How to Be an Artist
The New York Times bestseller
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How to Be an Artist
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Narrated by:
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Jerry Saltz
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By:
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Jerry Saltz
About this listen
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
Listeners also enjoyed...
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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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AGM
- 01-10-24
loved it
I binge read it. every word was valuable. I related to all of it. thank you
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jay Rowden
- 21-05-21
For artists everywhere
I love this audiobook. It's the perfect companion to Julia Cameron's The Artists Way and Stephen Pressfield's War of Art. If you are serious about becoming an artist, this book is for you. I love the deadpan delivery from the author Jerry Saltz. I love the message. I love the challenges he sets for the reader/listener. I have just listened to it for the first time and am about to listen again from the beginning. This book is wonderful and whether you are an aspiring artist or an artist who is struggling to make an impression, you need to get this book. Please don't delay.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Derek
- 31-12-22
An essential listen
If you’re an artist, use Jerry’s wisdom as your guide and roadmap. You won’t regret it.
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- Anonymous User
- 21-01-21
To the point - a quick jump-starter!
Loved the book for its simplicity and to the point suggestions, food for thought, exercises and overall structure. If you are someone who doesn't like to over think and needs or wants to get down to action then this is a great book.Whether you want to start making art or are already an artist.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Laura Noble
- 30-08-22
Encouraging & realistic
A short yet helpful listen. I especially like that Jerry evenly quotes female as well as male artists. Of course the feeling is that he favours male artists (a little obsessed with Picasso) however he touches on many useful points. I particularly loved the 12 people bit. I won't expand on this - listen for yourself!
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- Lydia Bauman
- 19-06-23
Affirmation and Desperation in equal measure
Tough love from a wonderfully experienced and beautifully articulate , wise and energizing voice from the art world that is Jerry Saltz. Listened to it in its entirety on a return train journey . Superb inspiration for early career artists, but for someone like myself - a woman artist well beyond mid career for whom all of the opportunities and visibility which had given me a successful career in the past seem to have waned (and which Jerry acknowledged is unfairly overlooked )- it just gave more cause for despair. Am I to start from the beginning, schmoozing and networking in galleries , building up a new team of 12 career building individuals ( Jerry lists collectors, gallerists, curators among them )to get established again? What do you say to someone like me Jerry?
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- lmrhd2
- 19-04-23
Thank you
Jerry says what every artist needs to hear. He takes the pomp out of art. Thank God.
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- Georgia Longford
- 28-03-20
To the point
A short book that speaks to the real artist. Understanding the inner voice within us all and kicks us up the arse to get out there. This is more a spiritual push than a manual on how to go forward with your career. But I did enjoy it. It felt nice to be understood.
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- Jane king
- 18-01-22
Just the best pep talk. Will listen repeatedly.
I wish I had had someone as wise, as generous, and as motivational at art college. Listen and listen again.
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- Kindle Customer
- 28-09-22
Fun, useful, inspiring, reassuring.
I loved this book. it's great to keep listening to, whenever you are scared of your creative shortcomings, or need motivation. It is simple and yet not dumbed down. It provides a great starting point to explore other artists, other ideas, and your own creativity. The exercises can take you out of a rut. I got more than I expected from this book.
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