Feb 11th 1-2-3: The Value Of Decor
1: Decor ( 2 minute read )
It’s the little things in life that can make it all the sweeter.
That cup of coffee in the morning, the right song at the right time, even a cozy candle during the evening. Much like those little things, something that can make inspiration more likely to come by is the decor in your work space. I’m talking the little figures, paintings, and photos that spruce up the place!
Even the way you utilize lighting and your color choice will influence your work!
Claude Monet, a famous impressionist painter, had a home that featured Japanese prints, as well as bright colors and natural light. These elements were found throughout his house, and even into his water garden outside. This water garden would directly inspire and serve as the subject for his epic Water Lilies paintings.
Well, you may say, some of us don’t have the ability to have our own water lily garden.
I hear you! Well what about Frida Kahlo? As we covered in an earlier newsletter, she was injured at a young age which affected her ability to move, relegating her to her bed for painting. All around her, she had indigenous artifacts, books, and personal objects. These decorations and things would serve to inspire her as she created her paintings.
Okay okay, maybe you are a minimalist and don’t want much of anything around.
So did Georgia O’Keeffe! She purposefully kept her space minimalist and let nature and the environment be the decor, which emphasized earthy and natural colors and lights. This in turn gave way to her landscape paintings and abstract compositions of flowers and bones.
I for one, love having figures, fresh and fake plants, and illustrations around me.
My studio is basically a drawing, writing, and music studio wrapped in a library. I have bookshelves all around me, along with illustrations wherever I can fit them! Also Gnomes, lots and lots of Gnomes.
So we learned that decor is one of those seemingly little things that can really inspire a space for creatives. It can:
directly inspire pieces of art
it can indirectly inspire creativity by stimulating responses in us during moments of reflection
and it can create a space where ideas can form freely.
I would encourage you to find your style, and then start placing inspiring decor around you.
Life is meant to be enjoyed, so make sure your creative space is enjoyable to you!
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. Think about your creative space. How does it make you feel? Is there anything you can remove or add to make it feel better and more enjoyable?
II. Once you’ve made some changes to your environment, sit in it for a bit and see what creative ideas rise to the top!
3: Inspirational Quotes From Others
I. “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” - Claude Monet, Impressionist Painter
II. “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head, without any other consideration.” (on the subject of her house and relics therein) - Frida Kahlo, Painter
III. “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.” (on the impact of her home decor) - Georgia O’Keeffe, Painter
Thank you so much for reading!