Inspiration is Everywhere

When fashion designer Paul Smith released his book - You Can Find Inspiration in Everything - in 2003, I loved it. It is a beautiful coffee table book full of images that spark the imagination. However, the older I've got, and the more I've listened to other creatives talk about their work, the question: "what inspires you?" is usually met with a broad-brush stroke answer of "oooh, everything!" and to be honest, this non-specific, catch all answer leaves me feeling a bit cheated. Yes, inspiration is everywhere, but what specifically sparks interest, ignites a fire and causes creative action?

Well, when I was asked to write as a post on here about what inspires me by the lovely editor Zanou Nelie @zanounelie I knew I didn't want to leave my readers feeling the same.

So, todays post is a little different - it's more of a list. I admit to being inspired by the most random things - but just like building a fire, what results in the actual change from dead bits of wood to a glowing furnace is more specific and particular. So here goes...

I am inspired by:

1. Words. Specifically, stories. These can be written, read or told. But I have always loved a good story. What makes a story good in my opinion, is usually where change occurs - the beast becomes human, the mole relocates to the river, a young orphan becomes a student and then the teacher. Another theme within stories, along with transformation, is battling against the odds, survival and overcoming - the swimmer reaches the shore, as in the story of Diana Niad, or the young woman survives the concentration camp, as told by Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom. These teach me what is possible, what the human spirit is capable of and that we are all able to reach beyond ourselves and find the courage to keep going. This links to my second inspiration.

2. Courage. People who demonstrate it, live it and share it with others. Those who choose courag