A few hours walking through the Philadelphia Art Museum is something i’ve done many times. And most often, i tote along a sketchbook and follow inspiration along the way for a little illustration burst.
Today, i did not start out experiencing anything close to inspiration. This is what happens when you bring the stuff of the world inside with you.
However, something changed along the way. I felt very inspired—but it wasn’t an inspiration to put pencil to paper. it took me a to while figure out what it was. I have seen some of the same objects and masterpieces within those echoing walls over and over again for 25 years, but this time, all that i was focused on, was the details or parts and pieces of the objects. Inspiration came as a little celebration of minute details, and a respect for the artisans who put in ridiculous amount of time building, designing and creating functional objects.
I came away with a new and unexpected inspiration that had nothing to do with a doodle or a sketch. Today, i was reminded, through looking at things in a new way, to claim and engage in patience. None of the details that i admired could have come to be without an inordinate amount of patience and perseverance. So, i chose to take it with me… to take this inspiration back out and apply it to the stuff of the world.