6-Steve Larrick: The Creative Process

I do not passively wait for inspiration to strike me, but instead actively seek it out. I carry a notebook in my back pocket at all times in order to capture any ideas or idle thoughts, which may eventually develop into something more.

My creative process (with respect to art) can be either aesthetically driven or conceptually driven. In each case, inspiration from outside of myself is required.

Much of my inspiration comes from humor. Humor for the most part comes from people, rather than nature, so it is people I watch when seeking humor. If ever I take part in, or observe a conversation that makes me laugh, I record the funny in my notebook. If ever I notice people acting in a way that makes me laugh or act in such a way myself, I record the funny in my notebook. I write it down when I see a hipster in Nice Slice sprinkling parmigiana cheese on the vegan slice of pizza he just ordered. I quote myself when in conversation I utter, "The thing about slippery slope arguments is that, if people start using them, what kind of even worse arguments are they gonna come up with next?". This recorded humor often develops into a concept, funny or not, which I then incorporate into my art.

I also record interesting ideas which are not particularly humorous. These too are jotted down in my notebook and come from my daily observations. They are often emotive in nature. A few found examples include the moral dilemma of whether or not to kill a mosquito, or the depressing imagery of timed sprinklers going off in the rain.

Whether a concept inspired by humor or another emotion, transforming that concept into art always involves a cohesive embodiment of that concept. The medium, subject matter depicted, and style with which I depict a subject matter must all fit with the concept exactly to my liking.

In addition to conceptually driven art, I also partake in a creative process primarily driven by aesthetics. When this is the case, the inspiration often comes from something I see myself that strikes me as something others should also see, such as the way sunlight strikes the texture of tree bark at a particular time of day.