Artistry is made up of many forms of expression. No matter how you choose to express yourself, there’s one commonality between your artistic endeavor and all other art forms.
Inspiration.
If you’re a lucky creator, you don’t have to worry about finding inspiration. However, if you have trouble feeling inspired on your own, you may have to search for your inspiration. Lack of inspiration can be difficult to overcome as an artist.
“Where do you find inspiration?”
Anthony Bubbico is a 22-year-old creative writer and musician from Hauppauge, New York. Bubbico writes short stories, poetry and lyrics. He also writes music to play on the guitar and drums.
Bubbico stated that he finds inspiration from observing the environment around him.
“I often find inspiration in the small things. On a campus where most people wear earbuds or headphones, I often like to walk around without listening to music and just observe. I observe people talking. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has things going on inside their heads. It may be pressure from a sports team or anxiety about a significant other. Everyone has different experiences and has been through some sort of drama. Music is another form of inspiration to me. I find lyrics can be very empowering.”
Emma Cline-Phillips is a 22-year-old painter, working with oils and watercolors, from Caledonia, New York. She also designs tattoos.
Cline-Phillips credited her mother and personal experience for inspiration.
“A lot of it is personal stuff I go through. I used to self harm a lot, but painting has gotten me through so much, and that’s just one thing. My mom is an artist too and she’s always been a huge motivator in anything I do.”
“I also recognize that I am in a place of power [because] I’m Caucasian. I can use my strongest skill set to bring light to topics people don’t want to confront, but need to. I can use my voice and my privilege to do my best at making the world a safer and more accepting place.”
To view more of Emma Cline-Phillips’s artwork, visit the Silver Fox Studios page.
Dylan Mulea is an 18-year-old underground rapper from Rocky Point, New York. Rapping under the name FlavaScum, Mulea writes and records his own music, and then sends it to his producer, One Man Army (OMA), in North Carolina.
“I have three [inspirations]. My first girlfriend broke up with me and I remember writing poetry everyday to be honest. I grew up in a lower middle class home; my cable and electricity would get turned off once a month, my parents struggled with bills and they argued a lot. As a kid, I always wanted toys that everyone else had but my parents couldn’t afford it. I got a job when I was 14 and have been working ever since. Growing up with no money and seeing my parents struggle was probably my biggest inspiration to become a rapper and live my dreams. When I was working at 7-Eleven, 60 hours a week, I realized I don’t want to work and not love what I do. I even contemplated [not going to] college because rapping is my dream. My third inspiration has got to be Tupac. He is my idol. I don’t go a day without listening to him. He is the modern day Shakespeare. He was the voice for the voiceless, that is why he is an inspiration for me.”
Abby Talcott is a 20-year-old photographer who also dabbles in sculpture and drawing.
On the topic of inspiration, Talcott said she did not have a set way of looking for inspiration.
“I don’t actively go looking for inspiration as an artist. I just let it come to me. Sometimes I’ll just go for walks and bring my camera with me. I’ll see something and it will spark an idea or something I want to elaborate and explore more on. I just get an idea. I try it and see what happens.”
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