#currentlyreading

One of my new favorite books (for this week, anyway) is this little 140ish-page book by Austin Kleon called, Steal Like an Artist. I borrowed this book from my sister, who is an entrepreneur in all things delicious! It ranges from catchy quotes to truth-filled deadpans. Additionally, it has journal-like sketches and doodles throughout, which are right up my alley when it comes to remembering several bits of information.

I enjoy reading (and rereading for that matter) books that I can look at in multiple ways. This little advice-giver uses what is already around the reader and encourages them to create something with a personality. A lot of the times I find that creating art becomes a pressurized thing, where I feel like I need to meet another person’s expectations—even if that person is not even there! This should not be the case. When was the last time you created art just for yourself?

Another step beyond that: this book is not just about creating art, but about embracing the messiness of life. It explains how being creative is about taking what I find around me and changing it in a way that it means something significant.

One of the suggestions that it gives to stay creative and to learn to show appreciation without expecting anything back. Yes, I want to get better, but it’s also need to remember to take the pressure off myself to create something great and just continue to create what I love. I had to laugh to myself because this is—for the most part—the life of an artist. For me at least, I like to work on certain artistic endeavors like drawing and writing. However, I do not have the luxury of being paid for any doodles or scribbles that I’ve accomplished. Not yet anyways! On the other hand, I have learned to be a student again, and I am teaching myself to be patient and hone my craft. Maybe one day I’ll produce a successful graphic novel. I could just hang hundreds of paintings in my house. It could be that my third novel will take off soar up the charts to hit the bestseller's list.

Whatever the outcome of my musings, I always want to put my whole heart into it. This is the only way it will ever be worth something. I’m learning that it is okay to create from art heroes, as long as I give appropriate credit. It is fine to draw inspiration out of favorite movies and books, if I also attempt my own unique creations. And (I have to remind myself a lot) it is perfectly normal to ask for help, even though it seems to be the toughest thing in the world. Yeah, I’m preaching to myself here. Learning is a part of growing and making mistakes is a part of improving.

Go outside! Take a walk! Pet a dog! Eat ice cream! Chase a frisbee! My challenge to you is to see the world from another lens and, to borrow what someone told me this past week, quit trying to make your work look like someone else’s! Go all out and make it a great representation of what you want to convey. What is the fingerprint to your art?

So tell me: Where have you royally messed up on this week? What has been one success? How have you seen growth in the last month? What can you continue to learn? Let’s pick up our lessons and leave behind our failures, charging ahead into the great unknown! After all, isn’t that where inspiration comes from?