Finding creative inspiration from a vague idea and intuition

Last week, I talked a bit about my creative journey and my views on the role of creativity in our lives. This week, I thought I’d expound on that topic by sharing an example of a specific project—my Autumn Bonfire candle piece—and the ups and downs I experienced making this unique Fall decor item.

The Process:

Well, this candle project had an interesting beginning. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to achieve but nothing concrete. Here’s how the whole creative journey unfolded…​

One day, while shopping at a local thrift store, I came across a box with three sets of very unusual yellow glass candles and votive holders. I opened the box, loved it instantly, and knew something beautiful could be created with these golden treasures. And that’s all I had…Just an inkling of something in the back of my mind.
​

​Well, the box sat in my cupboard for months. I’d take the box out occasionally and look at the votive holders, pondering and brainstorming. I’d show them to people and energetically chat about my ideas…and then put the box back in the cabinet for another few weeks. Finally, enough was enough, and I had to do something with at least some of these pieces. It was my favorite time of year—Autumn—and I was inspired. I had just made some candles using a wonderfully spicy Autumn Magic scent, so I put one of my finished votive candles inside a votive holder and thought for a bit. “This would look amazing lit,” I thought, “Almost like a glowing flame.” From this epiphany, the gears in my mind started to turn, and I envisioned this little votive holder sitting on top of a wood pile. My thoughts turned to my favorite architect--Frank Lloyd Wright (a subject for another day)—and I could see cantilevered wooden shapes in my head. But I could not visualize something that clicked. So I sat down and played—like a three-year-old child—with a box full of balsa wood pieces, absentmindedly stacking different size wood pieces in various directions, knocking them down, then stacking other pieces…until finally something magically appeared out of the fog! There it was—the image of wood stacked in an alternating pattern and my pretty little yellow candle on top.
​ 

It’s one thing to know how you want an art piece to look and quite another to figure out exactly how this is supposed to happen realistically. Designers can and do envision all kinds of creative things, but only a portion will be safe and functional. Not only did my finished piece have to be visually attractive, but it had to be stable. So now I had the idea and a direction to follow…now the fun could begin. Now, we figure out how to make this idea functional. Once I started work on this project, the ideas came fast and furious, and the problem-solving skills mixed with my creative imaginings, and the whole thing just took on a life of its own.


The first thing I needed was a flat base for my wood pile. In my mind, I could see the two-part base made up of a wooden tray with a lip. On top of this tray would be a wood pile with alternating strips. A wood square plank was cut, along with thin strips of balsa wood, which were then nailed along the perimeter of the plank. This tray piece was then sanded, stained with craft wood stain, and sealed with varnish. The top portion (the wood pile) was built with a series of balsa wood strips set in alternating X design to create the illusion of a pile of wood stacked for a fire. Each wood strip (7 or 8 for each candle) was sanded, stained, and sealed. Next, all the strips were nailed and glued together. The finished wood pile piece was attached to the bottom tray. 
​

Now that the basic construction was finished, it was time to add in the decorative elements. My wood pile needed the look of earth or stone to finish off my abstract idea of a bonfire. To this end, naturally colored decorative stones were spread around the bottom tray and glued in place. These stones added visual quality to the piece and much-needed weight to the tray so that the finished item would not be too light or easy to knock over. Faux fall leaves were glued on top of the wood pile in an alternating pattern to create the illusion of a flame. The yellow glass votive holders were then glued to the leaf piles for the final touch. When all the pieces of this project came together, the effect was of a miniature fire pit, complete with stones, stacked firewood, and flames. I couldn’t help myself—I smiled and thought, “This will look magical once the candle is lit.” I fell in love with the overall design! I’m already thinking of some variations in the design to make it more versatile.
​

Autumn Bonfire. Designed by Diane M. Lilly, 2015.

​After months of hoarding these precious yellow votive holders and knocking around various ideas, I finally had a finished product I loved. A nondescript, vague notion turned into something real and tangible. Out of chaos came order! And that is the epitome of the creative process, is it not?!

Shop for handcrafted nature-inspired decorative candleholders and faux floral centerpieces by Di's Studio Designs here!


Related blog posts you may want to read:
Creation of a centerpiece
Nature and well being
Art imitates nature
Inspiration