On Inspirations

They say that the greatest compliment is to inspire someone.
I have never gelled well with compliments, less so where my art is concerned, sometimes I just want to get in the tank with my snails (African Land Snails that is) and chill with them, instead i have to stand and accept compliments with humility, to have someone state quite plainly that my works inspire them to move on in their artistic journey is even more than a compliment, you are responsible for another individuals journey, you are responsible to them, not only in their journey but by standing by your own reputation and moving on yourself.

To stand still as an artist is not only to tie a noose around your own neck and slowly but surely watch the world according to art, move onwards without you but also to not be able to justify any ones reliance upon your work to inspire them, if you go nowhere, how can those who find you inspiring have any thoughts to moving forward themselves if they see their mentor floundering and going nowhere.

It is the latter that I hold most dear to my heart, if I am going to be a mentor to others I must move forward myself. My life has been one where to announce your achievements was seen by others as one who 'braggs', though experience has shown that the belittling of anothers achievements is done purely out of jealousies and an inability for those others to move on themselves, more out of laziness than anything else.

it is these people that hold others back, another form of bullying i suppose, they are not willing to take the plunge, to branch out against the flow, they hold you back in order to keep their lives ticking along in a way that they are able to deal with, some people hate change, some people see others moving forward as a threat to their apparent stability.

to move in those circles necessitates that you become like them and less like your true self, how can you find your true self, to experience all that life has to offer, to find and work for your dreams in life when you allow yourself to linger in the now, yesterday is history, tomorrows a mystery and today is a gift, but not if you make the present a continuation of a static yesterday, and to make tomorrow the same as today, a never ending circle of nothing and nowhere until the time comes when you are unable to see any tomorrow, or, worse still, when the tomorrow you envisage is one to not look forward to.

to move forward is to find yourself and life, sadly that necessitates leaving those others behind, what are they to you if they are the ones that expect you just to remain the same; it is said that old habits die hard, that is just so true, to work and continually move forward as an artist requires sacrifice and hard work, it relies on finding your niche in accordance with your life and destiny, how many are willing to make sacrifices of friends and family.

those that are strong and able can easily find their past if they so wish, that however must be done only with a strong grip on todays reality and achievements, without that strength the past will always seem appealing but will always drag you backwards, the more time on the past is less time for the future.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Quiet Return It’s been a few years since anything new appeared on this blog. No dramatic exit, no crisis, no grand story — just life unfolding in its own quiet way while I wandered off into a long stretch of creative exploration. I didn’t spend that time chasing expectations or trying to produce anything impressive. In fact, it was the opposite. I let myself make things without pressure, without anticipation, and without any need for an audience. It was a good kind of absence — the sort that gives you space to breathe and rediscover what you enjoy. Along the way, painting slipped out of my hands. Not abandoned in frustration, just… released. It had carried me through many chapters, but eventually it felt like a language I’d said enough in. So I turned to sculpture, almost by accident, and found myself on a long, meandering tour through every material within reach. Papier‑mâché came first — messy, forgiving, and strangely liberating.Foam followed, stubborn but full of possibility.Cardboard had its moment too, proving far more architectural than I expected. Each material taught me something different about form, weight, and patience. And then, gradually, I settled into polymer clay. It felt right — structured but flexible, expressive without demanding perfection. It opened a new path, and with it came another journey: exploring genre, tone, and character in ways paint never quite allowed. So yes, I’ve been away. But not idle.Just quietly occupied in the kind of creative work that doesn’t need announcing. Now the blog returns — not as a relaunch, not as a promise, but simply as a continuation. A place to share what I’ve been shaping, learning, and enjoying along the way. If you’ve found your way back here too, welcome. Let’s see where this next chapter leads.

  A Quiet Return It’s been a few years since anything new appeared on this blog. No dramatic exit, no crisis, no grand story — just life unfolding in its own quiet way while I wandered off into a long stretch of creative exploration. I didn’t spend that time chasing expectations or trying to produce anything impressive. In fact, it was the opposite. I let myself make things without pressure, without anticipation, and without any need for an audience. It was a good kind of absence — the sort that gives you space to breathe and rediscover what you enjoy. Along the way, painting slipped out of my hands. Not abandoned in frustration, just… released. It had carried me through many chapters, but eventually it felt like a language I’d said enough in. So I turned to sculpture, almost by accident, and found myself on a long, meandering tour through every material within reach. Papier‑mâché came first — messy, forgiving, and strangely liberating. Foam followed, stubborn but full of possibili...
Read more

Polymer Clay 01

Image
While searching through the archives I uncovered this snippet from 2016/17. The occasion near my discovery of polymer clay. After two years of watching tutorials, trawling websites, reading fact sheets, gathering tools and materials, and generally soaking up everything I could find about polymer clay, I've finally reached the point where I have a dedicated workspace set up. Which means the real learning can begin. Up until now it's all been preparation. Now I get to make my own mistakes, discover my own solutions, and work my way along a learning curve that, at the moment, doesn't seem to have an end. Over those two years I've come across some incredible artists, particularly those working in jewellery and biomorphic design. One artist who has consistently kept me inspired is Melanie West. Her work has captivated me from the beginning and continues to do so. The incredible work of Melanie West One of the things that immediately drew me to polyme...
Read more

grounding

Image
since 10 March I have been in my own little world, pondering and pottering while the world and its mother, passed me by. I have little need at this moment in time to move at the same pace as everyone else, and, while youngsters on their bikes, supported with stabilisers, and by animals with far less purpose than even I at the moment, I have reorganised my life, sorted out the wheat from the chaff as it were and broken my workload down to a point where I am able to move forward, both as a person and as an artist. My current fixed projects are as varied as they are separated by simple geography, the Glass House restoration and the Film company, Dog Tag Media both based in Scotland and my Autumn Show here in Kendal. My recent contact with Melvyn Bragg is now at an end though not without my realising that there really was no connection between us sufficient as to reap the full benefits of being in contact with such a genuine person, the lack of contact simply of my own making and borne of ...
Read more