A couple of days ago, I had many visitors in my studio. Two women asked me the following question: “What inspires you?”
The initial inspiration for a painting or drawing comes from within. There is a certain kind of concentration. Sometimes I see an image or part of an image. Often there is also an uneasy feeling in my right arm and hand, a strong urge to draw or paint, to use a pencil or paint brush, to add something to an empty canvas or paper. Then comes the first sketch. From there it can take minutes or even years to finish a piece. Sometimes a work in progress stays untouched for days or weeks. Until that certain concentration comes again and tells me the next step. Sometimes I see words like “round”, “sharp”, or “soft”. Or words like “mountains”, “bird”, or “nature”. Often I see a color. For example “Red”. But I might still not know what to do with it. It might take a couple more days until I will use the color. And then I will use it wherever it belongs. And during the process I might see the words “Dark Green” or “Light Blue”. And I will add the chosen color wherever it belongs. This process will continue until my special concentration is gone.
The beginning of a new painting