road trip to inspiration

I've been spending a lot of time over the past year (or maybe the past 10 years) in institutions of education simultaneously learning about literature, art, design, etc. and trying to get inspired to create my own works of various art forms. But in school, inspiration tends to come from books of other artists' previous works, and we are encouraged to go to museums and bury ourselves in the library stacks. This research-oriented method of deriving information has become comfortable and natural to me in a way that, when I really think about it, scares me. Ironically, through reading in the library, I have learned about other designers that I admire's sources of inspiration. While I'm sure they're all versed in fashion history and use books to look up specific artists or philosophies they might be currently obsessed with, most inspiration comes from experience and the world outside the text. Maybe its the exact time for me to think outside my institutionalized box! get on the road and take pictures not showers! Or maybe my romantic view of an inspirational road trip comes exactly from the books and movies with which I have been stifling my creativity : : : : : : :

Maybe the only way to find out is fight my future-driven urges to establish connections and work in the biz, skip out on NYC and hit the American Road?