I’m always taking pictures when I’m outside.
Sometimes it’s a plant. Sometimes it’s a tree. Sometimes it’s just the way a branch bends, the way a plant leans, or a strange shape that catches my eye. And honestly, I’m sure there are times when someone sees me taking a picture and thinks,
What in the world are they taking a picture of?
But I see it.
There are certain things that just make me stop.
On the trail where I walk, there are trees that are twisted and bent in these really unusual ways. I love them. They don’t look perfect or straight, and that’s exactly what makes them interesting to me. I find myself wanting to remember those shapes because I know they might eventually find their way into one of my paintings.
Taking pictures has become a way for me to collect little pieces of inspiration.
I’ll notice the shape of a tree, the movement of a branch, the way leaves are clustered together, or a color that I wouldn’t normally think to put together. I might not know what I’m going to do with that image when I take the picture, but I know I want to remember it.
There are also these beautiful purple plum trees on our block that I absolutely love. During certain times of the year, especially in the fall and spring, they have this deep, dark purple color that is just stunning. Every time I see them, I think, I have to put that color into a painting someday.
And maybe that’s really why I’m always taking pictures.
I’m not necessarily trying to take the perfect photograph. I’m collecting shapes, colors, movement, textures, and ideas. I’m looking at ordinary things in a way that makes them feel a little less ordinary.
Sometimes inspiration is right in front of us. We just have to notice it.
So if you ever see me outside taking a picture of what appears to be a completely random tree, a crooked plant, or something that makes you wonder what on earth I’m looking at-there’s probably a reason.
I see something in it. And someday, you might see it in one of my paintings.