Have you ever looked at a painting and seen a story in it? What story could be told about her? Why is she there? Is she alone? Waiting for someone?
For me, she is Marianne, a character in a story I wrote called, His Perfect Passion. For the Romantic painter, William Waterhouse, she was Ophelia from Hamlet. Just as Shakespeare inspired Waterhouse to paint, Waterhouse inspires me to write.
A painting got me started on my writing. I saw Ophelia there in the field, looking so lovely and mysterious, and had an epiphany, became obsessed to the point that I couldn’t let it go until I wrote about her. She became Marianne in my story, but I always return to the painting for reference when I need to see her.
Waterhouse’s work is irresistible to me because he painted knights and goddesses and beautiful creatures like mermaids and fairies–stuff that’s right up my alley. Thanks to Mr. Waterhouse, I have plenty of inspiration. Now if I can just block out the sound of my sons playing Black Ops in the other room, I might get some writing done today! ;0