I find inspiration for my writing in many things. Snippets of overheard conversations, news articles, and reading books from an historical time period are all things that inspire me.

I’m also inspired by viewing art pieces that depict the Regency period. One of my favorite artists is Joseph Mallord William Turner, commonly styled at J.M.W. Turner.

He’s famous for his hazy, dreamy landscapes, like this one depicting sunrise at Norham Castle in Northumberland:

Here’s another Turner view of Norham Castle from the River Tweed:

But as beautiful as his landscapes are, my favorite J.M.W. Turner pieces are his interiors.  Here’s his straight-forward rendering of the drawing room at Farnley in 1818:

I love everything about this room, from the carpets to the ceiling; from the harp to the life-size portrait on the wall.

Turner painted a series of interiors of Petworth House in West Sussex. Here’s “The White Library at Petworth,” dated 1827:

He used the same setting of the White Library to illustrate an evening of “Music in the White Library” at Petworth:

And he used the White Library again as a backdrop for “The Lady in Pink: Conversation in the White Library” from 1827:

I like to study the way he captured each person in the library; who was sitting or standing; whether they seemed relaxed or formal; and if they conversed while someone was playing music or simply sat and listened—it’s all food for my imagination.

Do you have a favorite artist who inspires you?