Spring Vision

As BlockPartyPress posted recently, the glory of spring has sprung and our creativity is as fertile as April flowers! After a long winter “idea slump” I’m been excited to have some new energy and fresh inspiration. Unfortunately, with so many ideas on tap, I’ve begun to suffer from idea-overload paralysis. What to do first?! Yikes!

So, on a recent sunny Sunday, I headed down to the American Visionary Art Museum for a long overdue visit and a different sort of inspiration. The thing about visionary – or outsider – artists is that they create because they HAVE to. They don’t make stuff in the name of profit, or creativity, or good design or even to have fun (all good reasons to make stuff, by the way). Rather, they are driven to create based on an internal need, or a higher calling. I’m deeply inspired by this just-going-and-doing-it kind of mentality.



The current exhibit, which runs through August, is called All Faiths Beautiful. While there are lots of great paintings and sculpture, there is also a bounty of crafty stimulation in the form of quilts (check out Chris Roberts-Antieau’s delightfully quirky textile creations) and some stunning mosaics. Additionally, Maryland’s own visionary, Frank Warren of PostSecret fame, contributed dozens of faith-related post cards for the exhibit. More inspiration for the spontaneity of “doing”!


For folks outside of the Baltimore area, PBS has your dose of visionary art inspiration with their production, Off the Map. Off the Map features the work of 10 visionary artists “who have transformed their world in rare and startling ways.” Wow. You better believe, I’m ready to go make some stuff now!

Post and images by StephanieCake