This weekend I went to a Rodarte museum with my husband and a friend, and it was inspiring beyond belief.

Okay, if you were like me before I went to this exhibit, you are probably wondering what the heck Rodarte is. It is a fashion brand that was created by two sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy. You probably have seen their work in Black Swan (they created the ballet costumes). 

The exhibit blew my mind.

Not because of the dresses. Okay, the dresses were gorgeous beyond belief, but they weren’t what took my breath away. 

I was stunned by where they drew their inspiration.

They had a stunning line of dresses that were printed with all of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings. They also created gowns that had Yoda and the Death Star on them. 

They were both displayed in the same room.

I didn’t only adore the mixture of “high” and “low” art, but I admired how they got inspiration from two completely different mediums: art and film.

It would have been so easy for them to look at Prada or Givenchy and draw inspiration there. But then they would be boring and derivative. Certainly not the stuff that gets you an exhibit in a museum.

So how does this apply to you and your writing? Go beyond looking at other authors for inspiration. Watch movies. Examine art. Explore your neighborhood. Go on a hike. Travel the world. Pick up a new hobby. Learn a new sport or recipe.

Search for inspiration in unexpected places. Who knows? You might have an exhibit in a museum one day.