Art As A Way Of Life

"Examines the rewards, joys, and challenges of the creative life through the words of artists, writers, poets, and musicians"--Provided by publisher.

A MASTERFUL BOOK ABOUT BREATHING LIFE INTO ART AND ART INTO LIFE "Stephen Nachmanovitch's The Art of Is is a philosophical meditation on living, living fully, living in the present. To the author, an improvisation is a co-creation that arises out of listening and mutual attentiveness, out of a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. It is a product of the nervous system, bigger than the brain and bigger than the body; it is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, unprecedented and unrepeatable. Drawing from the wisdom of the ages, The Art of Is not only gives the reader an inside view of the states of mind that give rise to improvisation, it is also a celebration of the power of the human spirit, which — when exercised with love, immense patience, and discipline — is an antidote to hate." — Yo-Yo Ma, cellist

An expert in art therapy offers this “wonderful” guide “for anyone, artistic or not, who is interested in using art to know more about himself or herself” (Library Journal) Making art—giving form to the images that arise in our mind's eye, our dreams, and our everyday lives—is a form of spiritual practice through which knowledge of ourselves can ripen into wisdom. This book offers encouragement for everyone to explore art-making in this spirit of self-discovery—plus practical instructions on material, methods, and activities, such as ways to: • Discover a personal myth or story • Recognize patterns and themes in one's life • Identify and release painful memories • Combine journaling and image making • Practice the ancient skill of active imagination • Connect with others through sharing one's art works Interwoven with this guidance is the intimate story of the author's own journey as a student, art therapist, teacher, wife, mother, and artist—and, most of all, as a woman who discovered a profound and healing connection with her soul through making art.

"With its gentle affirmations, inspirational quotes, fill-in-the-blank lists and tasks — write yourself a thank-you letter, describe yourself at 80, for example — The Artist’s Way proposes an egalitarian view of creativity: Everyone’s got it."—The New York Times "Morning Pages have become a household name, a shorthand for unlocking your creative potential"—Vogue Over four million copies sold! Since its first publication, The Artist's Way phenomena has inspired the genius of Elizabeth Gilbert and millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron's novel approach guides readers in uncovering problems areas and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to free up any areas where they might be stuck, opening up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery. The program begins with Cameron’s most vital tools for creative recovery – The Morning Pages, a daily writing ritual of three pages of stream-of-conscious, and The Artist Date, a dedicated block of time to nurture your inner artist. From there, she shares hundreds of exercises, activities, and prompts to help readers thoroughly explore each chapter. She also offers guidance on starting a “Creative Cluster” of fellow artists who will support you in your creative endeavors. A revolutionary program for personal renewal, The Artist's Way will help get you back on track, rediscover your passions, and take the steps you need to change your life.

THE LEGACY OF KATHARINE HEPBURN: Fine Art as a Way of Life Maryann Pasda DiEdwardo Memoir The legacy of the late Katharine Hepburn undeniably benefits a twenty-first century audience, because Kate identifies the artistic spirit. As one of the most important women of the twentieth century, Hepburn was an artist who exemplified the independent character, freedom and opportunity available to women as paramount whether she was on stage or in film. As the late Hepburn, she has become a living art spirit with a legacy that acts as a shining example.

Uncover the secrets of the Swedish philosophy of life called Lagom – meaning ‘just enough’. At its core is the idea that we can strike a healthy balance with the world around us without having to make extreme changes, and without denying ourselves anything.

Stephen Zeifman, artist and teacher of studio art and art history, and the founder of Mill Road Studio, discusses his unique approach to art. He talks about his life as an artist, what can be termed the "artist's lifestyle," and the importance of having a focus driven not by commerce but rather by the challenges of engaging in a creative practice. But this is not yet another dry academic explanation of art, rather the book takes the reader on a personal tour, like moving through a grand exhibition, each chapter a new hall of exploration and discovery. Using museum visits to Toronto, San Francisco and London as catalysts for discussion and interpretation, he relates his experiences by describing the works he is seeing and his responses to them are insightful assessments by way of theory and history and the anecdotal. He also outlines the steps a person might take if they wish to learn how to draw, as a furthering of intimately participating in the fine arts. Ultimately, 'The Way of Art' envelops the reader in the variety and texture, exuberance and joy, and the constant challenges of living with one's eyes wide open to the visual world around them.

The Art of Life and Death explores how the world appears to people who have an acute perspective on it: those who are close to death. Based on extensive ethnographic research, Andrew Irving brings to life the lived experiences, imaginative lifeworlds, and existential concerns of persons confronting their own mortality and non-being. Encompassing twenty years of working alongside persons living with HIV/AIDS in New York, Irving documents the radical but often unspoken and unvoiced transformations in perception, knowledge, and understanding that people experience in the face of death. By bringing an "experience-near" ethnographic focus to the streams of inner dialogue, imagination, and aesthetic expression that are central to the experience of illness and everyday life, this monograph offers a theoretical, ethnographic, and methodological contribution to the anthropology of time, finitude, and the human condition. With relevance well-beyond the disciplinary boundaries of anthropology, this book ultimately highlights the challenge of capturing the inner experience of human suffering and hope that affect us all--of the trauma of the threat of death and the surprise of continued life.