The artists that I have studied indicate that they begin the process of creating art with an urge to create. The initial experience of artistic inspiration involves a sensing, a noticing that something exists somewhere. Sensing then wells up within the artist’s body or mind, turning from a general perceptive experience into a particular experience, a feeling. Feelings are then given by the artist the boundaries of meanings through a process of acknowledgement.

These stages may well occur almost at once, however I will discuss each step and demonstrate how they develop from one to the other.

Chapter Stimulation will be explored through the categories of sensing, feeling, and acknowledging.