There is a well known phrase saying that good things come in small packages…

This saying is also true while speaking about art and creativity. Who says that a master piece must be spread over a huge canvas or carved out of an enormous piece of marble? Great art can be created on tiny canvases and the smaller the canvas is, the more willing you’d be to transform it. The blank canvas is much less intimidating when it’s measure 3.5″ x 2.5″, for a traditional ATC.

This week’s inspiration prompt is a website that offers weekly challenges, to be created on 4″X4″ Canvases. The website is called: 4X4 Friday and it is a great place to derive inspiration from and also to get a creativity boost.

Making a small piece of art can be the incentive your creativity has been waiting for. It isn’t as overwhelming as a larger scope project, but it is satisfying just as much.

Every once in a while I visit the TED website. Their motto is to spread ideas and I find this philosophy beautiful and indispensable.

It is interesting that although I visit this website itself occasionally, I tend to stumble upon the most inspiring videos through links from other websites. I guess this oddity is very much in sync with the TED notion of “ideas worth spreading”.

This week I followed a link on Ali Edwards’ blog. Ali Edwards is a graphic designer who works in the scrapbooking industry and has the most interesting and beautiful life philosophy. She is all about telling the stories and capturing life through art. She has come up with the notion of “Life Artist” and had written the most amazing and inspiring book, carrying that name and glowing of that special philosophy.

As you can probably guess, by following the link on her blog I have stumbled upon another inspiring, beautiful and fascinating video in which Jonathan Harris, a computer scientist and an artist, lectures about his unique way of collecting stories.

While you’re out and about, seeking inspiration, check out Jonathan Harris’s project “We Feel Fine”.

Have a great day and don’t forget to collect stories.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it

© Alan Kay

How would you invent your future? Remember, every minute past now is the future.

You are beautiful.

When was the last time a complete stranger has told you that?

You may hear it all the time or maybe it has been a while since you’ve last heard it. Either way, one thing is certain – hearing that makes you feel happy.

Positive affirmations keep our self-esteem up and make our entire day seem brighter and more delightful.

There is one group who took it upon itself to spread this positive message worldwide. For this week’s inspiration prompt I invite you to their website: You Are Beautiful. Take a look at the photos on the website and read their manifesto. Perhaps you will get in a mood of printing “you are beautiful” messages yourself and spread it among your love ones – just do not forget to include yourself among the recipients.

Remember – You are beautiful.

This week I want you to derive inspiration from an incredibly talented artist, Blu.

Blu reinvents the notion of “Street Art” by his different and thoughtful use of murals and the way he incorporates them on his video art. I promise that even if you are not drawn to his style, you will get captivated and thought-provoked.

Check out Blu’s art and video art on his website.

I would really like to hear your thoughts about Blu’s art. You are more than welcome to leave a comment to this post.

On a recent “inspirational pilgrimage” on the internet I came across a fun little blog called “Little People”.

In this blog you can find pictures of tiny dolls situated in various positions on street scenes around the world. The photos are taken from different perspectives – up close and far away.

The close ups make the dolls look very realistic, but the far away photos are allowing you to grasp the right perspective of the tiny dolls against the magnitude of the street scene.

This blog is a very good example of the importance of perspective and the power perspective has on our minds. The importance of looking both up close and far away for getting the entire picture.

A more philosophical approach to this blog makes me think about us as tiny dolls, scattred around the world and being short sighted. We are keeping up with our daily routines without stopping and looking a bit farther away. This blog has made me put on my glasses and look a bit farther – what has it done for you? Do you care to share?

In this week’s inspiration prompt I invite you to get inspired by nature.

I have recently enjoyed watching a beautiful BBC production called “Planet Earth”. The footage and narration of the series just took my breath away. I was amazed and captivated by the greatness of our planet.

The beauty of nature is in its simplicity. The woods don’t buy designer clothes and don’t wear make up, but nevertheless they are colorful and fabulous. The flowers don’t read fashion magazines, but still they bloom in the most magnificent way – time and time again. The birds don’t go through vocal training, yet their twitter is harmonious and melodious. The beauty of nature is in the way it is doing its best to just be.

We can get inspired by nature’s efforts to be and to be its best all the time – even when no one is looking and when no one is listening. Even when nature is left alone it is still doing its best to be.

I would love to hear how nature inspires you. Please feel free to share your experience by commenting to this post.