~ Natalie L.

I don't think I ever stop looking for inspiration. I find being an artist you look at the world differently than other people. When I look at someones face I don't just see their face. I see light, shadows, textures and undertones. I notice the smallest details no one else takes the time to see. Because of this I'm always collecting inspiration. That being said, no one is immune to artist block.

I go through periods of time where I'm so inspired I can't get pieces done fast enough. When this happens I try not to take these moments for granted and I write them down. That way I have a notebook filled with ideas.

There are times when I look through those notebooks, I try to will myself to just start sketching and see what happens and I still just don't feel that spark. Instead of packing it up and waiting for inspiration to find me, I have a few ways to get myself motivated.

Before I dive into this, I'm not above scrolling through Pinterest to find inspiration. I think technology has given artists so many resources and it's a great tool. That being said, there is something about books that can never be replaced by apps. I love looking through and buying coffee table books. There is always a stack on my table ready for whenever I need inspiration.

Random fact about me, I love fairy tales. Not the animated kids versions, although I am a huge Disney fan. I'm talking about the old, creepy stories that were in no way meant for children. There has always been something about the dark magic in these stories that gets my wheels turning. I am guaranteed to come up with something after reading a few of these stories.

Like I said before, I love buying coffee table books. I also love art books. There is something about looking at someone else's art that gives me so much inspiration. I have a pretty decent sized collection of art books but I only keep a few out at a time.

Right now I have a Frida Kahlo book out on my table. To tell you the truth, I don't think she'll ever be switched out and if she is it will be for another Frida book. For me Frida isn't just one of my favorite artists, she's one of my favorite humans. I could go on and on and probably bore you with all the reasons why I love her. When I look at her art I don't just see self portraits and bright colors. I see sadness and courage. I can feel what she felt while painting them. When I look at her work it doesn't just inspire me to create art, it inspires me as a woman.

Another random fact about me, I love ballerinas. From the time I was a little kid I've loved them. The way they move so gracefully has always made me want create something beautiful. Watching them dance, looking at photos or paintings of them brings me so much inspiration. If you are looking for ballerina paintings you can never go wrong with Degas. He was the master of capturing their movement with the most beautiful color pallets.

When I talk about ballerinas I can't leave out this book. I have owned this book since I was in elementary school. Before that it was my moms. It's so old and beat up but it has always been my favorite book for drawing. This book is where I learned to draw figures. I would pull it out as a kid and just try to copy the figures from the pages. I still do this. When I have nothing to draw or I just cannot think of something I look to this book. Sketching ballerinas from this book takes me back to when I started and I was so excited to learn.

I love the vintage feel of this book. From the head shots of the ballerinas featured to the ads for the ballet. These types of books are the types of books I look for when I go to second hand book stores. Books like these can never be replaced with technology for me. There's something about drawing from a book reference that takes me back to my roots and reminds me why I started.