HJÄRNAN ÄR LIKA TYST SOM HÖGLJUDD

Sammanfattning

The aim of the following study is to develop a deeper understanding of the function that inspiration may serve in creative processes, as well as the gap that can arise between being inspired and engaging in artistic work. The study addresses three research questions: What function is inspiration perceived to have in the creative process? What occurs in the gap between being inspired and creating? How can insights about the function of inspiration and the creative gap be used to develop teaching in visual arts education? Using a narrative autoethnographic approach that combines reflections of a personal creative process with interviews using visual elicitation, the study explores how inspiration unfolds in the interplay between sensory impressions, emotions, and personal experiences. A central finding is the significance of the creative gap — a space marked by inner tension, emotions, and reflection. Concepts such as transcendence, evocation, and appropriation help frame the emotional and cognitive processes involved. The study suggests that learning in the arts involves both verbal and non-verbal forms of knowledge, shaped by emotional engagement. When education supports personal expression and reflection, it can foster deeper creative development. Rather than providing fixed answers, this study raises new questions about how inspiration can be understood as a construct and nurtured in visual arts education.