Alice Murray - Artist

Having an inspirational archive.

How does one get and archive on your own and why do you need one?

I advice everyone of my students as I advice you to make your own archive. It is not done in a day, so you better get started. But hard? No it is not!

It is one of the most fun things to do. You save everything which like and find 'inspiring'. If you look in to a book and find pictures you like, buy the book or take a picture of the page. Remember to get a photo of who the creator is, you can google the name later.

If you see something beautiful, like the light passing through the trees, a child playing, a beautiful flower..don't hesitate, Take a picture! And if you don't like the picture, take several and later choose the once you like.

If you fall for a tea cup or a vase, buy them if you can and otherwise take a picture. 

Don't hesitate too much and think. No, go for your gut feeling. Our gut feeling is the only guidance we really can rely on. Because if it tells you you are right, you will always have that same feeling and it will always be right...for you.

If you have films you like or you get inspired by then write them up, save the link and watch when you need a kick start.

Your archive can be anything, stones or sticks from a beach, your own photos, photos from other people, paintings, drawings, ceramic goods, the view from a window, a table at a cafe, a walk or...well just anything that will get your inspiration to start to tick!

An easy one is to start a pointers account and save all inspirational things you can find in one folder or you make a folder on your computer or a real one with printed photos. It is up to you, but feel what works the best when you later look at them. If you start searching pointers instead of looking at what you have in your folder, then that is not a great way for you. Find out by doing what works for you.

What do you do with a cup if that is your inspiration? Well that is then up to you. That cup will give you a thought or o feeling and you pick up on it. So start to draw it, paint it, take pictures of it, put it in a surrounding you prefer and make a still-life.

So there you are that first day when you are supposed to start. How do you use this?

Well take out the photos, the art book or the vase, see what you react to today. Do you want to paint one of your objects or try out what a other artist already has one? Well don't dismiss any of your thoughts and start with what ever comes up in you as an idea.

Good luck!