Redtree Times

Wassily Kandinsky- Movement I. 1935

The artist must have something to say, for mastery over form is not his goal but rather the adapting of form to its inner meaning.

–Wassily Kandinsky, On the Spiritual In Art

I had been feeling a little blah in recent weeks, especially as far as my work is concerned. Not motivated. Everything seemed like a slog or heavy toil. I couldn’t focus and couldn’t see anything on the canvas before me.

No motivation whatsoever.

But two things occurred yesterday that gave me a kick in the pants, in the creative sense.

First, I had a commissioned piece that I needed to start. I had the canvas prepped and ready to rock but I still felt like putting it off. And I might have, except for the fact that I had already burned through every excuse and roadblock I could come up with to prevent me from starting.

It had to be done.

So, I started, and a funny thing happened: It felt damn good, much better than I had imagined. Things came easy and I was soon pulled fully into the piece.

It was like an adrenaline injection, one that was desperately needed. It started my engine and I was mentally pulling things– color combinations and forms and angles– I was seeing in this piece to be employed in the next pieces.

It’s a form of self-generating momentum that I greatly depend on. It was good to feel that again after the past few weeks of dull listlessness.

Then, while taking a short break, I came across the image at the top online from Wassily Kandinsky, Movement I. I am a fan of Kandinsky’s works and words, especially his book, On the Spiritual in Art, which I keep close at hand here in the studio. I have seen much of his work but this one seemed to have evaded my eye before yesterday.

Seeing it was like a second shot of adrenaline. It set off all sorts of creative sparks within me and I was seeing things in it that would be employing in future works. I felt a giddiness to get to this new unrealized work as soon as possible.

I can’t fully describe how the things I see in this piece will translate into my own work. It will most likely be undiscernible to the casual viewer or even the most ardent follower of my work. That’s how inspiration works.

However, I have had similar bursts of energy and ideas before that I just couldn’t bring across the line in a way that fully satisfied me. Many of them are in stacks and boxes in a room here in the studio and will likely never be shown. So, while I can say that this burst of energy will create something new, I can’t guarantee that this surge will result in good work.

That is also how inspiration works.

Even so, I am grateful for it this morning. Now, I gladly get back to work.