I was leaving on a trip.

The books I'd ordered hadn't come in yet.

I turned to my bookshelves, seeking something unread to take with me.

Generally, this means I will pick up non-fiction. Funny, how the fiction always gets read first.

I tucked Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking into my carry-on bag, and finished it Monday during my lunch break.

If you have any creative inclinations, read this book.  It's not just for visual artists, and it helped put some resolve in my backbone.  Lately I've struggled with finding time to pursue any of my writing projects.  It's been difficult to find any balance, and in my fatigue I've considered giving up the old dreams of writing for children, writing books, etc.  Art & Fear calmly stated that this is normal, and that's why so many artists quit: fatigue, which is also tied to fear. 

Well, I'm not a quitter.  And, it's hunting season.  So suddenly my evenings are my own and the house is empty quite a bit of the time, so I'm planning to write more, read more, and hopefully carve out time for my creative pursuits.

If you need a kick in the right direction, read this book.  If you like intellectual (but not laborious) discussions about the realities of making art, read this book.  If you have some sort of block preventing you from doing what you dream of doing or are meant to do or be, read this book. 

Here are two quotes I wrote down:

"Your job is to draw a line from your life to your art that is straight and clear."

"The only work really worth doing -- the only work you can do convincingly -- is the work that focuses on the things you care about. to not focus on those issues is to deny the constants in your life."



Image via Better World Books at www.betterworldbooks.com/art-fear-id-0961454733.aspx -- my link button refuses to work. ;-(