Whether one is an artist or not, sometimes we just feel uninspired and our creative side feels drained. There’s an abundance of ideas out there in combating this issue of finding artistic inspiration, but lacking any specific health issue’s that may contribute I wanted to focus on one solution to get your creative energy flowing again. What is that?

In today’s world people are plugged in to their electronic media at work and leisure time and elsewhere and sometimes dangerously so. Although electronics like being plugged in, because they draw power which they need, humans don’t recharge that way. For the creative side it drains us of our creative energy. In my artist’s statement I have said when we experience the outdoors, we feel drawn to it, nurtured by it. Being outdoors to enjoy the beauty of nature does have a recharging effect. Studies are showing that disconnecting from our devices and getting outside in nature have shown improvements in creative tasks as opposed to those who were not.

There is so much intricate design in nature that it can’t help but stir creativity when you slow down enough to take a little of it in.

Recently we have been doing some yard work. Even in this confined area of a backyard I started to notice the possibility for a couple of small paintings. A subject that I had not really considered and that of painting flowers in an almost still life setting.  Here below are two small paintings showing how just being outside in my own backyard inspired these two paintings. Not that our backyard looks like this, but what flowers we did have was enough to inspire a little creativity and a departure from my regular subject matter.

Corner Garden 6×6 oil painting by Byron copyright 2015

The Back Gate 6×6 oil painting by Byron copyright 2015

So the next time you feel a little run down, try unplugging and get outdoors and start feeling the creative energy returning. Even if it’s in your own backyard! If you don’t have a backyard, try a local park. Look at the trees, the sky, flowers, whatever and let it rejuvenate you.

These two “backyard” nature inspired paintings were recently sold on my eBay auctions as were the nature inspired ones below!

Barn and Hay Bales 6×6 oil by Byron copyright 2015

I enjoyed painting this little scene of a little barn with a row of honeysuckle growing in front and some round hay bales. Not sure what the name of the purple flowers were.

Dos Yucca 6×6 oil by Byron copyright 2015

I liked the contrast of the yucca up against the dark of the tree behind them.

Guadalupe River (River Elegance) plein air 8×10 acrylic and oil painting by William Hagerman revised copyright 2015

This was painted directly from life on location in the Texas Hill Country near Boerne, TX along the Guadalupe River. It had remained in my collection for some time, but is now in its new home.

You can access the auctions from my profile page. Any offerings will be displayed here.

Remember, bidding starts at a penny! Have a great day.