Not every piece of art is inspired by a sunset, or an old couple holding hands, or a country in turmoil. Sometimes inspiration comes from the most mundane places, the most ordinary places, and, yes, sometimes the most cliched places, like art magazines.
The life of an artist is not as glamorous as many people would like to believe. The vast majority of artists in the world are not full time professional artists, but instead hold down “nine to five” jobs like the rest of us, and practice their art in their spare time. To be able to paint or draw or sculpt for a living is truly the dream, but rarely the reality.
So for those millions of artists whose names you have yet to hear, inspiration can easily come from something so simple as an international artist magazine. Being of limited means (and time), struggling artists cannot afford to go jetsetting about the world, hopping from museum to museum, sampling firsthand the latest and greatest masterpieces by their idols. Magazine subscriptions help these yearning artistic souls to bring the international artists right into their living rooms and kitchens. Art calendars provide monthly inspiration from contemporary painters or timeless master sculptors (art calendars also tell what day it is, which is handy too). And online news feeds help keep burgeoning muses abreast of the art world, right from their home computer.
The whole purpose of art calendars, artist magazines, and museum reviews, is to inspire the current generation of artists, to show them what is happening in the rich and vibrant world of art and artists, and to leave an indelible mark on the next generation of artists. Inspiration is where you find it. But some inspiration is easier to find than others.