So often I find myself inspired by the world around me. Not just nature, like sunsets and flowers, but the beautiful man-made creations like architecture, painted doors, and stunning gardens. But as a mom and business owner I don’t have a ton of time to travel so I do the next best thing: hop on social media and look at other people’s travel photos! We are so lucky to live in a time where all it takes to see the other side of the world is a few swipes of your finger. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of my favorite places to find great photos to inspire my paintings.
Over on Pinterest I have a ton of boards dedicated to inspiring photos and at least a dozen boards dedicated to travel photos. Here are my favorites!
Travel Time
This board is a catchall for any travel-related photos that inspire me, whether they’re poolside snapshots or massive landscapes. I especially like photos that make me feel like I’m there!
Doors Around The World
What can I say? I will never get sick of old doors!
The Pier
Nature is always inspiring to me, especially the water. I love the look of a pier in the early morning light or the warm glow of a sunset. I JUST finished a new piece inspired by this board!
Morocco
Morocco’s art and architecture is incredibly beautiful: the colors, the textures, the patterns, the shapes, OH MY!
Wildflowers
This list wouldn’t be complete without some wildflowers! I like to imagine myself in the photo, walking through the tall grasses and watching the sunlight filter through the petals. In fact, I love wildflowers so much that I took TONS of photos of them when I was in France last year!
I also love following travel photographers on Instagram! One of the nice things about people who curate their instagram feeds is that I always know who to go to for specific types of photos. Here are a few of my favorite accounts and what I love about them.
Mari and the City
Gorgeous landscapes and landmarks from all over the world! Her photos have such warm, rich colors that really inspire my color recipes.
Mina Sophia The Traveler
Her stunning architecture photography is a great source of inspiration for painting larger pieces.
Joseph Walton Photography
His hyper-saturated photos are full of color and texture that make them incredibly intriguing. He manages to find the most interesting color combinations!
Doors of Distinction
This account is a collection of magnificent front doors. I love a good front door and I have a theory that if something looks good on a front door then it will look just as good inside the house! So far it’s working 😉
I also follow the #PatinaPerfection and #DoorsofInstagram hashtags on instagram for more unexpected photos!
On Facebook there are a ton of groups dedicated to sharing photos of their little part of the world! “The View From My Window” is especially inspirational and surprisingly enlightening.
Wherever you are, I hope you’re finding a little inspiration from the world around you!
