The source of creativity can be confounding. Artists have been famously driven by mystical or divine inspiration, obsessive love, depression, or self-exploration. Some artists are prolific; Picasso supposedly produced over 13,000 paintings and 100,000 prints. Others struggle openly, like author Fran Lebowitz whose writer’s block was so famously long that she called it “writer’s blockade.”

I am often asked, “What inspires you?”
The honest answer is, “I’m not sure.”

This year, I was honored to be awarded an artist fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts that will allow me to further explore creativity, process, and the pursuit of imagination—for myself, for other designers, artists, writers, and those working in a range of creative genres.

The project is just getting underway, so stay tuned.  You can read some of the early explorations in our discussion with Cathy Bailey from Heath Ceramics.

Thank you to the Alabama State Council on the Arts for their support. I am honored and excited to delve into this study and look forward to sharing what I find.

P.S.: The photos here are of the booklet presented as part of my fellowship application.  Photographs of the booklet are by Abraham Rowe. Photos in the booklet are from Rinne Allen, Robert Rausch, and Abraham Rowe.