Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Art and Fear is a broader book than the title suggests. In fact, I was initially put off by the title but read it because several art friends and I were reading it for discussion later. The authors made good arguments about the sources of fear, their nuances, and how they impact the art we create. Their observations draw from examples of art, writing and music that are transferable to many other areas in life. Despite its slim spine and conversational tone, I bookmarked many passages throughout the book that I revisited afterwards. Some gave me new insights about why I make art, others confirmed my own observations, and some even validated things I took for granted, such as routine habits that give room to creativity. I would recommend this book to individuals who may be fearless, but would still like greater insight to their own creativity.
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