Kevin Keane Response: Sourcing Inspiration

This reading, Sourcing Inspiration, encouraged me to change the way I look at a work of art. The three essays that are included in this piece explain why one must understand the environment around the piece to truly understand the piece. The reading states that some artistic creativity is stimulated by various external stimuli. With others it can take form in sudden impulses that can manifest very suddenly. A third source of inspiration can be simple derived from human emotion.
I wanted to analyze my own source of inspiration after reading the essays about three artists that are inspired in these various ways. Jan Harrison’s inspiration is intrinsic and impulsive. Her work develops from her subconscious. She says that she is purposely not knowledgeable about ancient mythology so that her myths come from herself. Pipilotti Rist’s work develops from human emotions. One emotion that is apparent in much of her works is her vision of love. Julian LeVerdiere’s, unlike the others, work evolves continuously until it reaches completion. Leverdiere finds inspiration is gaps in history books and events that inspire him. All of these different sources of inspiration have an obvious effect on the final creation of each artist.
My inspiration is much like Jan Harrison’s in that I am very impulsive. My ideas are abrupt and usually come from a visual stimulation. In the past I have found it helpful to write down my ideas to have record of the idea and then build off the concept a few days later. As with the artist that were included in this reading, my ideas are influenced heavily by the world around me.