How to find inspiration for a painting?   Where to start?   What motivates an artist to paint something?

If you have a genre that you paint how do you keep finding new opportunities within that genre?  As a professional you must constantly find a subject that will be of interest to your patrons!    Is it the history of clipper ships racing from Fouchow ( Fuzhou, China) to deliver valuable tea to England?   A stormy, moody sky that you feel would compliment a hard working fish boat?  A dreamy romantic view of that oh so familiar watery city called Venice?

My talk was presented to the Richmond Artists Guild in the Cultural Centre – a varied, well experienced, caring group of artists who take their work seriously.