Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
by David Bayles, Ted Orland
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Book Summary Information
Author: David Bayles, Ted OrlandEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2001-04-01
ISBN: 0961454733
Number of pages: 122
Publisher: Image Continuum Press
Book Reviews of Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
Book Review: Essentially useless unless you are really consumed with yourself
Summary: 3 Stars
I read this book in hopes it would help me break through a current bout of "writer's block". Uh, no. This slim volume took the authors seven years to write. It is so ponderous, that it feels like it takes seven years to read.
The basic problem is that the authors think that being an "artist" somehow makes the self-perceived artist both different and more important than the ordinary person.
For example, "healthy artistic environments are about as common as unicorns. We live in a society that encourages competition at demonstrably vicious levels, and sets a hard and accountable yardstick for judging who wins". Read it in context and I think it is trying to assert that even the worst "artist" should be judged by different standards than merely "Yuck! You call that art?"
There is a desired here to romanticize art, "artists" and the creation of "art", to raise all above the level of mere mortal efforts. For example, one of their conceits that they call attention to is headed "Crea**vity", followed by an expanation: "Readers may wish to note that nowhere in this book does the dreaded the [sic] C-word appear. Why should it? Do only some people have ideas, conront problems, dream, live in the real world and breathe air?" Wow . . . isn't that meaningful? I don't think so. I think it is more meaningful that the authors are grandstanding, calling attention to their little conceit of not using "creativity" to describe the artist's work.
Those who consider themselves "artists" may find solace here: they are misunderstood creatures who themselves deal with processes that they don't understand. They are, after all, artists and as "artists", "you declare what is important". You. You! You!!! It's all about you.
In my humble opinion, the authors spent seven years trying to create a Zen of art . . . and they failed. Thst doesn't mean "Art & Fear" is an awful book. It is, in fact, occasionally interesting and the quotations at the beginning of each chapter are well selected and undoubtedly the most profound words in the book.
But "Art & Fear" comes nowhere near satisfying the authors' boastful claim that it is "An Artist's Survival Guide". It is more like an ode to insincerity, bucking up the person who self-designates themselves as an "artist" and feels that their genius is under-appreciated.Isn't this true for all of us, artist or not?
Jerry
Summary of Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
An artist's survival guide, written by and for working artists. The authors explore the way art gets made, the reasons it doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way.Criticism Books
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