June 29, 2010

art & fear

have you read this?  it was recommended last night and i am off to find it tonight.  the quotes i've read and the one i heard last night...they sound perfect. 

“To require perfection is to invite paralysis. The pattern is predictable: as you see error in what you have done, you steer your work toward what you imagine you can do perfectly. You cling ever more tightly to what you already know you can do – away from risk and exploration, and possibly further from the work of your heart. You find reasons to procrastinate, since to not work is to not make mistakes.  Bayles and Orland"




18 comments:

  1. I am almost positive my answer is -yes-. I believe I read this book several years back and loved it so much that I passed it on to my dad. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of these types of books, but if this is the one that I did in fact read, I really really liked it. I hope you do too.

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  2. oh, sounds like a fab book...off to see if I can aquire it somewhere...I wonder if our local library has it?
    HUGS
    Char

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  3. i could not get the link to work ... unique perspective on the photos...as always

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  4. unfortunatly,I win't be able to get that book, but that won't stop me from feeling completely amazed at how true this is, and yet, I never thought of it that way.

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  5. i can't get the link to work....arrghh !
    help, because now i want it !

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  6. years ago in college an instructor told me that my biggest problem (relatively speaking) was that i was afraid to make mistakes (with drawing). he told me that EVERYBODY needs to make a LOT of mistakes (bad drawings) before they can ever be any good. he was so right, and he had me/my problem pegged!

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  7. it's working for me - anyway - it's in the amazon shop.

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  8. I'm reading that book now, too. I've had it for a while (recommended by a blogging friend), but I'm just now getting around to reading it. I think it will be inspiring.

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  9. Another one to add to my list...the growth that could come from reading it might be more than I can handle! :)

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  10. It sounds like a very good read with many possibilities

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  11. sounds like a perfect book.. 'cause I think that's just my problem - be afraid to make mistakes. now I just need to check if I can somehow find it in Finland.. :)

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  12. Looks like the perfect book for my 16 year old daughter! She loves art and is very talented but can't seem to advance because nothing she works on is good enough. She thinks everyone is better than she is.

    I've always tried to tell her 'you can't be perfect'. Somehow she still expects it in her art work. After 2 weeks in a summer Art Class she already wants to quit because she is the 'worst in the class'. *sigh*

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  13. Sooo True!
    Analysis Paralysis.
    Perfection has never been a problem of mine... but Bill is another story!

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  14. I haven't read the book and will love to read your review...I have always been one to procrastinate...

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  15. Fantastic quote...I might resemble that.

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  16. Wow, how did you know I needed to hear that today? ;) I'm off to find a copy of that book...

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  17. i did read that a few years ago or most of it!

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  18. am off to see if my library has a copy. funny how you feel as though you are the only person ever to do every single scrap of laundry to avoid creating! i found: The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp a really good read too.

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i feel as if each comment was between us as we sat and sipped something warm....i love to hear what you're thinking.