I live in the state of Wyoming surrounded by mountains, open skies, and wildlife that inspires me every day. I watch the blue mountains on road trips and take note of how their shadows make them stand out. I like to see the towering, green lodgepole pines, smell the sweet sagebrush, listen to the birds chirp in the trees, and hear the rushing creek flood my brain with new ideas. I want to paint everything I see as soon as I see it, but, instead, I settle for taking pictures and painting them later. My eye constantly catches details that others don’t notice: the way the sun reflects off my brother’s iris during golden hour, the triangular shadow to the left of my sister’s nose as we walk to school in the morning, and the complementary colors in the sky that make Wyoming sunsets even more magical. Things like these guide me when drawing and painting. Nature shows examples of shapes, hues, lighting, and contrast that help me to create. Other than nature, people inspire me as an artist. Watching others create helps me build the courage to start and finish a new piece. Recently, I have been admiring my friend’s oil paintings; the more I see what she makes, the more I want to try oils. Also, seeing the handmade bowls in our kitchen inspired me to take a ceramics class. Now, every time I look at stoneware, all I think about is how the creator wheel threw such a piece and how I could do the same. From the little details in people’s faces to the colors of Wyoming skies, the mountains and all the wildlife within, and even through the work of other artists, the world around me inspires me to create art for others to enjoy.