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How to Be an Artist
- The New York Times bestseller
- Narrated by: Jerry Saltz
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
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How to Be an Artist
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Publisher's Summary
Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz is here to explain to you how to bring art and creativity into your life, with irreverent, inspiring and priceless pieces of advice on getting on in art.
As the witty and passionate chief art critic for New York magazine, Jerry Saltz is often approached by artists, both amateur and professional, asking him for advice: How do I get started? How do I get better? Is what I'm doing even art at all? They want to know, in short, how to be an artist.
Now, expanding on his viral cover story for New York magazine - and drawing on his decades of immersion in the art world - Saltz has the answers. How to Be an Artist is an indispensable book of practical inspiration for creative people of all kinds. Brimming with dozens of brand new rules, prompts, exercises and tips designed to break through creative blocks, ignite motivation and conquer bad habits, this book is designed to help artists of all kinds - painters, photographers, writers, performers - realise their dreams.
Includes such advice as:
- Make art for now, not the future
- No, you don't need graduate school
- Recognise convention, and resist constraint
- Get lost
- Listen to the wildest voices in your head
- Know what you hate (it's probably you)
- Finish the damn thing!
- How to recover from critical injuries
Critic Reviews
"I wish I had read these rules 40 years ago and carried them around like a bible. By chance or design I've followed most of them at some point but it took me a lifetime as an artist to find what worked. They are the generous, loving, enthusiastic, bullshit-free advice of a master communicator, just reading them makes me want to charge back into the studio." (Grayson Perry)
"Being an artist is a lonely pursuit - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the rest of your life. Most of the time it hurts. This book will help the pain." (Tracey Emin)
What listeners say about How to Be an Artist
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Nicolette
- 28-10-2020
EVERY Artist, visual or other should read this!!
Jerry tells it like it is. He has many wonderful truths to share. Whether you're stuck or not. Read or listen to this book. TIP: listen at 1.5 .... or faster!!
It is an essential read!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sore feet
- 07-08-2022
Truth teller
In 2012 I was in grad school in Chicago. Jerry was doing the rounds of the studios and I got a surprise visit. His insights on that day upended my thinking and still resonate today.
Likewise this book presents a generous gift of deep experience in this field.
I so enjoyed the fact that Jerry narrated this. His assessment is absolutely spot on. He doesn’t mince words and nor should he. It’s a tough road and to gain any measure of success and satisfaction you must stick with it and work uphill constantly.
I loved this so much I bought the hard copy. Thank you Jerry!!
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- Anonymous User
- 10-01-2023
Jerry Saltz’s Golden Nuggets
Here are 60+ golden nuggets that every artist needs, it’s bloody real and great inspiration.
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- Mark A Glouftsis
- 17-06-2021
A good slap across the face.
A good slap across the face and shook hard. Wake up! What are you doing? Stop dreaming and get doing. Loved it.
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- Maram Bakry
- 28-02-2022
This what I was looking for!
Very nice and to the point, no sugar coating, will give you a good list of things to do and keep in mind.
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- Anonymous User
- 19-07-2022
Inspiring, bite size tips.
This book provides practical tips on how to chip away at your craft. It breaks down barriers and empowers the reader in their artistic pursuit. Funny, direct and bit size tips make this an easy read,
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 07-05-2020
LOVED IT
I will definitely be returning to this book again in the future. Such loving, practical and succinct advice. Jerry really understands artists. Get to work !!
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- wendy campbell
- 19-07-2024
My new artists bible
This audible book is inspiring, down to earth and down right helpful. As an artist who has doubted myself and procrastinated for decades this is a God send. I bought a hard copy of the book too m, so I can read again and again.
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- LK
- 07-02-2022
Getting back on track.
After reading a couple of reviews I was initially scared of this book. Reviews like “It was just the kick up the arse that I needed…” and “no nonsense just get to work!.”
Jerry does deliver those messages but he does it in a way that is totally in touch with the artist’s mind. This book is about steadfast encouragement and doesn’t try to shame you into action. The result is a thoroughly motivating book that asks us to rely on what we already know inside. We know the answers and it’s time to trust them. I’ve relistened to this a number of times, and do so whenever I feel like creating art but am avoiding the studio for whatever weird reason. I suggest this book to any creative person I come across who expresses uncertainty about their work or direction. This book has helped me a lot.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-09-2020
For every creative person ever
Everyone needs to hear this who has some kind of creative practice. Jerry has a way of cutting through the crap and delivering a message hard and swift like a punch in the face. The best punch in the face you’ll ever have. Thank you Jerry Saltz
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2 people found this helpful