Art & fear

Mike McCarty · 04-16-2002, 03:59 PM

Recently, in another thread, Chris Saper mentioned a book:

Art & fear - Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of ARTMAKING by David Bayles & Ted Orland - IMAGE CONTINUUM PRESS $12.95.

I bought the book locally (had to be ordered). This book is very, very insightful. The title says it all. It is a fairly small quick read. There are so many hard truths in this book. I give it

. Many quotable things in this book, I will share one of my favorites:

"Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working" Stephen DeStaebler.

Chris Saper · 04-17-2002, 01:24 PM

Here's my favoritie:

"The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your artwork that soars."

Art & Fear is available on Amazon, too.

Chris

Administrator's Note: Click title to see at Amazon.com.

Chris Saper · 04-21-2002, 10:55 PM

Whenever I feel discouraged I just pull out this book. (I have re-read the entire book once again, over the past two days as matter of fact).

Here is another quote, in the context of "Does 'talent' matter"?

That there... "is a species of fear, the fear that your fate IS in your own hands, but that your hands are weak." (p3)

This begs the question (in art or really in anything): is the fear of succeeding greater than the fear of failing?

Chris

P. S. If you don't have this book , go order it!

Mike McCarty · 04-22-2002, 11:03 AM

Ok Chris... It's now dueling quotes, from page 30:

"Adams [Ansel] was right: to require perfection is to invite paralysis. The pattern is predictable: as you see error in what you have done, you steer your work toward what you imagine you can do perfectly. You cling ever more tightly to what you already know you can do - away from risk and exploration, and possibly further from the work of you heart. You find reasons to procrastinate, since to not work is to not make mistakes. Believing that artwork should be perfect, you gradually become convinced that you cannot make such work. (You are correct.) Sooner or later, since you cannot do what you are trying to do, you quit. And in one of those perverse little ironies of life, only the pattern itself achieves perfection - a perfect death spiral: you misdirect your work; you stall; you quit."

Stanka Kordic · 04-22-2002, 06:49 PM

Well Ok you guys, you've convinced me. I'm buying the book.

Jim Riley · 04-23-2002, 11:19 AM

Likewise!

As much as they scare me, I will get this book also. It's as though they know me and my shortcomings and fears.

Note: Don't miss the Ansel Adams bio on PBS's American Experience. A video is also available. It's well done.

Debra Norton · 05-06-2002, 12:36 AM

I bought the book, I'm still reading it, but I'm finding out I'm normal, not as strange as I thought.

Chantal Sulkow · 06-30-2002, 02:34 PM

I bought this book as a gift for a friend that I felt needed a creative lift and I made a note to pick it up for myself later, which I naturally neglected to do. Seeing it mentioned here reminds me that I need to go and get it! Thanks for the reminder!