Art Inspiration, Book Exhalation

Have you ever read (or written) a scene inspired by art? Maybe it was a photograph. Maybe it was the lyrics to a song.  

When I was writing the club scenes in CONTROL with the Alucinari Rooms (psychedelic single-sensory hallucinogen cloud rooms), I started Googling images to help me see what I was imagining. That is how I found Thomas Jackson's photography. I couldn't stop staring at this series! Those clouds seemed like living things. With those images in my head, the scenes almost wrote themselves.

Isn't that gorgeous?

This is from his Nebulae series. Soon, I found his Emergent Behavior series:

Those are LIGHT STICKS, yo.

I haven't written a book or scene to go with the Emergent Behavior series, but doesn't it make you wonder what kind of book it would inspire? I'd read it!

It's funny how "inspiration" is the same word that means "to breathe air." It's life. It's transforming something outside of yourself into something new, and not just carbon dioxide. 

Okay, okay. My new-age/granola break is over! I guess what I'm saying is this: if you're ever in a writing rut, go to a concert. Or a museum. Or an art show. Sometimes you need a little inspiration. And who knows what your mind will exhale from the process!

(Photographs reproduced with permission by the artist. 

Please check out Thomas Jackson's beautiful work on his website!)