​"The place an artist chooses is much more important than the motif," said a famous artist who lived surrounded by montains and ofcorse always had mountains as his motif. So easy for him to say. He also said that: "Children, flowers and sunsets are best to avoided. If you see something that attracts you, turn your back on it - and choose as motif what you see in the other direction." 
Intressting but I can't say that I've followed his advice.
 Kandinsky on the other hand is a little more encouraging: 
"A very simple motif can have as much charm as an extremely refined motif even an abstract motif. It is the artist's inner motif that counts. 
The message becomes clear only when the intention is true."​