Sometimes, the best way to find inspiration is to learn what inspires someone else. Creative Director and Urth Co-founder, Minnie Piccardo shares eleven things she’s been drawing inspiration from lately — from places, playlists, to projects.
Words by Urth HQ
1. A book
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron was gifted to me when I was 17 years old and is still my all-time favourite book. I have read it a couple of times now and it always just hits me on another level — This book touches on how to live a creative life and gives guidance on how to gain self-confidence to execute a creative project.
2. An artist
It’s hard for me to pick just one. From a young age in Buenos Aires I was influenced by the work of Claudio Roncoli, Elisa Insua, Milo Lockett and Grupo Mondongo. Visiting MALBA and ArteBA really sparked my interest into this world and the meaning of art.
I’m interested in the idea of using art as a medium to raise awareness on social and environmental issues. Which is why I enjoy the work by contemporary artist Ai Wei Wei — I’ve been following him for a few years now, and I appreciate his work as an activist.
3. A place
Patagonia has a special place in my heart. It’s the place where I learnt how to connect with nature and appreciate it in more depth. We’ve spent a lot of time here with Christian and Chris (Co-Founders of Urth) at different times. Doing long hikes, sleeping in ‘refugios’ in the mountains, taking photos, indulging in nature.
4. A project
Urth is my biggest project and what I’m most passionate about. It keeps me entertained and is where I get to mix creative thinking with my passion for conservation. I have this utopian dream of making the world a better place and Urth is where I get to do a little bit of that. I dream of a world where humans and nature coexist in a harmonious way, and that’s where we are aiming to go with this long term project.
5. A landscape
The Australian bush. The smell of gumtrees, the dry air, red soil, and kangaroos at sunset. I especially enjoy spending time in Victoria during summertime where these smells and senses are enhanced.
6. An activity
Journaling, or writing my ‘morning pages’ has been a nice lesson I took from ‘The Artist’s Way’ book. It helps put everything in my mind down to paper and it helps organise my thoughts. Especially in stressful moments or when life gets chaotic.
7. A product
Is coffee a product? Haha jokes — My favourite thing that I carry everywhere (apart from a notebook and pen) is a very early sample of the Zeolite Organiser. I just chuck all my small things in there (pencils, lip balm, laptop charger, highlighters, sunglasses, eye drops, etc). An absolute life changer.
8. A piece of gear
I’ve recently purchased an iPad and have been stuck practising how to sketch and draw on it. Procreate is my newest favourite piece of gear — It allows you to do so much and gives me so much freedom and flexibility when it comes to new ideas.
9. A song or playlist
My music taste is diverse, haha. I’m not stuck to anything in particular, I appreciate a lot of different genres and moods — from rhythm and blues, to latin reggaeton and everything in between. Recently, I’ve been playing Rhye’s albums on repeat which are always soothing and get me in a good mindset to get things done. I have periods of time where I just obsess with a particular song and I just play it on repeat. Rhye’s song ‘Open’ has that place now.
10. A poem
‘There is no point in hustling if your
Intuition is telling you that now is a
time to rest. Just like, there’s no point
In resting if momentum is circling you
Like a beautiful hurricane.’
— Tess Guinery
I’m all for listening to my intuition and doing what ‘feels’ right — I’ve learnt that what comes naturally for some is not relevant to others. I think that’s a beautiful thing, and for me, it is all about listening to that inner desire and letting it guide the way.
11. Something unexpected
I like observing what light does to everything. I like to observe light and shadows and how a place changes through different times of the day.
