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    Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
    Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
    Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
    Audiobook3 hours

    Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking

    Written by David Bayles and Ted Orland

    Narrated by Arthur Morey

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting it there?These are questions that matter, questions that recur at each stage of artistic development-and they are the source for this volume of wonderfully incisive commentary. Art Fear explores the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way.This is a book about what it feels like to sit in your studio or classroom, at your wheel or keyboard, easel or camera, trying to do the work you need to do. It is about committing your future to your own hands, placing free will above predestination, choice above chance. It is about finding your own work.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 23, 2012
    ISBN9781452677514
    Author

    David Bayles

    David Bayles is a photographer, writer & conservationist. He is the past Director of Pacific Rivers Council and co-author of numerous scientific articles on endangered aquatic species. His recent book Notes on a Shared Landscape offers a superbly crafted collection of his photographs & personal writings about the American West.

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    Reviews for Art & Fear

    4.5/5

    190 ratings30 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I wish I could quote the whole book here. It just made me giggle again and again. For example, this is me reading Tarot cards;Art is exquisitely responsive. Nowhere is feedback so absolute as in the making of art. The work, vibrates in perfect harmony to everything we put into it – or withhold from it. In the outside world there may be no reaction tow hat we do; in our artwork there is nothing but reaction.The breathtakingly wonderful thing about this reaction is its truthfulness. Look at your work and it tells you how it is when you hold back or when you embrace. When you are lazy, your art is lazy; when you hold back, it holds back; when you hesitate, it stands there staring, hands in its pockets.And this is the recipe for changing someone else’s mind;When Columbus returned from the New World and proclaimed the earth was round, almost everyone else went right on believing the earth was flat. Then they died – and the next generation grew up believing the world was round. That’s how people change their minds.

      4 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The paradox of artmaking is that most artists believe on some level that they are (or should be) exceptional individuals with a unique vision, but also that that vision should be one that most people should be able to identify with. This book does nothing to resolve that paradox, but it does present us with reasons to live with the contradiction (of our own ordinariness and our art's timelessness; ars longa, vita brevis) and go on producing in spite of it.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Wonderful and really intelligent book where there is a real reflexion about art

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Years before Malcolm Gladwell built a wonderfully compelling case for the critical importance of practice and opportunity in "Outliers: The Story of Success," David Bayles and Ted Orland spent seven years producing their thin, lean, and absolutely inspiring work on how we can develop our own creative artistry through faith and perseverance. "You make good work by (among other things) making lots of work that isn't very good, and gradually weeding out the parts that aren’t good, the parts that aren't yours" (p. 26) they write, and in the process do us all a favor by reminding us that creativity flourishes through what we learn from failure as much as from what we learn through success. We're working with the basics here, as we can see from chapter headings including "Fears About Yourself," "Fears About Others," and "Finding Your Work." The writers address the perils of trying to create work that pleases others rather than work that begins by pleasing ourselves--a theme of interest to anyone involved in creative endeavors, including any trainer-teacher-learner. They remind us that if we teach, we also need to set aside time for pursuing our craft--a warning that applies equally to trainers who may not make the time to continue pursuing the learning opportunities that they need to be effective. They conclude by suggesting that making art "is to sing with the human voice" and that if we are to persevere, we would do well to begin by developing our own unique voices and using those voices to explore our darkest chasms to produce the "revealing light" of our own minds" (p. 117).

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Much cheaper than therapy. A great book to help with the common pitfalls of art making, most notably quitting. It's well written with a helpful and frank tone (no pretension here).

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book isn't a "how to" manual. It's a book about the fears behind art and artmaking. It discusses the fears and other ways of looking at them - in other words, it helps you to confront your fears.

      This book is a MUST for the shelf of anyone creative - be you a fine artist, an illustrator, an animator, a graphic designer, a cartoonist, etc. Even now, I still pull it out from time to time to allay the doubts I have.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Such a helpful reminder of how and why we strive to make art.
    • 4/5
      A short note before I begin my review: I'm neither an art student, nor teacher. But art is still a hobby of mine.
      This is the kind of book you should read when you suddenly become unsure of your art. Some things in this book you probably already know and some you might assume. To see them written down in an actual book can be quite reassuring, though.
      As for me, this book explained quite a lot of things to me that somehow I already knew at some point. Kind of gave me a confidence boost.
    • 5/5
      For those who find themselves worrying because they don't believe in their talent anymore it's the perfect book to know they're not alone out there and that it is normal to feel that way. We all go through doubts.
      Comparing ourselves is losing our energy into something that doesn't matter because everyone's journey is different. Making art is a decision, and if we ever choose art then we choose also suffering along the way.
      Just keep working and exploring without thinking too much of what you're doing.
      Just like Picasso said "inspiration exists, but it had to find you working".

    • 5/5
      I got this book from the library and then I had to buy it for my own collection. It resonated with me as an artist. I needed to be able to write in it and respond. There are some really great passages in there that help me to get past my doubts and artist blocks. It should be in every artists library and it should be manditory reading for every studio art major.
    • 4/5
      One to keep and re-read again and again. I love little books that make great and lasting points. This is one of them.
    • 4/5
      One of the few books that addresses the challenges of a practising artist.
    • 5/5
      ' What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting there? These are questions that matter...' A guide for everybody, even non artists as they may see themselves as artists again... It's not just about visual arts, but ANY form of artistic expression.
    • 2/5
      Sadly, I found this book horribly boring and uninteresting so much so that my mind often wandered as I was reading. However, I thoroughly appreciate what the authors were saying and trying to achieve.
    • 5/5
      The most useful and thought provoking book I have read on the process of making art! Outstanding!
    • 1/5
      Began well, but faded. Never finished it
    • 5/5
      I'm quite hesitant about reading a lot of non-fiction books, because almost everybody is a writer and 80% of the time what is written is......disappointing.
      But when I read a book that absolutely nails it, I get excited.

      This books clearly articulates a lot of challenges about the process of art making that I've always known intuitively but could not put to words. And it goes straight to the fundamentals, such that no matter what art form you are practicing, you can understand exactly what is said and how it applies to you.

      And it's a short listen. Perfect
    • 5/5
      A beautiful, short ode to the career of an artist, the philosophy behind it, and its many perils.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book because it covers the many aspects of an artist’s journey, giving a fresh perspective. I feel newly inspired after listening to the audio version, & think anyone can enjoy this book! I felt as though the ending was slightly abrupt, which is why I’m giving it 4 stars. I would read it again.
    • 5/5
      Definitely a book I think I'll end up reading multiple times.
    • 5/5
      great book. i give to all my artist friends
    • 5/5
      Fantastic book , as an artist (painter) I found myself nodding in agreement every 30 seconds . These authors totally understand the mindset of an artist and the struggles that come along the path of being one .. some incredible insights which I have not heard before and thought processes which have already helped me greatly. highly recommend this book
    • 4/5
      Great motivation for anyone making stuff. The advice and insights are timeless and applicable to any sort of creative endeavour.
    • 5/5
      This is the perfect book for any artist to listen to when the supposed muse goes on an extended holiday. I think every art and art history student should have a listen. It eloquently explains the difference between art appreciation and art making, an issue that many young artists struggle with. I will certainly recommend it to my students.
    • 5/5
      A remarkable and essential companion for any artist
    • 4/5
      Short, sweet, and concise. Got me motivated to keep working on the good work and fighting the good fight!
    • 5/5
      'Art and Fear' is the most concise and friendly companion to anyone trying to define themselves as an artist that I have so far encountered.
    • 5/5
      Definitely helps with imposter syndrome. Through stories and thought provoking questions, the book really highlights the importance of where we are in our creative journey as artists(any kind of artist) and how to avoid negative comparisons with other works of art.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book, it was exactly what I needed to hear. Very interesting points, I could definitely listen to it again as there was a lot to absorb even though it was short enough.
    • 5/5
      I appreciate this book! It's a good insightful listen as a sculpturist ?