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

Erin Shine | Photographer

Simply put, I am inspired by the world around me. I am often asked about my style of photography, and it is hard to pick just one focus. I bring my camera along on road trips I take across the country, I photograph concerts in Colorado’s thriving music scene, and I set up photoshoots for people who want to capture meaningful moments in their life. I am inspired by the heart and soul of the land as well as the people who inhabit it, and film truly captures the emotion behind these scenes. Read more>>

Christina Bergling | author and horror writer

It sounds trite, but I am inspired by everything. When I experience something positive, I want to say something about it. When I experience something negative, I want to say something about it. Everything filters through my mind and ends up getting assimilated into my writing. Emotional reaction drives it all. The more I feel, the more I tend to produce. So maybe more than anything, trauma fuels my craft. Nightmares power my words. The darkness fills my creativity. Hence, horror writer. Read more>>

Katie Knudsen | Multidisciplinary Artist and Creative

Overall, I am deeply inspired by elements of nature, fungi, biology, anatomy, mental health, identity, and group collaboration based projects. Currently, I have been drawn to and influenced by exploring topics of slime mold, reproductive rights, carnivorous plants, and the ways by which humanity could learn important lessons for survival from the flora and fauna of our biosphere. In my eyes, I view nature as a source of higher power and thus, my work and process is deeply impacted by this. Because of this perspective, I am typically drawn to using found and recycled material as much as possible throughout the creation of my work and hope to continue to find ways to utilize more sustainable materials and practices as I create in the future. I find artists like Dasha Plesen, Regan Rosburg, and Heather Barnett highly influential to the body of work I am producing currently because of the ways that they honor and symbiotically work natural elements into their practices. Read more>>

Kyle Shrivastava | Tattoo Artist

I’m most inspired by the power tattooing holds to affect people’s self image. Tattoos can be such a beautiful and powerful reflection of personal change and growth, and I’m always honored to be in the role of stewarding that transformative process when someone chooses me as their artist. Being able to be a part of people’s journey, and being trusted to transform skin with geometric and ornamental art constantly motivates me to continue pushing my work forward and showing up for clients in the absolute best way I can. I love how Rick Rubin discusses art in his recent book The Creative Act: A Way of Being. He talks about how artists are vessels for receiving and transmuting energy in the universe. I try to embody that ideal and see my work as receiving the energy and ideas of my clients and transforming it into art that will resonate with and reflect how they show up in the world. Read more>>