One day I went to see Picasso’s sculptural exhibit at MOMA in New York City. I was so turned on by it, I wanted to run home and paint for hours.

 

 

I love how much permission Picasso gave himself. I’m in awe of the breadth and freedom of his art, which he continued to make even when the Germans condemned him as a degenerate to remain in occupied Paris during World War II, forbidden to exhibit.

 

 

He never cared whether his art sold or not, nor what anyone else thought about it or him. When his art was considered debased and prohibited, it gave him all the more impedance. He had to express himself and he found any way to do it. One bronze sculpture I loved looked like a cow’s skeleton head with horns but was actually made from a scavenged bicycle seat and bike handles.

 

 

The Dictionary defines inspiration as: Divine influence directly and immediately exerted on the mind or soul. A quickening, exalting influence. To produce or arise a feeling. To guide or control by divine influence.

 

 

It’s a sudden idea, and a feeling you must do something, and then finding you have all the energy needed to do it. Doors open. It gives us a sense of “rightness,” as if we can’t NOT do it. We are guided by something greater coursing through us.

 

 

All art, the best museums, theaters, concert halls, designs, inventions, architecture, business brands, and gardens etc. were created to inspire us. Without art, innovation, production and nature our lives would be dry, dull, life-less, and without purpose.

 

 

When we view art that moves us, we’re uplifted. It’s exciting, exhilarating, and we delight in the shared freedom of expression, feeling universally connected.

 

 

But in order to stay in the flow, we need to connect back to our own divine influence. Inner-inspiration comes when it’s uniquely ours and individually inventive.

 

 

I rushed home from MOMA and took the painting down that I’d been working on curious to see what I would paint from Picasso’s inspiration.

 

 

I took a big black brush and made a twisted face and a contorted nose. But quickly, I hit a major block and my energy dropped. I didn’t want to paint anymore. If I wanted to be free like Picasso, I couldn’t try to copy or act like I was him. I had to find the freedom of my own expression.

 

 

I went back to the painting that was up before I took it down. My brush got going. Returning to my own creation, I could meet my own insides where I was.

 

 

In the Balkan language, the translation of “comparison” is “little death.” Comparison can get between inspiration and us. Whoever or whatever we compare ourselves to is our inner-judge’s best friend.

 

 

We think we need to hear the whole composition from beginning to end before composing it.

 

 

Or know the entire arc of our story before writing it.

 

 

Or have our whole business plan written before inventing our invention.

 

 

Or know if the guy wants children and marriage before going on a second date with him.

 

 

How we keep our inspiration flowing is by giving ourselves permission to create whatever it is we’re experiencing in the moment.

 

 

The more we meet the moment, the more inspiration rains upon us.

 

Wishing you inspiration in every breathing moment!