July: We are reading "Steal Like An Artist," by Austin Kleon,
in our Virtual book club
If you are just starting to follow along on our little virtual book club, be sure to check out our other book selections, and you can read more about how this book club works on those posts as well.
This book is a quick little read. Kleon writes with a lot of humor, which was fun to read. There is still quite a lot of helpful reminders in it as well. I liked his mixture of personal stories, advice, and quotes from others as he drove his point home. It was not all new information for me, I have long sense been aware that artists borrow from those who inspire them, however it was a helpful reminder.
It is so easy to get so consumed with trying to be original, that we block our own creativity. In truth all people are inspired by the work of those around them, or people they have studied, or nature, or whatever. Ideas are taken, built upon, changed, adapted, and transformed.
Kleon, makes the distinction between plagiarizing (Bad Theft) and "Stealing Like an Artist" (Good Theft). He discusses the difference between imitation (copying) and emulation which is influenced by another, but pushes beyond them into something new and from you. Here is a little chart from the book on that point:
My favorite illustration in the book is this one:
This picture sums up so much of my worry as an artist! I have often referred to myself as "Art ADD" because I tend to flit around from one thing to the next with varying amounts of continuity, haha. I keep telling myself that as soon as I have enough cohesive pieces, then I will attempt to put my work out there and get a show... Perhaps I should not worry so much about that?!?
All in all I really enjoyed this quick little read, I think it is a great little reminder to people to free their creativity!
Have you read this book? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and let us know what you thought. I would also love to hear about any books that have helped you on your creative journey, perhaps we will add them to our book club reading list!
For online book club this month, I have been reading the book "Mindfulness & the Art of Drawing, A Creative Path to Awareness." By Wendy Ann Greenhalgh
If you are just joining us, this is the second book we have read in this virtual book club. Click here for the first book. Here is how the book club works:
For this book club I will select a book that embraces creativity in some form. After I read it I will share it with you here on the blog along with my thoughts and observations. I encourage you to also share your thoughts in the comment section below each post. Also feel free to leave book suggestions! The theme is creativity so????
"Mindfulness & the Art of Drawing," is filled with great information about using various drawing techniques in such a way as to promote Mindfulness and creativity. It reads a little like a textbook, which makes sense considering Wendy is a creative mindfulness teacher by profession. She writes
with a combination of instruction, explanation, and personal experiences that make her method easy to follow. Throughout the book she has drawing exercises laid out for you to try. The exercises include Mindful Doodling, Drawing With Your Breath, Observational Drawings, and much more.
Contour Line Drawing Exercise, "Direct Experiencing" Part 3 page 63
I found the book to be a little challenging to read, mostly because it was less conversational and more text book or instructional. I tend to prefer reading books with a more conversational tone. I did however find the book to be a great resource for tips and ideas on how to use drawing in my mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a rather recent area of interest for me and I have been focusing heavily on Creative Mindfulness here in the studio and in my personal practice. Wendy is very Knowledgeable and I follow her online, which is where I first learned of her book. You can find her website here.
One of my favorite passages in the book:
Here Wendy is describing an experience she had when was drawing a rose, where she began to really see the rose.
"I was totally immersed in seeing that rose, and the marks I made were just an extension of this act of noticing and relating. The rose unfolded before my eyes, revealing under the continuing closeness of my attention even more aspects of itself, aspects that, of course, my usual cursory glance would never have noticed."
I also enjoyed how she addressed one's inner critic. We all have them, and unfortunately as adults we tend to allow that critic to tell us frequently what we can not do. One of my passions here at the studio is to help people work through their inner critics through creative play. She talks about working through her own creative blocks sparked by the inner critic through mindfulness. I love that!
If you have read this book I would love to hear your thoughts, please leave a comment. If you would like to read this book you can order it here. Don't forget to come back and let me know what you thought!
This year I joined my first Book Club! I have so enjoyed being a part of it. I can't get enough!
So...I decided that it might be fun to have a "Creative" book club. For this book club I will select a book that embraces creativity in some form. After I read it I will share it with you here on the blog along with my thoughts and observations. I encourage you to also share your thoughts in the comment section below each post. Also feel free to leave book suggestions! The theme is creativity so????
Have you heard of the book, "Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear," by Elizabeth Gilbert? Yes, the same Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote the best seller, "Eat, Pray, Love."
I have to tell you, I absolutely loved this book! Gilbert writes with a very conversational tone. It is as if a dear friend is giving you advice. Sometimes she is blunt and to the point, as any good friend would be when they are telling you something you so desperately need to hear.
My favorite passage in the book is this:
"Are you considering becoming a creative person? Too late, you already are one. To even call somebody 'a creative person' is almost laughably redundant; creativity is the hallmark of our species. We have the senses for it; we have the curiosity for it; we have the opposable thumbs for it; we have the rhythm for it; we have the language and the excitement and the innate connection to divinity for it. If you're alive, you're a creative person."
In the book Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how often people are referred to as a creative genius, but that in reality creativity is its own entity. It desires to be born. Creativity seeks out a vessel from which to give it birth. In that regard one is not a genius, but instead one is granted genius. Creativity wants to be born into existence, this is the "magic." It is our job to open ourselves to the opportunities to create. We must open ourselves up to the magic.
Gilbert divides the book into sections which guide the reader through the process of living into one's creative potential, the "Big Magic."
Courage
Enchantment
Permission
Persistence
Trust
Divinity
Throughout the book Gilbert shares a lot of her personal journey with creativity. She shares stories of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances and how each of them either responded to, or in some cases blocked their own big magic.
For me this book was full of necessary reminders and and gentle (or not so gentle) nudges toward my own creative path!
It is my firm belief that we are all creative beings. We need to create, it is in our nature. When we allow ourselves to live into our creative potential (however it might manifest) we live a more full and joyous life.
