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It is very common to ask an artist for their "inspiration". For me, this is like asking why you fell in love with your wife or husband; it's a reasonable question but the answer is complex and often hard to convey - it's a very personal thing.
I like to ponder the world around me, be curious about everything and see what jumps out. For instance it may be that I have always been fascinated by passion flowers - their intricacy, delicacy and amazing colours. Nature is frequently more bonkers than anything us humans can dream up.
As a contrast, I often picture a friend, an emotion, a physical situation (garden, house, landscape...) and try to construct something that "fits".
My niece has a thing for turtles and crazy crabs - hence my versions of them.
Left to Right: Passion Flower, Spider and Peter by Nicholas Baker
My piece "Peter" was in memory of a dear friend who passed away far too young. We worked together but more importantly would go on motorcycle trips, track days and explore Europe. He was a teetotaller, literally, he drank around 30 cups of tea a day and never left home without a pack of teabags and a mug.
So, when I came to do something for him it had to be a bike and him, doing a wheelie, with mug in hand. The cage signified the restrictions that his poor health imposed on him. He had it hanging in his room and now is a permanent reminder of the transitory world we live in.
Once a thought has taken hold, then the challenge becomes: How to make this happen in the real world.
And this is where the fun comes in - what materials, what size, colours...etc. I thoroughly enjoy what I do, I love the variety that different commission/projects bring and would recommend that everyone gets a MIG welder. (I have a spare for sale if anyone's interested!)