I read Daily Rituals: How Artists Work for a book study I am doing with the Emerge Arts Ministry group. It was a very interesting read. Basically the author/editor researched the work habits of about 150 artists, mostly from the fields of literature and visual arts, though artists from other disciplines were also included to a lesser degree. The book yielded some fascinating insights. Of course the artists sampled are anything but a monolithic group and their working habits ran the gamut. There were of course some destructive traits that showed up quite frequently including addictive behaviors and some of the random weirdness that is often associated with my fellow artists. On the other hand there were other artists with whom I really resonated, including something I am most passionate about. Many of the artists sampled derided the idea of sitting around waiting on inspiration. Rather they showed up every day and pursued inspiration by sitting down and doing the work. This is a trait that I believe all artistic people should aspire to. I really enjoyed this book and learned something from most every artist featured. Some showed me things I wanted to emulate, while others showed me the kind of artist I do not want to be. Both of those things can be helpful. This book is a worthwhile read. It is composed of very short essay style chapters, so the reader can digest the book in small bites if desired
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AMOKArts 