“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind. ” – Johannes Brahms
You might remember in my last post, I shared a painting I was not quite sure was finished.
Well — good news: it is done.
I was so excited I showed it to my other half right away. He looked at it thoughtfully and asked:
“Where do your ideas come from
I paused.
And then I said, “I am not sure.”
Is it inspiration?
Is it emotion?
The truth is — it is both.
And neither.
And sometimes something else entirely.
When I stand in front of a blank canvas, I rarely know what is going to come out.
Some days, it starts with a spark. It could be a colour I cannot stop thinking about. It might be a pattern from nature. Sometimes, it’s a line of poetry that lingers in my mind.
Other days, I paint because there is something heavy sitting on my chest. I do not know how else to let it out.
Inspiration: The Whisper
Inspiration is soft. It is a whisper at the back of my mind.
It might be the texture of rust on an old fence.
A fleeting dream.
A shadow on the wall that looks like a bird.
These things do not shout. They just tap me on the shoulder and say,
“Hey… look.”
I do not always follow those whispers. But when I do, they lead me somewhere unexpected.
Emotion: The Flood
Emotion is different.
It crashes. It pours.
Sometimes it is joy, and the brush dances.
Sometimes it is grief, and the paint goes on thick and dark.
Anger shows up as ripped edges and bold, slashing marks.
Hope glows in soft glazes and warm tones.
I have learnt to stop judging what shows up.
If I try to paint “nicely”, the piece falls flat.
But when I let myself feel, the canvas comes alive.
The Blend
Inspiration and emotion are threads — and painting is how I weave them together.
It is not always clear what is driving the piece until I am halfway through — or finished.
And even then, I might not be able to explain it.
And maybe that is the point.
Maybe art does not need to explain itself.
Maybe it just needs to exist — like a feeling you do not have words for yet.
So, what flows into my canvas?
Everything.
My thoughts.
My moods.
What I saw on a walk.
A colour I dreamed about.
A story I have not told out
Some days it is inspiration.
Some days it is emotion.
Most days, it is a little bit of my soul.
Sometimes, I wish I were “talented” enough to paint something more substantial — something “real”.
I cannot draw or paint realistic flowers. I struggle with trees and the kinds of things that sit neatly in a textbook. So I have let go of that.
Whatever I see — whatever moves me or catches my eye — I abstract it.
I let it influence me. I let it speak through colour, texture, and movement.
That is how I make sense of the world. That is how it flows onto the canvas.
I have included a photo of my finished canvas below.
It was just small tweak in the end – but I think it was the one thing that was missing.
What do you think?
Does your creativity come from a quiet whisper, a rush of feeling — or both?
I would love to hear how inspiration and emotion move through your own creative process.
Let us start a conversation. After all, that is what art is too — a dialogue, a connection, a shared moment between souls.
KitKatArt 