Finding Inspiration

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Today we ventured out in search of artistic inspiration. My husband the photographer, and me the artist. What inspires us? Color, texture, pattern, unique shapes, to start. Even though we are looking at the world through slightly different lenses, we are often drawn to the same images. I point things out to Doug that I want him to shoot for me (how great is it to have your own blog photographer?) and sometimes he ends up shooting it for his own purposes. He tells me I have a good eye, but he's got a better sense of composition. 

Artistic and incredibly smooth coffee with a hint of chocolate. Image courtesy of fancy iPhone

At the The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market we were drawn to the stalls offering fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, greens and jam. We sampled Asian pears, oranges, and stood in line for 20-min to see just what the draw was for a cup of Blue Bottle Coffee. And let me just tell you, it was worth the wait.

For a complete album of Doug's Farmer's Market images, check out this album on his Photography Facebook Page.

Chinatown 

Art and Fashion, two parts of my trifecta of favorites, that's what we found in Chintatown today. San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest outside of Asia as well as the oldest Chinatown in North America. We hopped the bus (we've really mastered the MUNI) and the cable car to the most colorful neighborhood in town. I started to take out my fancy iPhone camera for blog photos, then I watched Doug shooting and changing lenses and was like, "why bother?" "Can you send me those?" 

My new look, I love the color palette. Image courtesy of fancy iPhone

Fashion first, I had to have one of these jackets! I could just see myself pairing it with something unconventional and wearing it to an opening or dinner. Anyone who knows me, knows I love fashion and especially creating my own look of clashing patterns and styles. This piece will really offer me some interesting contrast to anything else I own. 

I came to Chinatown primarily for the color. What an amazing display of brilliant hues, between the lanterns strewn across the street, to the fabrics on sidewalk racks, blowing in the wind. Looking up, I saw more colorful architecture juxtaposed against the cloud free blue sky, than anywhere else in town. 

I also came for the paper. "I must find a newspaper while we are here" I said to Doug as we wandered about, all the while looking up.

I scored a couple of newspapers Image courtesy of fancy iPhone

We ended our inspired day at 49 Geary Art Galleries in the financial district. Five floors of independent galleries offering an array of paintings, assemblage, photography, and sculpture. The work there got us thinking, a lot. Doug and I found ourselves in Starbucks afterward, spilling out ideas for collage and photography at the coffee bar. It's at this point, when the inspiration starts making my creative brain churn, that I have to reel myself in from checking out of reality completely and retreating into my own head. This is why I have some of my best ideas in that space between asleep and awake around 3am. 

I'll be interested to see what I dream about tonight and tomorrow morning, after so much sensory input today. 

Thanks for being a part of my art journey. 

Elizabeth