We asked some of the most inspiring folks we know to tell us what they are inspired by.

Briana Robinson | Owner & Tattooer

What inspires me? Plants, flowers, friends, & family. Living and working with artistically energized individuals activates my personal expansion. The sweetest beings that surround me have an enormous impact on my creativity. Neighborhood walks with my baby boy, Sage, bring fresh ideas and creativity to my work. I adore the process of tattooing directly from hand picked flowers that we find on our nature strolls. So much love and inspiration goes into each tattoo. ♡ Read more>>

Merryl Goldberg | Professor of Music & Director of ART

In my work as a professor at California State University San Marcos and specifically with the project ART=OPPORTUNITY, I am in a position to work with inspiring creatives all the time. In my “learning Through the Art” class this semester, my students wrote “honest poems.” I was introduced to the work of poet Rudy Francisco by a colleague and super San Diego creative Dairrick Khalil Hodges “Khalil Bleux.” An honest poem is just that, and given the opportunity to write and present poems, I was heartened to learn that some of my students had overcome overwhelming challenges, culturally, physically, and emotionally. In a seminar on music and social justice, my students and I have been learning from members of Voices of Our City Choir. The opportunity to find and embrace voice (literally) and agency to share and be heard is uplifting and hopeful. Read more>>

Guri Stark | Artist, Lecturer, Author & Retired High-Tech CEO

I am inspired by uniqueness. By what appears (to me) to be different than the “standard” or common. By what jumps above the background noise. In business, as well as in art, I have always looked for creative ideas that are unique, that are different. To me uniqueness implies creativity – creativity of mind and of practice. I have realized that unique ideas have had their way to be noticed and appreciated. Some people (think about Picasso and Cubism, or Steve Jobs and soft keyboards in telephones) had worked hard to find a unique way to express themselves. And that unique way (for Picasso = Cubism) defined their career. In business and in art, I have always asked myself: what can I do to get noticed. What product ideas, marketing ideas, sales approaches can I implement to be noticed? What type of paintings should I paint to be noticed and remembered? Read more>>