I'm Claudia Snell & I build Websites

Finding Inspiration

As a creative professional, I spend a lot of time trying to find inspiration and I do find it everywhere; music, movies, art, and other web designers are the obvious sources but I also find inspiration in other places. As most creative professionals know, everything around you can be an inspiration if you are open to that process.

A great example of being inspired by something that is completely unrelated to the finished work is the corsage my friend, Cathy Walsh, made to wear for the recent Best of Worcester Awards. Cathy is an amazing floral artist here in Worcester, MA. Her shop, Sprout!, has won the ‘Best Florist in Worcester’ award several times. Her work is always stunningly creative and beautiful.

Cathy found inspiration for her corsage that evening (see above) from an article she read from another floral designer and, oddly, something called a Turducken  – which is food. You can read what Cathy, known as ‘Sprout’, has to say about her corsage on her blog: Composite Flower Corsage or a Turducken on Your Shoulder.

Personally, I find it helps me be more creative when I hear how other people find inspiration. One of the best lessons I’ve learned from listening to others is to always keep my eyes open. Inspiration really is everywhere. You just have to be open to it – and let your mind wander a bit. The other thing — keep a notebook, sketchbook or something like it handy all the time. I know it’s been said by everyone and a lot of times, but I’m always surprised at how many people don’t carry anything with them.

On a related topic, design web site, Janko at Warp Speed, has posted a great article posing the question: “What is creativity?”. Drop by, see what everyone is saying and leave your own thoughts.