IndieCAST 004: Inspiration #1 - Where do you get your inspiration?
This is going to be a weekly section with the latest and greatest places to get inspiration for design, brand-building, and just plain LIVING.
But WAIT! I need YOUR help to get started! Watch the video, and leave a comment below on where you get YOUR inspiration. All the LURKERS (thanks to Gary V for that terminology) need to come out of their shadows on this one! Yes, I know you’re out there: hundreds of you in fact, reading every day and NOT COMMENTING. It’s never too late to start :) Help our readers get INSPIRED to new levels of creativity and originality! We need it if we’re going to change the design world from something bland into something original, beautiful, and exciting.
NO lurkers! What inspires YOU?!
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Tags: art, creativity, design, fireworks, indiecast, inspiration, original, video
July 7th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Ooops! Sorry for those of you that caught this before I fixed the video… it should be all good now!
July 8th, 2008 at 12:39 am
u know what inspires me?
me…
and i think thats inspirational to myself.
im far from artistic.. but im something nobody else can define
hows the marketing thing working for you btw?
I actually am venturing into a bit of marketing on the aviation side but sliding towards the consulting bit you should give a shout sometime..
fireworks are over rated to watch.. fun if your the one blowing things up
but thats me =)
July 8th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Stevie HESS! (You probably don’t use “Stevie” much anymore, eh?)
That’s a good thing to inspire — as long as you don’t get boring.
That’s probably not much a problem for you though.
I’ll Facebook you up — thanks for commenting, bro.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Your post reminds me of a similar moment I had with fireworks, where I was surrounded by something beautiful and inspiring. It was shortly after I graduated from high school, when I lived in a small town outside of Las Vegas, so I was surrounded by mountains instead of buildings and palm trees. The fireworks display was in full swing, as it was the 4th of July, but a thunderstorm was also happening, so I saw fireworks and bright flashes of lightning around me, and could hear both the fireworks and the thunder. I remember that moment well because it was the night before I set off to go to Kettering University.
So what inspires me, you ask? I guess I am also inspired by interacting with people, though I don’t go out into community every day. Something about talking with people creates a greater sense of who I am. I’m also inspired by seeing/hearing/experiencing the affects of peoples’ creativity, whether it be music, a good painting, creative writing, etc. The great outdoors also has plenty of features that can leave me speechless.
As for how I keep my inspiration new, original and beautiful; I haven’t figured that one yet!
July 8th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
What is inspirational to me is when I see the joy of others’ hearts and faces from doing something they love with their whole hearts. I had a very inspirational time at the fireworks in Hillsdale at our fairgrounds, not because I was watching the fireworks, ( I had intended to leave when they started but didn’t) instead I was watching the faces of three of the event organizers, all big names and personalities in our community, who all could have devoted their time to something else, but watching their faces light up not from seeing the fireworks, but from hearing the crowd’s reaction the fireworks, that was the moment for me that made me happy because they did it out of love for their community. That is what brought them joy, and knowing such incredible, warm and generous people like that makes me not only feel inspired but rich and honored to be able to call them friends. I have to say it was the best fireworks display I’ve been to in many years because I was able to watch their faces when they heard the crowd ooh, and ahh over the fireworks, they were energized by the joy of the crowd, and I was inspired by their generosity and success and love for their community.
I am also inspired by those who believe in the future, of the community, they give me hope. I stopped to visit a friend who owns a local business, and he showed me plans for the future development, and what he showed me was gorgeous. I cried all afternoon ( Happy Tears) thinking about this person and his hope and belief in our community to be able to commit to such an undertaking, I still get teary eyed thinking about it because it is so inspiring to me- a belief in the future of the community, vision for progress and the future. Such faith in our community gives me hope and makes me proud and that is what inspires me. I don’t think that I will ever be what these people are to me, to anyone, but they give me something to strive for.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I’ve gotta kill some time, and so this lurker (muahaha) has decided to make his commenting debut.
Inspiration for me comes through observation and an open-mind. I try to emulate the things I enjoy and add to my life what I think will increase my overall quality of life. I am generally one who seeks the calm, the quiet, and the sublime, and I am attracted to things that participate in and lead toward those aims. It could be nature, my faith, the martial arts, music, my family and friends, the books I read, the strangers I meet, the hardships I’ve suffered and overcome. In every corner of life, if we pay attention and are open to what comes our way, is potential for inspiration.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Wayne :::
As always, your words are wonderful. The fireworks/storm you saw sounds magnificent — I wish I could have been there! What a great intro into a new period of your life. And SOOOO glad you came to Kettering we all are
And… YES!!! Isn’t amazing how sometimes interacting with another person (or people) can give you a greater sense yourself? To me, one of the greatest miracles of community is getting to know that “other’s” perspective, and seeing yourself in a new light from that view.
Aimee :::
Beautiful story. Is that 3rd or 4th degree inspiration?
Faith and hope can be amazingly inspiring things — especially when so close to home. And through my few talks with you, I know you are extremely passionate about the local community. Thanks a ton for that.
Josh :::
DUDE. Thanks for the comments (finally
).
You ALL inspire me! Thanks a ton for the good conversation. Keep it up.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Great post Alex, I have never really thought about fireworks in such a way, but saying that I haven’t properly looked at firefox for a few years, and alot has changed since then, because since becoming a designer about a year ago, you can’t help but see things differently, even if it is simple things, you just look at them in more detail, its weird.
What inspires me you ask? Well I would have to say my family and friends would be the biggest inspiration to me.
I don’t think I have ever really sat down before and just thought about the many inspirations out there, well this post will definately change that thought.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
What inspires me?
Imperfection.
In my art, I love taking photos of imperfect objects. They have odd symetrical values.. they cause you to think, and yet make you feel good for some reason. Perfect things don’t always cause that.
Perfect things get boring.. cause perfect has no room to grow, or change.. or be different. It just is what it is.. where imperfect people.. or objects.. are more interesting to look at. Societys idea of perfection is marketed so often I think its seen so much that to stray from it and show imperfection really is ART and more close to home and comforting than anything else. Imperfections are wider ranged..
August 18th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Those fireworks are beautiful from that vantage point, right?
I get my inspiration from diversity and the unexpected.