Feeling stuck? Can’t find the right words? Is your picture not looking the way you want it to look? Are you in need of some creative inspiration? Anna Quindlen said, “You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are.” Much like Julia Cameron’s artist dates in The Artist’s Way, you have to feed your creativity. You need to take in in order to create something out.

Here are some sites and podcasts that I like to visit for inspiration. Most are free, some are free but also have a paid version, and some just have a paid version. But all are a feast for your mind. Absorb it. Let it stew around. Or, as Mark Twain said, “There is no such thing as a new idea. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope.”

My Modern Met is a site dedicated to supporting the arts by showcasing the works of different artists whether they are just emerging or established artists. There are classes at My Modern Met Academy and they share different work in the categories of art, design, and photography. One of my favorites is learning about the quirky art of Vincent Bal who uses shadows to create fun art pieces.

Colossal is a website for all types of art, including paintings, design, sculpture, crafts, and even upcycling. Each post focuses on the work of a different artist. One of my favorites is about the underwater photography of Steve Kovacs or you can read an interview with the Social Justice Sewing Academy.

Booooooom is a website for artists to display their own work. If you have a membership you can submit your work during open calls, like this one of artist Jaemin Lee. There is also an interesting piece called Forgotten Lands Vol. 4: Currents of Africa which showcases the art, culture, and people of the Caribbean.

Creative Pep Talk is a podcast by Illustrator Andy J Pizza. Love that name! Andy’s podcasts cover a lot of creative territories including speaking with artists, actors, production designers, writers, and more. Listen to his episode called No Time? A Powerful Technique for Doing Less but Producing More.

Street Art News is all things…..They showcase graffiti art as well as do artist interviews. One interview is with Futura 2000 who is considered the godfather of graffiti. There is also a look at Banksie’s stencil art around London.

Publishing…and Other Forms of Insanity is a site for writers of all forms. It’s written by Erica Verrillo who published 5 books and wants to share her insights on editing, pitching, getting reviews, and sometimes sharing her mistakes. Read about these 5 Tips for Promoting Your Author Event on Social Media. She has a category for free contests and even sends out a monthly newsletter of all the publishers and contests that are currently looking for content.

Write to Done is another website about writing. It includes information on writing fiction and non-fiction as well as inspiration to keep you writing. There are also tips for bloggers.

MasterClass is a streaming platform that has a yearly or monthly fee. But what you can learn from them is amazing. There are over 150 classes and you have access to all of them. Learn poetry from Amanda Gorman, writing from Neil Gaiman, Judy Blume, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Patterson, and more. You can learn songwriting from John Legend, drumming from Ringo Starr, portrait painting from Devon Rodriguez, and photography from Annie Leibovitz or Jimmy Chin.

Some classes are structured and you have to sign up in advance, others you take when you want to. There’s more than just art as well. You can find classes in leadership, baking, cooking, wellness, science, and more.

Creative Inspiration/Vincent Van Gogh. No. It’s not a website or a podcast but this book is filled with inspiration for everyone. I love this book. It’s filled with his sketches and quotes from his letters to his brother Theo. The sketches show the work and the practice that he put in to get a form right. The quotes are simply inspiring. One of my favorites is “One becomes a painter by painting.” So simple, yet such an inspiring reminder.

I hope you enjoy this list of inspirational sites, podcasts, and books. What do you do when you’re in need of some creative inspiration?