Art & Fear

Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking

By: David Bayles, Ted Orland

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©1993 David Bayles and Ted Orland (P)2012 Tantor

LIFE SAVING

Weather you admit you are an Artist or maybe you want to be an Artist but surely you are not "good enough" means you ARE an Artist. Get the book. The truth of the message will open your heart. Joy to understand ourselves better and to wrap ourselves in the acceptance of who we are..regardless of outside factors. Truth never changes...if you are reading this...YOU ARE AN ARTIST......CREATE.

Great meditation on the making of Art

I really enjoyed this meditation on what it means to be an artist and to make art. The authors try not to have it be specific to one type of art and are generally successful. While I found the section on art school interesting it was not particularly useful to me for the making of art. The book is a good encouragement to create the art you have the desire to make.

The performance was excellent. A very good and engaging reader. This book could have come across as dry or tedious but Arthur Morely brings the book to life.

If you create any kind of art I recommend this book.

Oh! It's not just me...

Would you consider the audio edition of Art & Fear to be better than the print version?

Never read the print version. But I thought the audio was excellent.

What other book might you compare Art & Fear to and why?

I'm a big fan of Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. I put this up near that on for calming my nerves about my work.

What does Arthur Morey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The right attitude.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, nothing extreme, just a feeling that I'm not alone in my worries and fears about my art. That I'm not crazy. ALL artists feel like I do, and that alone makes doing my work easier. My new mantra is "Embrace uncertainty."

Any additional comments?

It's the doing. It's the process. It's what we learn and become while making our creations that matter, not the end product.

Buy this book

The most succinct and directly inspiring book I have read as a burgeoning artist.
The message is to keep at it, if you must and to embrace irrational fears as nothing more than necessary momentary distractions.
Set your intention and go forth to make art.
I have listened to twice already and will start in on the third listen when needed to keep at it ....
Narration is wonderful

great reminder for All

This is the second time I've listened to this book. and it is as insightful as the first time I heard it. I sent it to my daughter who is graduating this Spring as an art major. I hope it helps her avoid the mistakes of many others who have fotten why and how (for whom might be more appropriate) they do there work.
It helped give me insight into my mother who got a degree in Art and then basically stopped doing​ it. Today she still struggles with self-doubt, much of which was aquired in college, and regret over not working her art. Growing up seeing and hearing of her artistic struggles, I ended up pursuing a business degree pushing aside and surpressing my own artistic passions.
This book is a wonderful, honest and inspiring read.

Excellent breakdown of the artistic process

I keep recommending this book to artist friends who are struggling with their process. It's been a big help for me to understand that my fears and struggles are normal!

Favorite!

Amazing and insightful for all types of artists!! I have found this to be a useful and comforting book throughout my journey!

How to Survive Creativity

Art and Fear was much more rewarding than I expected, while having the added bonus of not being too long. I know several people who are creative types, artists and writers and dancers, but I know many, many more who also are creative types who do not paint nor sculpt or write or dance. They are too filled with fear, doubt, and excuses. I know because I’ve been there.

This book could well be the cure.

The text is filled with examples of art, famous and not, and lively quotations reinforcing various points. The writing is good and never becomes preachy, and the narrator is excellent.

Now leave me alone. I have creating to do….

exceptional

this book is extremely solid and I listen to it at least twice a year. you'll find newer books like Austen Kleon's 'steal like an artist' that play with these same themes, but this book is so much h better researched, narrated, and produced. it's a real book vs. a bunch of good feeling blog posts like some newer 'what art means' type books.

Perfect insight for helping you be the artist that you want to be

Wow, the insight and encouragement in this book was beyond helpful. I learned amd made note of so much. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to create and not quit on themselves and ideas.