Inspiration

Inspiration… where does it come from? How does it work? What’s the level of calmness or ecstasy that you must reach to get the visions? How do I make what I make? Many of you have asked me this question and now it is time for me to analyse it a bit.

Since young age, my imagination would reach unspeakable levels. That is not always a good thing, let me tell you. It was my way to start understanding how things work around me. For example, when I watched star wars for the first time the question of what a laser is and how it works, grew inside me.

What’s the best way to learn something if it isn’t to try it yourself? And that’s exactly what I did. I designed a vehicle with a cannon on top of it which was cutting in half little pieces of wood, setting them on fire and then threw them out. This action created laser beams and my question had been answered.

I would try to pull apart every kind of toy I could, in order to rebuild it and learn how it works.

Lego used to be my first love and indeed helped me more than I can tell with my imagination. Everything is possible with some bricks of plastic. A whole world would appear just before my eyes and I would take part in every scenario my brain would make. Sticking things together, making trees and houses, transformers too!

The time came and I got older.. Lego were far from my necessities now. I had feelings and thoughts that I had to understand and so I begun to draw. It would be wiser to tell you that there is a story in my mind and I’m just making it real in a way. That would be a lie. The truth is that I choose what to create at the moment I touch my pen.

In the dark, escorted by the shadows in my room I light up my candles to connect deeper with my inner self. Even during day time I close the curtains so there’s nothing that can distract me.. turning off my phone and then magic happens! I need my candles tho. As they burn and I see the fire I meditate.. It’s the smell, the playful flame, the smoke coming outs if it releases me from my troubles. Music is a must as well. Not the usual kind of music that I listen to when I’m in my car.. no. the Celtic kind of music, ambient and spiritual.

As soon as I get to the point where I’m relaxed and calm, I start looking at the pictures models that I work with have send me. There’s no concept in my mind, no story yet. Just people. People who are so talented that can express their feelings in a picture. Open people, strong people.. fragile people. It’s right in there! In their poses, their eyes, their expressions, their movement, the colours, the shadows. Suddenly, I see it. I find the perfect one each time and I work on it. Now it’s the right time to get this diamond out of its prison. It is really difficult to explain how but images get in my mind, a story about this picture. I can see the past, present and future of this specific character and then I make it come true. Just like the sculptor knows exactly what can come out from stone or wood before even touching the material. I can see, at once the final image and the rest is really just time and technic. Sometimes I think that there’s a muse with me who is guiding me throughout the process and a very strict one, demanding the best I can do.

When the piece is finished and it’s time for me to publish it, a story is my way to get you closer to my mind. When the piece is finished.. I think about how I can connect it with the rest and how the story should be told. There are many pieces that are done and I haven’t publish them yet because it is not their time yet.

In the ‘real world’ I’m not that different., I must admit. My eyes are scanning the environment around me, checking for details in my everyday view hoping that there is something I’ve missed last time I got here that can inspire me!

Always keep your eyes and mind open. There’s inspiration all around us. The very nature is the greatest artist we could ever come across and nothing and nobody can beat this truth.

Never give up on your dreams..