes included in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Julie explains how she was inspired by Julia, but equally fascinating is our discovery into what inspired Julia to "become" Julia Child. In "My Life in France" Julia notes that her inspirations were her darling husband Paul (who was an artist/photographer), as well as her love for cooking and France. Her joy and enthusiasm are evident as she recounts her life in Paris in the 1950s:
"Those early years in France were among the best in my life. They marked a crucial period of transformation in which I found my true calling, experienced an awakening of the senses, and had such fun that I hardly stopped moving long enough to catch my breath".

What does this have to do with an art blog? well...
To Inspire and Be Inspired is to
Elate. Enliven. Motivate.
to Spark, Spur, Stir...
Activate and Invigorate...
to b r e a t h e ...
and I am forever pondering, reading, researching, asking, and okay, I'll just say it...I'm positively obsessed with what inspires us all-- so my next project (and series of paintings) will be to explore that in all its glorious detail. I especially enjoy learning about creative people who dare to choose a different path, step out on a limb, or just see things a little differently. Discovering what captured their attention--Stopped them in their tracks- Made their hearts sing -or at least skip a beat! Learning what they loved and cherished about their lives and how their life's work evolved accordingly...yes, it is a wonderful obsession. Psychology meets Art.
(to be continued)