As artists, I think we have a choice. We can wait to be inspired, or we can seek inspiration. Inspiration doesn’t have to come from something incredible. It can be found in ordinary moments, in things we see as we drive to work, in our own garden, and the people and places we see.
Recently, Alan and I bought a dairy grazing block. It’s 43 hectares with flat land, some native bush and rolling hills. There are around a hundred cows on the property, a stream, and some deer wander through … or perhaps live in the QEII area within the farm.
For now we’re still living in my house, with messy gardens and a greenhouse. As the orchids start to flower, we bring them inside and enjoy seeing the blooms, which often last for weeks. In the last couple of days, the crocus have also started to flower in a small pot. The flowers are a pale lilac, and they’re delicate and beautiful.
It’s not very often I paint flowers. I tend to be a semi-abstract landscape painter, using mixed media. Recently I’ve been exploring a limited color palette using 3 colors plus black and white. Although I don’t generally paint the flowers Alan grows, I know they inspire me in my color choices.
One of the triad palettes I’m exploring at the moment is red-violet, blue-green, and Indian yellow. When I mix the red-violet with white, it’s the color of the crocus, and that’s no accident. Looking around me, there’s plenty to be inspired by, even as winter starts to bite. As artists, I feel part of our job is to mirror the beauty we see around us, particularly when the world feels dark and not so beautiful.
Cath Sheard Art 
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