I've been trying to find time to paint this week, but it's not quite as simple as that when it come to art. One needs to feel 'inspired'... don't we? Actually Picasso had it right I think, sometimes you just need to pick up that brush / pen / guitar and see where it takes you.

But other things can help too - I put on a playlist of music that gets my creative brain working, sometimes reading a book or watching a video or staring out at the sunset can give that creative buzz.

Here are some articles and blogs that might help too:

artistsinspireartists

​artanddesigninspiration

theguardian.com/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration

​theabundantartist.com/7-inspiring-artists-who-blog
​
​And check out the clip below from the BBC series What Do Artists Do All Day

Gallery 2 at the DLWP is currently hosting  Cy Twombly's Quattro Stagioni, a cycle of paintings by one of America's greatest painters. These large works are over three meters in height each and represent the four seasons. Twombly spent most of his working life in Italy and was inspired greatly by modern European art. Few other artists have so ably represented so much in terms of both object and feeling with such seemingly simple marks. Using line and paint with freedom and feeling he created some of the greatest paintings of the 20th century.

These four large works are displayed on the four walls of the gallery space and there will also be a talk by art historian Colin Pink on 28 Nov.

Exhibition runs 24 Oct 2015 - 10 Jan 2016, free entry. Talk 28 Nov, 2pm, £7/£5.

Opening this weekend at the Lily Clifford Gallery is a solo exhibition of work from contemporary Scottish artist Ewan Stirrat. His work is undoubtedly beautifully executed, fantastical and full of an almost child like mythical charm. But he manages to stay just on the right side of sickly sweet and kitsch with hints of darkness and surrealism.

Stirrat is gaining popularity and has exhibited in both group and solo shows nationally.

The exhibition runs from 14 November - 15 December at Lily Clifford Gallery.

Meet the artist on the 14 & 15 November.

An exciting and intriguing exhibition at The Under Ground Theatre this month, features six artists working in photography and film. Including work produced in both analog and digital formats this exhibition illustrates the potential of video and sound as an art form as well as the variation of aesthetic outcomes which are possible in both analog and digital photography.
The exhibition runs from 6 - 28 November and is open Fridays and Saturdays 10-4.