There are days when I wonder if this blog is actually influencing anyone’s art-making.  Then there are days when I get emails that make it clear to me that Daily Art Muse is making a difference. Oh yes, this blog is tickling muses, inspiring products – even providing research resources for art students.  A recent email from Valerie Claff made my day:

Dear Susan,

I wanted to write and thank you ENORMOUSLY for your amazing blog/musing.  I am an artist and art professor at Clark University in Mass.  For some years now I have been teaching a class called Exploring the Natural World – a combination of field drawing, printmaking and mixed-media.  The other day I stumbled across your site while searching for examples of work for inspiration.  I have to say, your site is THE BEST resource I have found so far.  I don’t have a ton of time to research as I’ve got the teaching to do, so your site is an amazing help for me.  THANK YOU!  I love the work you’re including as they are great examples of a broad range of materials and mediums.  I probably won’t venture too much further than your daily blog and archives this semester and will require my students to do some research there to help with generating ideas.  Again, thank you!

Valerie Claff

DAMuse as required reading for art students.  I like it!  I look forward to seeing Valerie’s students’ work before the end of the semester.

Then yesterday I was scrolling through Canadian based Shades of Clay’s online store looking at Helen Breil’s latest product line.  I was delighted to see that Helen credits a post on Daily Art Muse as the inspiration for her new flexible textures stamps, Tango and Mambo.  Which post sparked the idea?  Zentangles, of course!

As always, Helen’s work is beautifully designed and executed.

Helen Breil’s Mambo Texture Stamp and Mambo Leaf Bracelet

Helen Breil’s Tango Lentil Pendant and Tango Texture Stamp

Come back this afternoon for more DAMuse-inspired work and words.  And do tell – what has DAMuse done for you lately?