Inspiration
I absolutely love finding out what inspires people. Not only do we all get inspired by different things, but we define the word itself slightly differently. Maybe you think about inspiration as what motivates you to create your art, to give something your best, or to simply get out of bed in the morning. It could be something tangible you enjoy looking at, or something abstract in your life that you’re grateful for. Either way, I think inspiration is one of the most important parts of life. It keeps us going, and we improve as a result of it.
Interactive Installation
One of my favorite installations to do is when I get to ask strangers for their input on something. Maybe it’s just answering the question “What’s up?” or sharing what their goals are for the new year, but coming back to an installation to see that multiple people I don’t know took the time to participate in this little grass roots project I did makes me happy. It inspires me.
I just put up a poster reading “What inspires you?”, and left a box with paper and pens. Most of the time, I will hang out till I see at least one person use the installation before I head out. That way, even if it gets stolen before I return, it still did its job (in my mind).
Responses
Luckily this one didn’t get stolen! Check out the responses from my fellow Baltimorians.
My favorites:
People who don’t give a shit Pooping after seafood Having a beautiful love life
There were actually a large handful of submissions that I deemed “inappropriate” to post. So go ahead and use your imagination for those! And I apologize if you’re phrase (or drawing!) got censored.
Your turn
Okay, what about you? What would you have written on a little slip of paper if you were walking by my installation?
“This. You.”
I love this installation.
Thanks Carly! (I must admit that one gave me goosebumps when I first read it.)
I get inspired by traveling 🙂
http://www.madelinefedmont.com/lugano-switzerland-trip/
Wow, Madeline, those pictures are gorgeous! I have a lovely penpal (Sara) in Switzerland, and this makes me want to visit her all the more! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Random Acts of Kindness
True Sharing (ideas, thoughts, dreams, passions etc. ~not physical things)
What a beautiful list of inspiration. Your LIST inspires me!!
I laughed out loud at the “my boyfriends blue eyes and sweet juice ass”. I also thought the one about oysters said “making my boyfriend cat oysters” and I was like.. uhhh?
Hahah, right? Sweet juicy asses are clearly created to inspire us. <3
I want to see the rude ones now.
Hahah fair enough. I can tell you that they were almost 100% sexual. And they weren’t all words…
Ok, so I tried commenting this on instagram, but I think my comment totally busted the comment box’s capacity. So I’m pasting my comment here.
Ready, set… it’s one loooong paragraph, so get ready, set, go!
I want to put my ideas into the box! Oh wait! I can read what people wrote? Ok, before I read what people wrote, let me write mine first. I’ll write it into this box. The comment box. What inspires you?! Interesting that the question is phrased WHAT inspires you? instead of WHO inspires you? Therefore, I will answer this question not about people who inspire me (of which are many), but with other things. Ok. Answer time: Quiet train rides. Blog posts (I love commenting, and comments often generate their own ideas for projects, thus the blog post is a source of inspiration). Ok along with that vein, pinterest pins. OMG so many. Magnets inspire me. Sidewalks inspire me. Vacant lots inspire me. The transition line between a shadow and the light, inspires me. Questions inspire me. Paper inspires me. Paper that can be folded. Paper that can be written upon. Paper that can stick. Paper that has texture. Paper that is thick. Paper that is thin. People’s responses to my work inspire me. People’s responses to other people’s works inspire me. Oh snap. I almost listed a person that inspires me. I was gonna say Seth Godin’s writings. That’s a what. Right? I guess. I don’t really know Seth Godin. I never met him. I’m tangenting. It’s funny how this comment box on statigr.am only allows you to see two lines at once when you write. I have no idea how much I wrote so far. I should add a paragraph break now. But I’ll continue writing. Paragraph breaks inspire me. Long-ass paragraphs like this one do not inspire me, because they are too long and hard to read. Beautiful alleys inspire me. Sidewalk cracks inspire me. Urban plants inspire me. Ok. That’s all. 🙂
Ok. Done. Now I will go back and read the blog post for what other people said.
Hahahha. Oh, Matt. Well done. I loved reading your list. I wasn’t intending to purposefully leave out people semantically. Some of the entries included other people, which is 100% fine! I just needed a short grab your attention line to get the point across. I’d be happy to read a list of WHO inspires you! <3
Inspirational things that are tangible tend to be all the supplies I like best: ink, paper, watercolors, pens. The intangible thing that inspires me most is nonsensical, completely absurd conversations with friends. The most recent one revolved around bologna.
I completely agree about absurd conversations! Banter and nonsense makes me feel full of life. Thanks, Cara!
Oh this is the neatest idea! I love how much you get out in your community just to spread a little joy around. That inspires me!
x Erin
Thanks Erin!! I’m glad. 🙂