Up: [[Visual Arts]] Created: 2026-04-16 > [!orbit] Julie Gibbons in *Mandala Secrets* online course > Your first step is to decide on your intention or line of inquiry. Starting from somewhere is always easier than starting from nowhere. Your line of inquiry will guide your hand. There are a couple of points here that I really like. The first is the framing of “line of inquiry.” I’ve tried to apply intentions to art making but that has always felt like either a forced fit or it has been really vague like “My intention is to explore.” Line of inquiry may take me to the same place but the change in language matches the softer, exploratory nature of art making. *Starting from somewhere is always easier than starting from nowhere.* This is like a Nick profundity. A simple, obvious sentence that packs a big wallop. Choosing a line of inquiry or an intention provides a container for the work.