Day 349: Holburne Museum, Bath

Bath has loads of museums and galleries but for the whole time I've been here, the Holburne Museum has been shut. They've been refurbishing it for three years to make it double the size of it's former self.

Bath buildings are unique from any other place in the country and a lot of them are protected from any changes people want to make. When the sun hits them just right they look beautiful. There's no where quite like Bath in the sunshine. So, when the Holburne Museum said they were going to add a modern structure to the back of the museum to make it double its size, loads of people were mortified.

But, I think it looks amazing, don't you? It can hold way more exhibits now and more people will visit to see what all the fuss is about! The pillars running down the building are all mottled and change in the light as you move around them.

Change is refreshing. I think us creative thinkers follow in the Holburne's footsteps. Sometimes we need to take the leap to get that reaction, that encouragement, that inspiration we've been searching for.

What will you do?

Day 169: World Beach project

Do you fancy yourself as a installation artist?

Want like working with natural materials like stone?

Do you want to get involved in bigger things?

Well, if there's a yes in there, I've found the perfect project for you!

It's called, The world beach project. I found out about it on the V&A website (an museum in London). The project is open to anyone, any age, anywhere in the world! Basically, it wants everyone to get involved in making art with stones from the beach, just like this one:

Find out more about the project and see what has already been done.

So get creating and get involved!

Day 154: Rupert the bear

Today I want to say, Happy Birthday Rupert!

Everyone knows who Rupert the bear is with his red jumper and yellow trousers. When I was a kid I used to watch him on tv and my nan had all the comic books too from when she was a child. Now he's on tv with mobile phones and scooters! How times change, but good all Rupert has rolled with it and is still entertaining children worldwide.

Can you imagine creating a bear which would touch children's lives for over three generations. He's even got his own museum. Now that's inspirational! If my stories are half as successful I'll be happy. How about you, what do you hope for? Where do you want your creative work to go...?

Just think about all the different people that have been involved in Rupert's 'career', animators, artists, writers, painters, musicians...so many people and all of them creative. Without creativity the world wouldn't have Rupert and personally, I think it would be a darker place!

I couldn't resist putting up this. Send Rupert Happy Birthday thought as you watch. Looking good for 90 eh!

Day 102: The Credit Crunch and BP Portrait Award 2010

It seems to me that the government is cutting more and more creative funding all over the place due to the credit crunch, so how are we supposed to get any inspiration around here? Can we be inspired when we don't have any money either?

Well, I am here to say YES! I spent the day yesterday visiting gallery after free gallery in London. It really is amazing how much free stuff there is to do in London. I mean, just walking around looking at buildings, people and soaking up the atmosphere is pretty inspiring.

First, I visited The National Gallery where I stared at old, old paintings of mythological scenes, aristocratic families and religious iconography. Its so cool how stories feed art and in turn, art feeds stories.

Whilst having my lunch on the steps in Trafalgar Square I watched a bazaar mechanical design piece called Outrace move around, flashing lights and making strange noises (I think it would have been a lot more impressive in the dark).

Then, it was onto The National Portrait Gallery, which had the BP Portrait Awards 2010 exhibiting. Intricate portraits by contemporary practising artists lined the walls with hundreds of people viewing them. Perhaps the funniest thing was the sight of  twenty school girls sitting on the floor in front of one painting , showing a girl with ipod earphones in. You literally had to hop over them to get past. There was also a little photography collection by Jason Bell, showing famous Brits living in New York.

On the way back to the train station (sort of) I quickly popped into The British Museum (which is massive and cannot be 'popped' into!). I only had time to look at the Egyptian collection (briefly), which was awe inspiring! I got told off by a 'guard' for touching this absolutely massive stone arm, once belonging to a Pharaoh's statue. In my defense, I had to touch it, people made that!

Check out this website which lists free comedy, art, theatre etc in London and see what you can do. There is SO much (despite the credit crunch) you can be inspired by, all for the price of a train ticket!

See what's in your local area too. There's bound to be a museum, gallery, local art/writing/dance group or something, somewhere near you.

Feel free to be inspired wherever you are!