Inspiration

When I was younger, (and I suppose when you were too) I used to color for hours nearly every day. Some days I'd spend painting, or snipping and sewing, and otherwise creating things I considered beautiful. Now, I'm trapped indoors, just waiting for winter to finally be over, and I realize that I'm spending far too much time in front of the TV and watching other people's stories instead of creating my own.

I've also realized that sometimes I just need a bit of an art infusion to get my own juices flowing again.

Instead of spending your off-hours staring at your phone or social media feed, why not try something a bit more arty or expressive? If you're not up for the full Picasso, find or pursue the arts in your city or even your screen.

Here are some local suggestions you could explore for inspiration:

• Try to discover public art in your hometown. Sometimes you don't have to go out of your way to renew your soul.
• Take a look around your favorite park or subway stations. Public art installations are not that hard to find and can feature local or emerging artists.
• Check out the public library for exhibits of rare manuscripts or even your local historical society or local cemeteries for offerings of history walks or Civil War re-enactments.

In other words, art doesn't have one description and sometimes inspiration comes from opening your eyes to what's already in front of you. Try it. You might just allow yourself to see your own world differently and more creatively!