Wednesday, March 08, 2006

New Interests and Inspirations

It's interesting where life's inspirations can take you. A month ago I was crying to my husband that I wasn't an artist anymore. That I didn't have the inclination nor probably the talent to draw or paint. That the half-finished painting I have hanging in the family room that I started almost 5 years ago will probably never be finished. Not only that, but I also felt I no longer had the talent for filmmaking (my degree). I just didn't know how to express myself visually anymore and I had resigned myself to focusing on my newer talent: writing. (At least I hope it's a talent.) But then something happened. I became inspired again. Through a chance internet-surfing session which took me from evite.com to illustrationfriday.com (weird how that can happen, huh?) I began to see a world of blogging artists who posted their works online. And suddenly I was flooded with inspiration and the urgent need to draw.

Some of you, who have been checking out my new art blog, have seen how this inspiration has taken hold of me. My friend Teddi told me recently, after seeing my new blog, that she knew I could paint but had no idea that I could draw. Well, I guess, on some level, I didn't either. Sure, as a kid and a teen I was drawing all the time. But I thought those skills had left me because I hadn't used them in a while. Turns out, all I needed was a little inspiration.

And because of my new inspirations, and mostly through illustrationfriday.com, I have come to see the works of so many illustrators, and suddenly not only have I had a shift in passions for creating, but for viewing as well. Today I happened upon a couple of websites by artists and fans of 50s-style cartoons. There, they mention this cartoon from the 50s called Gerald McBoing-Boing (pictured above), saying it is somehow unusually brilliant for its style, composition, etc.. Well, I was so intrigued and inspired myself, that I fished around for it on Netflix and when I found it, I put it right at the top of my queue.

When I started this whole experiment with blogging, I had no idea that it would become a part of my everyday life. Though I am over the novelty of it that gripped me in the first few weeks, It still affecting me in big ways. It is affecting how I interact with the world, how I understand the world, my tastes, my interests, my passions. Who knew?

Well, I haven't watched Gerald McBoing-Boing yet, but when I do, I will be sure to report whether it lived up to its reputed greatness. I will also be writing more reviews soon. I didn't write any last week because I didn't see any movies. Only two so far this week, but hopefully there will be more. In the meantime, I have to get off my bootie and face my day (which is already more than half gone). Ta ta!


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5 comments:

JerryNJ said...

"It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp"............Do you agree?

Elisabeth said...

Ummm... not sure why this comment is not on the oscar writeup I did, but whatever.

Heh... I thought it was hilarious when John Stewart said, "I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp!"

Colleen said...

Pierce loves Gerald McBoing Boing! It's actually a daily cartoon on the Cartoon Network now (I think that's the channel) and we have the book as well. It' very cool - the illustration reminds me of the 101 Dalmatians movie as well.

I'm glad you have found your way back to your talent again - and you love it. Your gift is pretty awesome cuz, it's cool that the world can see it!

Colleen

Elisabeth said...

Awww shucks! Thanks cuz.

I am so excited to watch this! And not that Pierce's love of it doesn't speak well for GMB, but I am particularly intrigued because some people in the know tout it as one of the best animations ever. You know, I miss how stylized popular animations used to be. Modern day Disney has nothing on old-school Disney (et al) in my mind.

Maybe once I have seen it, Pierce and I should compare notes!

Too bad we don't have the Cartoon Network! Although we don't watch TV anyway. We have been connecting it only for events like the Superbowl & the Oscars. Otherwise it's just DVDs for us! :)

Colleen said...

Hey send me an email - our computer ate all of our email addresses and I don't have yours. I want to send you a book and ask about a documentary that looks cool - but I want to know if you've heard anything about it before I get my hopes up! ha

 

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