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

Ekow Bartels | Professional Photographer

Of course other art and music, but ultimately skateboarding. Skateboarding changed my trajectory as a young black male from Richmond, VA. Just hit me with culture, music, art, expressionism, fraternity and a tangible sense of accomplishment but yearn for more. Not to mention it crafted my eye(s) that later applied to photography. We (skateboarders) see the world for all its angles, errors and possibilities, once reapplied to other disciplines, it makes our approach and methodology unique. Read more>>

Zita Hyon | Founder, YOUR NAME

I’m inspired by everything I see. Living in NYC, this doesn’t make inspiration hard to find. When I think about my brand YOUR NAME, I want it to reflect the people around me and the art that is the world; the painting on the street, the cool sign on the bodega, the colors of doors you pass by. As someone who struggles with depression, the exercise of trying to catch the outlines, colors, sounds, and nuances of things helps bring me to the present. I found that inadvertently this practice helped fuel the inspiration for my brand– to create something beautiful and chaotic that reflects what I see in New York and the world. Read more>>

Sarah Sawyer | Actress and Writer

I’ve always been an extremely curious person. This has lead to my passion for many different forms of art, because I think whether it’s a film, a dance piece, or a song, we always learn something new and there are always more questions we can ask. My curiosity also lead to my passion for travel and the desire to say yes to as many new experiences as I can. The world around me, whether I’m at home in LA surrounded by my friends, or on a road trip somewhere, is a constant source of inspiration. I definitely think there are big and important events in my life and my friends’ lives that have inspired me when it comes to writing or learning about a new subject, but often times it’s the smaller and quieter moments when I’m just people watching or taking the time to really reflect on my own beliefs and opinions, that I feel inspired to explore a specific story or reach out to a friend or someone I admire and ask questions. Read more>>

Davana Robedee | Artist, curator, arts administrator

In a dream, I once traveled to a different dimension. I flew through a space between worlds that was filled with all of the lost objects from every universe. My body was pummeled with shoes, pencils, socks, treasures, and trash. This was the space where all objects go when not directly observed. Objects that are truly lost manifest more strongly in this realm, while objects on the verge of being rediscovered are transparent. From this place in between the worlds, I emerged through an elastic-like skin into a place with no color. In order to return to my correct place, I knew that I needed to remember color- but as I explored I lost the concept completely, and realized I would be stuck forever. Read more>>