Sourcing Inspiration: Amy Lu

Most of us already know what inspiration is, have talked about it, and know its influence over art. The first 3 pages about what inspiration is and where to find it is a nice gesture but I just found it to be too specific – whether intrinsic or extrinsic, abrupt or continuous – we already know about inspiration. It might have been good to read about the different areas of it, but what ultimately struck my interest were the individual internal sources of inspiration of Julian LaVerdiere, Pipilotti Rist and Jan Harrison.

In each one, I was inspired by each artist’s inspiration and how in tune they were to their own style and interests. That, more than anything made me want to solidify why I am an artist instead of an engineer, how it started and what it means to me. There are bits and pieces of each artist’s statement that I like, for example, the “impulses” that act independently and out of Jan’s control or how Rist is so in tune with the human emotions of being loved and abandoned. In art, inspiration is “traceable,” it is exciting to think that the intangible concept of inspiration can be captured, realized, and can ultimately enhance our abilities and perceptions.