When I am deciding what to paint, I look at a number of sources first to stimulate ideas.  My best source is my collection of photos taken while travelling.  These photos remind me of the sights, sounds, smells, and memories of the places I've visited.  I also keep a sketch book with me at all times, and I do quick watercolor sketches to capture the light, color, and flavor of the area, especially while traveling - I don't often finish a painting "en plein air" as the French say...but I do use the sketches I've done both on canvas and in watercolor,  and photos I've taken while in some of the more beautiful spots I've travelled to over the years. 

When I get back to the studio, I usually start combining all these sources of inspiration - even my written journals of what I did while I was there to spark my imagination.  I also look up famous paintings of the same subject, and see how other artists have represented the landscape I've just seen. 

Translating a 3-D memory onto a 2-D surface can be tricky, so I use all the help I can get. 

Here's an example of my process:

Here are some photos  I took in France of the lavender fields:

                                                                                                       I really liked this one....

Here are some paintings of lavender by a couple of  artists I like:

   This is a possibility...I like the hazy hills in the background.

And then finally, the painting I did.  I am currently painting a series of lavender fields and vineyards.  Check back in a while to see the finished paintings.