Keeping your eyes open

Finding inspiration can sometimes be a challenge to anyone creative. I wrote recently about my daughters interest in agriculture taking me on new adventures in my life. And I have loved every minute of it…well, almost every minute (there are certain aspects of ranching not for the faint of heart-lol). But those I have met that live that life, love that life. They wouldn’t trade their lifestyle for anything.

But on the most mundane of days or those crazy unexpected ones, if age and experience has taught me anything, it is that you can find artistic inspiration almost anywhere. The above watercolour painting is a detail of a cowboys very well used, but loved, saddle. To some it is just a piece of equipment: a necessary tool. Some pieces of leather sewn together. But to me it tells a story and shares a history all its own.

Details

When I have been blessed to be included on roundups, there is activity everywhere! And I do mean everywhere! Everything is moving and you have to stay aware of what is moving where.

In all that movement is inspiration.

In the animals. colors, and textures there is inspiration.

It is also found in the quiet moments. The stillness of the dawn. The tired horses and people at the end of the day. It is “in your face” inspiration that is everywhere.

But it is also in the little details-those subtleties in everyday items that if you keep your eyes open you find just the right image to convey to others what your experience was like. Why you value it. Why your picture hopefully has the voice of a 1000 words.

If you are fortunate and you did it right, others will find in it what you did.

Inspiration.