Ursula on Art and Inspiration

Meet Ursula, a young artist who lives (for the summer) in a cabin in the middle of a forest. Kiki, the young witch heroine of Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service meets Ursula while looking for a lost stuffed kitten she was supposed to deliver for a client. Ursula returns and helps fix the poor stuffed kitten, and the two became fast friends. She comes to Kiki's aid once again when the young witch suddenly lost her ability to fly. Here's the transcript of their conversation:

URSULA: I decided to become an artist when I was about your age. I liked to draw so much, I almost hated to go to bed. And then one day, all of a sudden, I couldn't  draw anything. Everything I drew, I didn't like.
KIKI: Hm...
URSULA: I realized that my art up to then was a copy of someone else, things I had seen somewhere. I decided I had to discover my own style.
KIKI: Was it difficult?
URSULA: It's still difficult. But then, the results...They seem to be a little better than before.
...

URSULA: It's nice to be a witch, isn't it? I like the idea-- to be a witch, to be an artist, to be a baker...It's an
energy bestowed by the gods or someone, right? Though  thanks to it, we do have to suffer at times...
KIKI: I never even thought about my magic powers. I used to think this training was just an old-fashioned
custom...I was so happy you came today. If I were alone, I'd just be running around in circles.
URSULA: You know, to tell you the truth, I thought about destroying this painting many times.
KIKI: Even though it's so beautiful?
URSULA: When I met you today, and saw your distressed face,  I thought, 'That's it', and I was inspired.
KIKI: Tease!
URSULA: (laughs) Now we're even....



There are several things that I really admired about this character. First, she's artistic and friendly. She defies the artistic and antisocial stereotype. I like that. Second, she's independent. She lives in a cabin in the middle of the forest, all alone. She travels by herself, hitch hikes (which isn't always good, but that's another story). Third, she doesn't have reservations on the people she meets. She's not judgmental, and doesn't think twice to help (though she made Kiki wait a little bit because she was drawing on the rooftop.) She offers advices without judging. Fourth and most importantly, she knows what to do with her passion in arts. She realized in an early age that her early works were just copies of what she sees, and worked to develop her own style. She acknowledges the difficulties and yet she continues to work hard. When she's stumped, she realizes when she needs to stop and do something about it. I admire her concentration and determination. And I like that part of her character the most.