Steal Like an Artist -- by Austin Kleon: A Recommendation and Response
I recently stumbled upon this book (Priya, it was indeed at Left Bank!) and began reading it a few weeks ago. When Dr. Chmiel presented the prompts regarding creativity at last Thursday’s writing class, I immediately felt this book was well on point with what we discussed, and that others might want to read this book.
The author’s objective is to share things about being creative that he wished he’d known sooner. He writes in a tangible and matter-of-fact way, so that I feel as if he’s discussing these ideas with me at my coffee table, and occasionally using my dry erase board to show me his various charts and cartoon clarifications.
FRONT
BACK
His list of ten things that “nobody told you about being creative” is on the back of his book for all to see, available as posters on his website, so you can gain a rudimentary understanding of the map of his ideas by looking this list over. His discussion of each topic pulls the reader into a deeper level of understanding, and through suggestive exercises, makes you want to deconstruct the material and apply it to yourself, which brings about an even deeper level of understanding. For example, in number 1, he discusses that everyone is a conglomerate of what they take in, and if you want to embody good work that you admire, look to artists you admire, then find out who they admired, then who those admired, and so on and so forth. Each chapter has working suggestions like these, which makes me want to get out my notebook immediately and consider my muses and research them more fully, becoming more self-aware of my artistic leanings.
If you’d like to learn more about this book, you can check out the artist/writer’s book trailer and webpage for more information:
Book Trailer for Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
Artist/Author's Web Page
Below, two quotes from Steal Like an Artist paired with two journal responses regarding my biggest hang up with creativity:
“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” - André Gide
“Conan O’Brien has talked about how comedians try to emulate their heroes, fall short, and end up doing their own thing. Johnny Carson tried to be Jack Benny but ended up Johnny Carson. David Letterman tried to copy Johnny Carson but ended up David Letterman. And Conan O’Brien tried to be David Letterman but ended up Conan O’Brien. In O’Brien’s words, ‘It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique.’ Thank goodness.” -- Steal Like an Artist
Why is it that I feel like other people have important things to say, but not me? Because it’s already been said? Because people may not understand or because they might disagree? You compromise your inerrant truth when you restrict or constrict. Not everyone will agree, nor should they. And even if they have an appreciation for what you say, they might not want to read your essay, novel, song, quote, poem 100 times over, but that does not mean it’s not good or valid. So difficult this is.
I wish I had remembered my art book -- do I have it? I am always wondering what I have to say that has not been done. It doesn't need to not have been done before, it goes along with *#5 that once executed, the idea will never be as good as it is in my mind, that no - you are not discovering a new element, and even if you were, it is still not “new” in that others (scientists, etc) have discovered other elements too. In my art book, it says that everything has been said before, but no one was listening and so it must be said again. It must be said again. In a new way, reflecting our current generations, with your vision merged with technology that wasn’t there before. Don’t put previous generations to shame! Don’t not do it. Look at it. It’s OK that someone has done it before. Do it YOUR way, and it will still be good! And if it sucks, oh well. Don’t worry.
Naivete. Naive to think you are the first and the last. Who do you build from? Those who came before you, and they build from those that came before them. Each with their unique vision and style, -- unhappy accidents included. The Cobb salad, Kleenex tissues and instant mac and cheese, were all, in a way, a mistake! Happy accidents. Set out for something. So, you do know this. Why do you have so much knowledge but you do not act? I should have been a preacher -- it’d have been easier. It’s the DOING that is hard. So throw off what others have done, because even if you try to do exactly as others have, you still likely will not.
But I want to be a people-pleaser, to do it right! I don’t want to copy; I want to be original. But I don’t want to get it wrong either. You. Cannot. Have. Both. Contradictions abound.
*#5 is from the list of Twyla Tharp’s (choreographer) list of artistic fears, discussed in class.
this reminds me of a project called everything is a remix (http://vimeo.com/14912890). the idea is that none of us, even the great artists and inventors, come up with this stuff out of thin air. we're constantly borrowing, tweaking, or outright stealing stuff from other people. then we filter that stuff through our own consciousness, and it comes out our own.
ReplyDeletethat being said, i also want to be original. but maybe originality isn't so much about doing something completely different than anything that's been done before. maybe originality can be you, today, where you're at, writing what you're writing.