Creative works don't come from nothing, although they may seem to if I'm drawing a creative blank. There's the blank page or canvas facing me in the morning. At worst, I'll doodle on that page if nothing occurs to me. Sometimes that gives my brain time to air and think. Then there's the work of other artists to consider.
Last night I watched a performance on television of Daniel Barenboim playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto IV, op. 58 with Zubin Mehta conducting. Not only was it the most focused half hour of my day, but the performance got me to thinking about composing and the development of ideas for my own piano composition that I'm finishing. The creative work of others—past and present—often provide me with ideas. When I've visited the homes of visual artists, they often have many art books around to reference as they are working on their own projects.
When stuck, it may be helpful to go to the works of others for deep immersion. From there, ideas may arise to push a project forward.
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