How has Hockney remained inspired to create for 60 years?
I have always loved David Hockney. As a teenager one of the first prints I ever bought was from his exhibition, and he was the subject of one of my A Level art projects.
I didn’t really know why I connected with him as a 18 year old, but I just new that I looked at his work and felt joy. What I can say looking back, is that as a teenager, I had become melancholy, and a bit disconnected with the world. I was losing my own passion for art, partly because I didn’t fit into the boxes that were provided for me at college. I wasn’t given the freedom to create in my way, so I didn’t want to create at all. Combined with the challenges of being a teenager, of figuring out your identity, I just felt lost.
When I looked at Hockney’s work, I saw a way of creating that did feel right to me - all sorts of colours that didn’t make ‘sense’. Trees didn’t have to be green and perspective didn’t have to be accurate. He played with his subjects in such a way that he made them come to life through his eyes. And through his eyes, the world felt inspiring to me.
This week I went to see his current exhibition, using state of the art projections and a revolutionary sound system, so you feel totally immersed in his world. I was reminded of how I felt when I was younger - but this time I was seeing this through the eyes of someone that knows the importance of that feeling of joy in simple things.
Here’s what Hockney shared in the exhibition that I felt highlight how a creative mind can help us connect with joy:
That we must look, and be interested in what’s around us, to feel inspired. We can’t just sit and wait for inspiration to come to us
That we should play against what’s expected, and what’s been done before. Just because it’s the way it’s always been done, it doesn’t mean it’s ‘right’
That we should see when something doesn’t work, and try something new, even if we’ve poured hours and days into creating it
Hockney remains inspired because of this perspective, but I think in a very basic way, it’s because he pays attention to what’s around him.
In terms of what art can do for us, this quote says it all “In art, new ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling; you can’t divorce the two, as we are now aware, you cannot have time without space and space without time.”
Added 9/7/2026: Although David Hockney has now passed away, his work continues to remind us that creativity isn't simply about making art. It's about paying attention. Looking more closely. Remaining curious about the ordinary things we often overlook. His work encourages us to question what we think we know, to experiment without fear of getting it wrong, and to remember that there isn't only one way of seeing the world.
For me, that's what a creative mind really is. It's not about talent. It's about perspective.
When we're stressed, overwhelmed or disconnected from ourselves, our thinking can become narrow. Creativity gently widens that perspective again. It allows us to notice possibilities, reconnect with joy, and experience life with a little more curiosity.
Hockney once said:
"In art, new ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling."
I don't think that only applies to artists. I think it applies to all of us.
Curious about how creative thinking could help you in this way?
Creative counselling isn't about learning to paint or draw. It's about using creativity as a way of understanding yourself, exploring new perspectives and navigating periods of change.
Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, burnt out or simply disconnected from yourself, Creative counselling offers a person-centred space to slow down, reflect and discover what feels right for you.
