There are three ways to earn five stars from me. I swooned over it the first time I read it, including the structure, theme, language, and readability; I find myself recommending the book to others because the book held its place in me for reasons I didn't notice at the time I first read it; or that I return to the book to reread, and in cases of nonfiction, make additional marks in the margins.

Art & Fear is the third type. I've read this book cover to cover four or five times. I have picked More...

A quick read. Recommended highly by a very good writing teacher I had in Santa Cruz, who said, on giving it to me, that it was about the fact that it is the fear of *success* that keeps many artists from succeeding. This, it turned out, was *not* what the book is about (of course, I think it's the kind of book written open-ended with the intention that readers would draw many of their own conclusions, I wouldn't doubt that my writing teacher might have drawn up this conclusion for himself on rea More...

If you are in need of some motivation and don't have time to read The Artist's Way series (which, by the way, I also recommend), it's perfect for you. It addresses issues like perfectionism, creative blocks, and motivation. Here are some of my favorite quotes from it:




In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive.


If ninety-eight percent of our medical students wer More...

Popular and familiar with my friends; it was my first read. Favorite passages:

"Art is like beginning a sentence before you know its ending...tolerance for uncertainty is the prerequisite to succeeding [at making art]."

"Talent...is 'what comes easily'... a gift" yet the author reminds us that "whatever you have is exactly what you need to produce your best work. There is probably no clearer waste of psychic energy than worrying about how much talent you have...Talent may get someone off the start More...

I really enjoyed this for what it is, though some would no doubt think it full of platitudes. The authors address the obstacles and challenges in making art, any kind of art. My interest flagged a bit at the beginning of part 2, but was revived by the last two chapters.

There are many observations and reminders that we probably already know or believe, but it's always good to hear them again. For instance, the fact that meaning is something that you make, rather than find. It's a book about faci More...

It starts out strong, very strong, and then falls apart in a semantic entanglement of mixed metaphors and pseudo philosophy that spends a lot of words saying very little. It's a bit frustrating to read, the section on art and science was a disaster, perhaps demonstrating the authors complete lack of understanding of science. The two authors refer to "art" in such a flimsy pretext that they not only fail to define it, they change the implied definition to suit whatever point is being made but the More...

This book is about the challenges in making, or not making, art. Making art is difficult. Many times artists will stop making art and then feel guilty about not returning. Why? The is what the author says-- "Lack of confidence and self doubt -- I'm not an artist-- I'm a phony; other people are better than I am; I've never had a real exhibit; I'm no good. Or maybe fear about what others say after looking at your work. Basically the only work really worth doing-- the only work you can do convincin More...

I borrowed this from the library and after reading it I must say that I am giving serious thought to buying my own copy. The authors themselves are working artists and it took them years to write this book. It's well worth the wait. Even thought it's a slim volume at 118 pages, the thoughts and observations contained within are of great importance to artists. Flags peek out of the side of this book from all the passages I wanted to remember. I remember reading a negative comment about the book t More...

This book was recommended to me and to all of my fellow art students by a professor, whose every word is normally golden. I must say this was the exception.

When this small pamphlet of a book was published in the early nineties, perhaps it answered an urgent need of recent art school grads and artists struggling to stay productive when faced with the loneliness of the process. It's still true, outside of the nurturing environment of art academia, the level of disinterest in art, and the artist's More...

Feb 10th:
I finished this a couple of days ago, having skipped through most of Part 2, which reads as though the authors dictated it while sipping long drinks and congratulating one another; it reads as though the publisher said, Come on, I can't publish something as slight as this [i.e. Part 1] and call it non-fiction. Please add to it. Which is a pity, because Part 1, apart from some wordiness, is full of lovely observations about art-making (as ranted over below). Part 2 is long-winded and bor More...

A quick, no-nonsense, part-philosophical-part-practical examination of what it means to make art, no matter the medium, and to continue to do so in spite of its inherent challenges. The authors' basic premise is that you can and will only ever be you, and all the other people in the world will also only ever be themselves. It might seem obvious, but the logical corollary here is that it is a pity to not make art because you are the only person who could ever make the art that you make. A second More...

Depending upon where you may be in your particular process as an artist, "Art and Fear" can be a light in the dark for anyone desiring to take their work more seriously. Oftentimes, those who write, paint, sculpt or shoot fear discussing this topic with others, even other artists, at the risk of sounding pretentious or dull. To read this book, a slim, unassuming-looking little volume, is to feel freer in admitting: I am an artist, or writer. My work is important to me, even if it is unimportant More...

‎"If you're constantly ruminating about what you just did, or what you should have done, or what you would have done ... You WILL miss your life."- Sam Harris

I'm watching Sam Harris | "Death and the Present Moment" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxAI65...)... and it made me think about this book. Paralyzed by an inability to just create, without over-thinking, over-analyzing, this particular quote is a useful reminder.

The book itself, offers the usual nudges needed and yet continue to be ignore More...

I could really relate to the first third of this book and found it very motivating as an artist. After that, it got less and less interesting and more and more vague. My favorite quotes/sections from the first part:

pg 3 "Even talent is rarely distinguishable, over the long run, from perseverance and hard work."

pg 5 "The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your work that soars."

pg. 15 "Imagination is in control whenyou be More...

I read this book as requirement for part of my art class; I found it a surprisingly easy read. It talks of the challenges todays artists face, it addresses every negative aspect that comes with being an artists, and makes you relies, whether your an artist or not, that you as an individual are full of self doubt. The author uses plenty of helpful examples to prove his point that people (artists especially) are consistently telling themselves their not good enough, some one else’s art is always More...

If you know me, you know I write songs, a lot. I've written about three albums of solo material and one black metal EP, not a bad output (I would think?) for someone who's been doing this rather steadily for only about 5 years (although I wrote perhaps 20 songs in high school, but never did much with them). Enjoying the smell of my own farts aside, I definitely come across a common problem when I'm writing (or rather, trying to write) songs.

I often feel inhibited, have self-doubts, and worry ab More...

Mostly I thought, this took 10 years to write?

Or, okay, that's not accurate. It was developed over 10 years? It's a very thin pamphlet!

It's one of those self-help (ish) books that's full of a lot of self-evident truths, with here and there an interesting application or thought. I believe it's aimed primarily at fine artists; if you're working just for your own satisfaction, or directly for a client, a lot of the obstacles described in the book aren't going to pertain to you. For instance. Unles More...

Excellent parallel reading to Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. Easily absorbed within the space of a couple hours, but nevertheless gives a lot to chew on and think about for quite a while afterward. As a working artist, I both lament the relative scarcity of books on the process of making art that don't end up disappearing into pretension; and also greatly appreciate those that do come along and address the issue in a voice that connects with the insecurities that organically and genuinely ari More...

It seems to me this book could have been called Life and Fear; many of its valid points could be understood and profitably applied with little change by anyone as he pursues his journey through life. Many are artists who don't create lasting music, paintings, sculpture, etc (let's call that fine art). Doctors, lawyers, even accountants can elevate their crafts to art, and human relations is unquestionably an art form. Fine art, though, seems to be a particularly self-absorbing exercise, giving More...

this is a fantastic read for any artist. I feel like all this stuff is common sense but its really nice that they wrote it down for you and then you can say, 'Its OK I feel this way, they said so and they have a good argument for it'. This is now my handbook and will be within reach anytime I feel high and dry and out in a desert.

Art and Fear is a book about artists and the fears that often prevent them from reaching their full potential. It’s about making art, and most especially, about not quitting.

The book truly resonated with me, and I found myself highlighting quotes on almost every page. For example, “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... even the failed pieces are essential.” To me, the single most important mes More...

I picked this book up to read on a flight home after a short vacation with friends. I expected it to be one of those easy to digest self-help books but I actually found this book to be quite thoughtful. The discussions are not facile, and the authors explore (David Bayles and Ted Orland) the way people come to art and make decisions about pursuing it. The writers make the point at the outset that they are not talking about artists like Mozart; they're talking about ordinary people who choose to More...

This book provides a lot of good questions. In fact I'm very tempted to go back and write the interesting questions down for journaling on later. The answers that the book does provide are a bit on the obvious side and that might be because I've been practicing art long enough to get over the beginner's mythos.

I was hoping for some practical advice in this book (along the lines of The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity ) but what I found was more general assurance that way I'm More...

Scott Berkun, whom I really enjoy reading, indicated that this was a much better version of Pressfields's "The War of Art" (TWoA). However, I found just the opposite.

To me, I was able to extrapolate the content of TWoA out to my life. With "Art & Fear" (A&F) it really seemed almost solely applicable to writers, with some random mentions of painters, photographers, and musicians thrown in to justify the title.

Additionally, TWoA was more than anything about overcoming procrastination rath More...

This was a, i suppose editorial is best to describe this, recommended by a professor during the last stretch of my undergrad in fine arts. And I still wish I read it sooner, but I am not sure if I could have appreciated this sooner than the point in my life in which I read it. It certainly clarifies myths, trials and world of art as a career. I recommend this to the artist or any person within the arts; be it music, writing etc. This novella, though small, is a thick read and a perfect way to re More...

The intention of this book is to help the artist view the work they do, themselves, and the way they go about it, for example “...fears about yourself prevent you from doing your best work, while fears about your reception by others prevent you from doing your own work.”

How letting fears be in control prevents us from being creative. And for some, it stifles the creative process for good. The message on the whole seemed to be, your not alone in fear. It's as if they are holding up a mirror so y More...

Artmaking Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
by David Bayles

Teton County Library Call No: 701.15 BAYLES
Suzanne's Rating: 5 Stars

Art & Fear is a great read if you fancy artmaking on any level. It explores the process, the stumbling blocks and insights related to making art. It discusses and acknowledges the challenges artists encounter with juggling this desire/need to make stuff with other aspects of life. It also acknowledges that many people give up on More...

Again, a difficult book to rate with stars. I found it an inspiring conversation about what it means to make art, from the problematics of a society that seldom rewards it to striving towards a definition of art itself. Much of this book was eminently quotable, and it's the kind I'd love to recommend to a friend who was having doubts or who wanted to consider being an artist. But for the professional artist/writer there isn't much here that we don't already know, and finally the only take-away i More...

This book is outstanding at helping remove the usual excuses that impede art creation. Some are internal like perfectionism, a supposed lack of talent, technique or simple confidence deficit. Also the outside world and it's many critics and networks are lined up to answer for their sins. The author does a great job at putting things in perspective. The author tries to answer the eternal question: why do we make art and is it worth it after all. It also proposes that to be an artist is to make ar More...