Art School, Continued: pink, butterflies, and new inspiration

This really odd thing keeps happening: people keep asking how I'm doing. It's a normal question, I know that. But hang with me for a minute while I explain myself. The truth is, I'm doing just fine. I have a decent job that I'm leaving for an even better opportunity (with the blessing of my boss, no less), I have a stable, honest, loving relationship with Boyfriend and for the first time in a decade, I'm living a fairly drama free and healthy life. All of which seems completely and utterly abnormal. It also leaves me with decidedly little to talk about. In three months my whole world is going to turn over (between moving in with Boyfriend and starting school again) but until then, my world is happily, normally, spinning.

I know the people who ask are happy that I am happy. And yet, somehow, I feel as though every time I answer someone with a 'business as usual' answer they seem slightly crestfallen that I don't have a more tasty morsel of gossip to offer up. I chalk this up to a solid party-girl reputation, a penchant for mischief, and a willingness to jump into adventure - any adventure - head first. Slowly but surely, I made the conscious effort to have a less crazy life. The thing I'm realizing now is that all of the tumult kept me inspired. Whether it's to solve the problem or to avoid it, when things get crazy I tend to get to work. A little shake up and bammo - instant inspiration. So how do you find inspiration when your typical method is no longer compatible with your life?

It's a question I have been rolling around in my head for a few weeks now. Making art without a typical 'artist's temperament' is growing on me. I look at a lot of imagery - clothing, photos, paintings, sculpture, architecture - but more than that, I remember a lot of it. In my new attempt to rely on healthier methods of inspiration, I've decided to actually start working from the things I see. So today I'm trying something new: a life-inspired outfit.

Inspo photos: