Inspiration Hubs

Well I'm back already. Here it was I thought I'd be too busy busy to blog (which I am really) but then I read a post by Holly on Decor8 that got me musing.

She brings up the question of living the creative life and remaining inspired in a big city verses a small one. This is an issue I have mused on regularly - especially since I moved to Seattle, WA from Olympia for the very reason of art infusion and community. And I'm glad that I did. Yet at times I strongly miss my little quiet town.

The point that Holly brings up about it is one that I felt but never tried putting into words:

"I imagine that at times it must be nice to not live in uber creative communities because you are able to really be alone with your work and spend time developing it and fine tuning your style. Does this make sense? I guess I think this way because I lived for years in Boston and only when I relocated to southern New Hampshire did I really ’slow down’ enough in my head to focus on my own artistic and creative spirit. Everyone is different of course. I cannot doubt the explosion of creativity I feel whenever I’m in San Francisco, L.A., even parts of the south where I grew up… But you can really be creative anywhere on this planet and though many artists pack up and relocate to the hip cities to be part of the local culture there, there are plenty of artists who do just as well in their little corners, too. If you’re like me, I go to cities to be inspired but I feel completely fine living outside of creative hubs now because I don’t need to be immersed in it 24/7. It almost stresses me out if I spend too much time in New York City, for instance. I like it there but I find equal inspiration walking on the beach in Maine."

There is validity in both for sure. I feel that here in Seattle I've found a pretty good balance. Which could partially be because I return to Olympia so often. Or it could be that so far, Seattle seems to me like it has a more collaborative than competitive arts community. Or perhaps I've just been lucky.

Olympia is where I started my style, but Seattle is truly where I've honed it. Who's to know though if it was truly Seattle that did it or if it was merely time regardless of where I live. Hmmm....