Saturday Share : The Jealous Curator (Danielle Krysa)

I picked up the book The Creative Block by the popular blogger The Jealous Curator, also known as Danielle Kysa. But as the Jealous Curator is how most of us that follow her online know her. Truth is I have been traveling so much and haven't wanted to bring such a beautiful large book such as The Creative Block with me so I haven't done more with the book than thumb through it at this point. But I follow her blog daily and that was perfect when we were on the road a week ago.

I will get to all these wonderful projects eventually! 

Saturday Share : Daily Rituals by Mason Curry

One third of the way through Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Curry I realized I need a wife or a servant to be a successful artist. In all seriousness I learned a lot from reading this collection of habits and routines from various famous creatives over the years. While many of them did have wives and/or servants to deal with the children and more household duties so they could lock themselves in a room for hours at a time. Still plenty of others had/have day jobs and would create during their lunch hour or after hours. A number of them were married women with children. As long as I have discipline I have plenty of time to work hard and get things done. It was a great book for reading on the road until it became too dark for me to see clearly. I highly recommend picking this book up if you are a creative type looking to feel less crazy and be inspired in the process. You can buy a copy on Amazon, your local bookstore or check it out at your local library like I did. 

Saturday Share Book Review: Steal Like an Artist

I love books. Fiction is great but as am artist creative inspiration and encouragement is always appreciated. Sometimes I treat myself to buying books to add to my art studio reference library. I love reading novels on my Kindle but I just don't enjoy books like this on the screen. I like to physically flip through the pages. So I picked up a copy at a local bookstore while I was out one day. Oh how I had these books Steal like an Artist and Show Your Work by Austin Kleon when I was graduation from art school. It could have saved me a whole lot of pain and years of floundering. I wish I had this book when my children were born as a kick in the pants to keep doing my thing despite the lack of sleep and devotion to my children. But I have it now and damn straight I am going to put the good advice that is contained within it's pages to good use.

Make something today. Make something everyday. Starting can be hard but once you get going it is a lot like breathing. Share what you make and a bit of your process. Have fun and keep going. I am still drawing, painting, writing and printing waiting to figure out what the next "big idea" thing I am going to do is. I know it will somehow come from all my current tinkering and experimenting and purging my thoughts in the morning and on my blog.

Saturday Share: Lisa Congdon & Creative Bug

Saturday Share. My new weekend ritual. Lisa Congdon is a talented and popular illustrator who has a worth ethic that will inspire anybody to get off their butt and get drawing and creating. Lucky for me she happened to be hosting a four week Creative Bug video class on Line Drawing that I signed up and took. I allowed myself to copy in my sketchbook for a little while while I got back to my own voice. Copying really gets an unfair rep when it is such a good way to master skills. My six year old daughter loves to copy me and everything she sees. That is how she learns, learning by doing. The trick is to make sure you keep going into your own voice eventually. So I copied Lisa for a day or two in my sketchbook. But soon enough it got for me to copy and I was forced to find my own way and that is where I am at right now. It is a great class, especially the first two lessons. I highly recommend anybody that likes to draw to sign up for it.

Hers

Mine (unfinished)