Thursday, February 28, 2008

what inspires you today?

before i forget i want to thank & mention the kind & lovely sfgirlbybay victoria for interviewing me in her series called "unexpected guests". i feel like she makes everything look so much better! a gift she has. i just rushed out and bought the newest sunset mag so i could peek at her apartment featured. yay for you victoria!

i'm having one of those days where i feel wholly inspired and alive and grounded in what is good. maybe it's the springtime weather, i'll take it. there are so many tiny moments. and GIANT ones too, but i want to focus on the small. from grocery shopping to lunch, to folding laundry to opening up a new box of shoes and walking about my apartment in them (practicing the 3 inch heels. i'm almost 5 foot 10, maybe unnecessary?). to smelling the cherry & plum blossoms in bloom as i walk around my neighborhood. to seeing beautiful pregnant belly shots of one of my best friends. to reading an amazing blog post of my high school art teacher & serious role model on how she is learning from cancer. to talking to the woman at the grocery store about sun screen another about a song "dating us". connecting to others in a regular way. this inspires me.

i put all my delicate necklaces here.

also the little moments of domestic living. i spent way too much time hanging my necklaces on these branches. flooded with happiness seeing mav's letter-pressed calendar next to jenny & bekah's handmade necklaces & the rest. i'm grateful for the cross over of blog & art infused living.

i just ate a mini peasant pie filled with spinach & feta on our wobbly italian white wedding plates (with a chip in it already!) and it was perfect.

on my dining room table i have blush pink ranunculuses (inspired to buy from laura's photo indeed!) from the farmer's market this past weekend blooming wider still, opening up like delicate cabbages, that i recently cleaned up the leaves of and cut again, moving a fallen (too heavy for it's stalk) bloom to the windowsill in a miniature chinese bowl and a small bouquet to my dresser as well.

it all calls into question: what makes us feel most inspired? alive? motivated? it's these little nuggets of inspiration that fuel me. the dailyness that feels elevated and makes me want to communicate with all of you and why i think flickr and blogger are what they are in popularity. it keeps us present & engaged, noticing the beauty near and afar.

how does that translate to painting and creating art? most of us would agree that it is part of the process. of noticing the shade of pink & the contrast of the bright green of the ranunculus against it's robin's egg blue vase. ahh, i love color. i know i am not alone;)

xxxxxxx
mati

6 comments:

Stephanie said...

oh I love this post so. I too am inspried by the small domesticities of everyday life. I find my self trying to "nest" in way way that I am surrounded by inspiration. From the texture of wool blankets to the fresh colors of a floral pillow and pehaps the smell of almonds and honey on my morning yogurt. It is all relevant. It is all inspiring.

Anonymous said...

I so can relate, Mati! I am inspired by walks to the grocery store and baking lemon bars and seeing the color of the sky (today it's silvery gray). Thank you for reminding me to slow down and appreciate it all. xo

lauracrow said...

i do the same thing with my flowers...
i cut them when they start to droop and put them in different vases...
with my ranunculas, the stems just got too old and "gooey" so i cut the buds off and put them in a bowl...
i try to get as much life out of them as i can!!
xoxo

Swirly said...

Oh my, this entry makes me want to run outside and sing like Julie Andrews in Sound of Music! An existence where art and life intertwine so closely is an extraordinary way to live...I have not done any creative work in my studio this week, but have still been walking around feeling inspired and creative, just running errands and doing normal things like laundry. I miss you!

Kim said...

How do you attach the branches to the wall? What a good idea!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love this way of hanging jewelry.

And yes, agreed that a little time needs to be taken to enjoy things. All of the cherry trees are blooming right now and though I pass them every day, I'm going to take time this weekend to photograph them and appreciate them--they'll be gone so quickly!