Art Thinking: How to Carve Out Creative Space in a World of Schedules, Budgets, and Bosses

by Amy Whitaker

An indispensable and inspiring guide to creativity in the workplace and beyond, drawing on art, psychology, science, sports, law, business, and technology to help you land big ideas in the practical world.

Anyone from CEO to freelancer knows how hard it is to think big, let alone follow up, while under pressure to get things done. Inventing Point B offers practical principles, inspiration, and a healthy dose of pragmatism to help you navigate the difficulties of balancing creative thinking with driving toward results.

With an MBA and an MFA, Amy Whitaker, an entrepreneur-in-residence at the New Museum Incubator, draws on stories of athletes, managers, writers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and even artists to engage you in the process of “art thinking.” If you are making a work of art in any field, you aren’t going from point A to point B. You are inventing point B. Art thinking combines the mindsets of art and the tools of business to protect space for open-ended exploration and to manage risks on your way to success.

Inventing Point B takes you from “Wouldn’t it be cool if?” to realizing your highest aims, helping you build creative skills you can apply across all facets of business and life. Warm, honest, and unexpected, Inventing Point B will help you reimagine your work and life—and even change the world—while enjoying the journey from point A.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Art, Self Help, Leadership, Management, Design

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 5, 2016

Reviews

[Sassafras Patterdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

there were aspects of this book that I was really excited to see exist in the world and felt really appropriate to so many of the realities i juggle as an author who also has a dayjob. the parts of the book that felt most meaningful and interesting were when she spoke about her MFA and MBA and the interelatedness, particularly the idea that those of us working day jobs have a diversified portfolio that pays into your life in different ways. I would have liked a LOT more of that, and descrptions of dynamics that working artists have negotiated for themselves and less spotlight on startup businesses (which I found much less interesting)

[Chris Boutté · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was decent, but not one of the best. The first half of the book was much better than the second half. Amy Whitaker discusses ways to think creatively in your work environment to come up with new ideas, but the second half of the book just seemed to really drag on.

[anna b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best business book I've read this year. Love the part on finding your metaphor.

[JW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone seeking more high-minded ideas about the intersection of creativity and business than what's typically offered in your book store's how-to section.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long on theory, short on how-to.

The phrase "how-to" in a title implies that you're going to be given concrete tips for doing things. However, in this case, the word "thinking" comes first for a reason: Whitaker is long on thought models and theory, short on practical advice.

That's not necessarily a complaint. Theory has its places, and employers trying to inject creative thinking into their companies will benefit from Whitaker's explanation of what art thinking is and how you can go about implementing it. Actual artists, however, don't really need this one, unless they'd like to have a nice rhetorical framework to convince their own companies (everybody's got a day job, right?) that the office could be a bit more flexible and creative. There's also a bang-up defense of the humanities that gently explains, without getting indignant, why the arts still matter, which will no doubt come in handy for anyone who tends to sputter incoherently when someone argues fr their demise.

A neat addition to the canon of business literature, but definitely optional for most collections. Most suitable for business and corporate libraries. Definitely read it, though, if you are middle-to-upper management, as it may give you some insights on your creative talent, and why they are often dissatisfied with an overly rigid approach.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love everything in this book. Whitaker effectively draws inspiration from a variety of fields, while building clever frameworks for understanding "art thinking". It bridges theory and practicality seamlessly. That said, there's an element of cramming too much into a chapter--you have to work to remember each chapter's thesis. And frankly I prefer this to the usual breed of highly redundant business and innovation books.

[Eric Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for creatives, but as a savvy entrepreneur many of the lessons in this book are more obvious. I love the depth of the examples and there were a couple of key points I took away from the book that expand my vocabulary.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup o tea. I'm an artist, looking for ways to be a better business person. This leaned more toward business people who need to loosen up and get their creative side going. Some interesting anecdotes.

[Mary Dharshini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art Thinking – Amy Whitaker

When I first picked up “Art Thinking”, what appealed to me the most was that it was different from all the other design thinking books I had come across. It was not the usual innovation = efficiency chit-chat but the close-to-the-heart writing style that attracted me. It was something that actually incorporated art into the way we think and create.

This book created a huge impact on me even though I had read only a few pages. Unlike the orthodox thinking, it places value of thinking outside the box. The way it’s written makes it easy and enjoyable to read. Plus, we can actually relate to the examples given by the author.

Being the art enthusiast I am, I really appreciated how Amy had connected art and business. How creative mindset can open up opportunities even in corporate places. This felt refreshing because most books focus more on theories, techniques or business jargon. This book never felt academic-heavy. It was more like talking and listening to someone with much experience than us and actually taking notes.

If I had to point one line that had me interested immediately, then it would be
“power fades in the copy”

Overall, this book is not a typical one-time read. From my point of view, I’d say it is a everyday reminder that design thinking is not equal to applying fixed equation.

[Andrew Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does contain some genuinely useful knowledge presented in an attainable way.

For someone with a business background, it seems like this book would provide an insight into the world of art thinking and how to work with creatives to make money for both parties.

For someone with an art background, it seems like it provides a framework for how to make money with your art.

For someone with neither of those backgrounds (e.g., me), it seems like this really favors the business side of the exchange. I felt that there was much more time and space devoted to how art can fit into the business world and how businesses can incorporate artists than how business should make space for art or how art can change the way business is done. To me, this was exemplified by the author's idea to convert art into a speculative market, which strikes me as incredibly dangerous financially and undermines the value of art, or by the idea split ownership of ideas and creative work into fractions in order to resolve legal disputes and pay creatives based on a business's success.

Overall, while this book isn't badly written, I don't think I would recommend it to either artists or businesspeople.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a seminal book for me. Some thoughts that I had, starting five years ago, about art in my work, were articulated in Ms. Whitaker's excellent book. I think everyone should read it, craft and business people, as well as artists, because has Amy says, art pervades our thinking.

Here's a great quote from her final chapter: "Ultimately in that process, we are all, alone and together, makers. We make things all the time. We make friendships and lives and mistakes and attempts and repairs and plans and schedules and babies and books and cards and pictures and reports and bridges and campaigns and arguments and efforts and experiences and events. And art. And a living. We are all deeply engaged in the creation of value and in the act of making a contribution, by presence or work or kindness or talent or collective effort on projects that are smaller or larger than ourselves. You may get credit or you may get paid. You may know or not know the impact of your own behavior. We rarely start with a blank slate; we just pull the lumbering, existent world closer to what we hope it can be."

I think you should read it.

[Rob Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book well after its publication date but at a time in my life/career where I'm looking for ideas and possible change. I would not call it a self-help book, though it does offer plenty of guidance on how to think about creativity from within our capitalist system. Using a whole host of fascinating historical and contemporary examples, the author draws us into a refreshing and positive world where ideas, dreams and sometimes art can become stories of huge success - financially, creatively, or historically as with the vivid detailing of Roger Bannister's 4-minute mile. The writing is full of warmth and humor too, making it an immensely enjoyable read, whatever the topic - balloon catheters, fractional ownership, bricks, or the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. In such examples (and many more) the book is bursting with information, but it's also full of ideas about how to give creativity the space and time it needs to emerge and excel. That said, it never pretends to have all the answers, bringing up just as many new thoughts and questions as it helped me with. It was the tonic I was hoping for.

[Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is misleading. This may sound harsh... but I wonder if this was written as a business book first and then realised it didn't have a differentiated hook so they sprinkled in a couple of art references. The major examples - athletes and inventors - leaves its aimrd far wider that just art... but at the same time the application and commentary makes this less useful for a practicing artist looking for more than generic advice. Perhaps a better target group for this book is business or management folk who want ways to get their creativity flowing. Even in this case it should lose the "how to"... it is strong on examples and weak in converting this to actionable frameworks.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an artist and an arts administrator, I was amazed and delighted with Art Thinking. Amy Whitaker has a talent: she is able to take complex ideas and present them in a clear and concise manner that keeps the complexity intact. Before I had finished this book, I was purchasing extra copies to give to friends, family members, and colleagues. This book is focussed on making room for creativity in the workplace, but it is also applicable to education, child rearing, and how to live your own life. I highly recommend it.

[Soha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dropped this book after 60 pages cuz I think that's plenty of time to say something and yet I feel like I haven't learned a thing....
It's partially because other books had already mentioned many of this stuff but mostly because I don't think the writer is in a place to write about creativity to begin with. Sure you learn stuff by studying about others but it's not the same as creating something new yourself.

[Wan Shoo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have trouble understanding the relationship between art thinking and management even after reading the book. There are useful tips for managing a business and people but the author failed to define the correlation of it with fine art thinking.

[Leen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I find myself losing interest in this book after chapter 2, so I didn't finish it. I find the introduction part - the art thinking framework is helpful enough for me.

[Navid_az · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you want start a business if you want to know what questions you muat to ask yourself you should read this!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read that really resonated with me.

[Elisefur · Rating 3 out of 5]

中文翻譯有點糟。一天看完，前半部比較有趣，但後半就一般商管書，一直帶入模式而感覺空泛。但還是有些不錯的觀點和故事可以參考。2.5吧 :>

[Eman Elkfrawy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I pushed myself too much to finish this book.
Some parts were exciting and really inspiring but overall I was on the verge of DNFing it.

[Madhusree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book( did not finish it from cover to cover..dipped into it) hoping to find inspiration in a fallow writing period.

[Princess Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*

[Dee McLadha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some very interesting anecdotes and insights scattered along the way, but I honestly could not tell you what this book is about.

[Megan Griswold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why aren't there more books like this? For those of us on the decidedly nonlinear path, weaving back and forth over the line between practical money-making endeavors and imaginative passion projects, being given the space and permission to think in something other than dualities is really liberating. I did find this book a bit theory-heavy, but it turns out that's exactly what I wanted it to be-- it's truly a guide for learning a new way of thinking, and to ask for that to be broken down into steps and bullet points is kind of killing the point. Overall I appreciated the cross-pollination of the MFA world with the MBA one, and I'd love to see more conversations get started in this space.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book's title is misleading. Too many examples and theory and not enough practical application.

Perhaps it would be better suited for someone in a different occupation.

[Amanda]

Slowly paced but contains some good tools for thinking about your life and career.

[May Ling · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was between a 3 and 4 for me, but the topic is still growing its discourse and in that regard, I think Whitaker is ahead of the curve, so 4!!

I prefer the upfront chapters. She does a good job explaining how the creative approach to problem solving might differ from the manner in which corporations have grown to organize. She stops short of suggesting that corporations might actually being organizing themselves in precisely the wrong way if their goal is creative thinking, though you kind of get the impression by the end of the book regardless.

I prefer the book The Medici Effect, but if you're on a budget and you find this at the library, I'd go ahead and read it.