Does environment inspire creativity

I'd like to know the same thing.

I keep thinking about the 'poor starving artist' trip that sometimes is flung around..whether that really holds up.

I know, for myself, that when I was depressed I really was not into any kind of creative activity...some may be..but me? Nuh uh....

Deleted - double post!

Experience and environment should be motivations rather than or reying on skill to produce the best. we can be a bit mechanical i think.

Turn up for work, wherever that happens to be.

Nice surroundings just make me wanna enjoy the surroundings.

I'm not sure the Op understands his question ... but the responders have convincing thoughts. 

Thus this seems an excellent thread ... for him and me.

Every environment (experience) has + and -  ... aspects.

Distraction 'sometimes' helps me force completion.

I get a lot done with Danzi, wilst I'm in a motel (Days Inn with a decent web connection).

While alter'd environments (drug, alcohol, divorce, tragedy, success, etc.) ... probably don't inhibit the muse ...

After she (the muse) squalls ... she needs a sober place to put the pieces together (in my case) ... and/or allow other muses to help her 'get-it-together'.

Again, Phil Collins seems a great analogy for you and I (per Codamedia) ... (except that I much prefer some of you guys over Phil Collins, establishing today's music)

Inspiration is a mental condition..... in more ways than one.

I have great ideas that come as I'm in rush hour traffic and others when I'm setting on a mountain side with a cup of coffee as the sun is setting across the lake in the valley. 

Being inspired to write or create a song is more a way of life than anything else. 

I can get ideas a all times of the day under varied conditions.  And on the other hand...I can set down with nothing on my mind at all..... with full and deliberate intentions to write a song and end up an hour later with a good song. Several of the songs on my sound click were deliberate shots at writing with a blank mind and a blank sheet of paper...... just write..... something....anything.  

This is one that was written in about an hour. I was working from a short description of the ending of a movie that was needing a closing song.  http://www.soundclick.com...134&songID=9961448

This one was written for fun... just to write something...anything....while staring at the proverbial  "blank sheet of paper".....  http://www.soundclick.com...34&songID=11185706

This final example was written in a very short time frame as well after seeing a major event on the news:  http://www.soundclick.com...134&songID=9315026

So there... with 3 examples....all written in an hour or so... not more then 2 hrs on the initial writing, (I always re-write and edit my writing.... but even the re-writes were all completed in less than 24 hrs total on all 3 of these songs) are 3 songs that came from an initial idea that I saw, and one that came from staring at a "blank sheet of paper" and deciding that I was gonna write something....anything...... just start writing. 



After the writing...came the recording.... and that took, on these songs, anywhere from 2 more days of concentrated effort to a week or so depending. Production ideas and other things come to mind in that part of the creative process. Similar to writing, but yeah...different. Production ideas come from listening and saying.... hey... I think I'll try such and such right there at the chorus.... see if it works and keep moving.... never get bogged down on ANY point in the process.  

I think getting stuck on a point, getting bogged down in the process.... is the undoing of most writers.... seeking perfection while forgetting to simply write a good song. 

Lack of distraction for me. I need to get 'locked in' to the process to get creative. Can't be done in 10 minute bursts either, it takes me about an hour to get immersed and then the hours fly by without me noticing. That's a rare occurance these days, sadly.

An environment that is streamlined for efficient work may be uninspiring.  An inspiring environment may not be easy to work in.  The two are often at odds with each other.