Traveling is one way to rekindle artistic abilities and to create beautiful pieces of art while on vacation or exploring the hidden treasures of the world.
Traveling, no matter for what period of time, is a rewarding experience that creates a better appreciation and understanding about different cultures and ways of living.
Landscapes, people, food and colors all can be used as inspiration to get those creative gears working. Even if you’re not the greatest artist, grab a piece of paper or camera and let your imagination and creativity go wild!
Inspiration can come in many shapes and forms while traveling. Traveling is a feast for the senses and a door of opportunity for the creative mind, so don’t be afraid to let loose and do whatever comes to mind creatively.
Something as simple as the sound of the waves crashing against a rock can be a source of inspiration for a painting, song or poem. Maybe watching a historic reenactment of a war in Europe sparks some interest, or a tribal dance in Africa.
Whatever that interest is, art can be created from that. Being in a different, more exciting environment is a freeing experience that allows the release of creativity.
Karol Felix, a painter originally from Slovakia, bases his painting off of his international travels and his childhood fascination of ancient cultures.
“My work is inspired by traveling all over the world. So many of my exhibitions have been abroad-in Europe, Asia and the Americas, and that’s reflected in my paintings.
“It’s not intentional; it’s more like I go along and present my work somewhere. For example, I was in South Africa presenting at a university, and I saw masks from ancient tribes, and years later it inspired me,” said Felix.
Whether painting, photography, ceramics or cooking is your passion, travelling to an exotic or remote location is bound to spark creativity and inspiration.
While you are island hopping or relaxing on the sunny beaches of Thailand, take photographs and get inspired! There isn’t a correct or wrong way of creating a piece of art.
There are many definitions of art, but art is an opinion of the artist and their inspiration. Artists pull inspiration from their deep inner feelings, something they might have seen, smelled, tasted or experienced.
Michael Kluckner, a Canadian artist and writer, records his memories of his travels by sketching and creating watercolor paintings.
When Kluckner was 20, he traveled to France and visited the Louvre. While on his visit, he became intrigued by Eugene Delacroix’s watercolor sketchbooks from his trip through Morocco in 1832.
After his trip to France and being inspired by Delacroix, Kluckner has carried a sketchbook while traveling ever since.
Kluckner says, “It’s all about the pleasure of travelling and recording the landscape I pass through, where the sketchbook is the ‘final use,’ by which I mean I’m not daubing away merrily with the intention of gathering images for later transportation into larger studio paintings.”
No matter your artistic abilities, don’t be afraid to record your memories of traveling in an artistic way to create your own travel portfolio of masterpieces.