Artists know that inspiration is critical to the creative process, but also fickle. There are times when you might feel stuck or like you can’t quite get inspired for your next project, whether it’s writing, painting, or sewing. That’s when you should pack your bags and take a trip to the Greater Merrimack Valley. Here is where you’ll experience artistic inspiration as many other artists before you have, from Jack Kerouac to Henry David Thoreau to James McNeill Whistler.
Western Avenue
Western Avenue is the world’s largest artist community in the US. Over 350 artists come here to practice their craft and inspire each other, as well as visitors on open studio days. Come visit the Loading Dock Gallery to see featured artists’ works on display. Stroll through the halls filled with art and meet the artists themselves. On the first Saturday of every month are Open Studio tours, where you’ll actually get to step into the working studios of the artists in residence and see their creative process.
Walden Pond
Walden Pond is where New England author Henry David Thoreau lived for two years alone in the forest, experiencing what he called “simple living.” This is what inspired him to write Walden, which is perhaps his most recognized work. Artists and writers today can follow in his footsteps by walking the same paths he did and visit a replica of his cabin in the woods. This could help you see the beauty of nature and simple living for yourself and inspire your own next great piece.
deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum
Sometimes simply walking through nature isn’t enough to get the inspirational gears turning. That’s when you should visit deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum. This beautifully landscaped outdoor sculpture park is filled with contemporary works that will take your breath away and make you want to bring your own creative visions to life.
Take photos of gorgeous, massive sculptures designed to evoke a range of emotions and moments in the artists’ lives. Sit and sketch out what you see or come up with concepts for your own sculptures. Perhaps someday your own work could be among these pieces, as the featured sculptures rotate frequently.
New England Quilt Museum
If you’re a quilter and are looking for inspiration for your next pieces, head over to the New England Quilt Museum. Here you’ll find world-class exhibitions that display some of the greatest quiltmaking of the past and present.
You can walk through changing gallery exhibitions, which vary from beautifully preserved antique American quilts to contemporary and modern shows that feature the innovative work of prominent quilt artists from around the globe. It’s a fantastic museum for anyone who’s trying to figure out what they want to do for their next quilting or sewing project.
