Motivational Reads: Art and Fear

It's been a few weeks since I gave you guys something to read. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies especially when what I am reading relates and can be applied to my dancing. Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland is a short book that should probably become every artist's sidekick. I read it for the first time last summer at the suggestion of a friend who is a guitarist. I was surprised that everything in the book actually made sense to me in terms of the difficulties of pursuing your art. The authors talk about making art, obstacles along the way, our fears, and how we have to overcome them in order to progress and succeed in our art form. Although it's not specifically written for dance, every dancer can benefit and learn from the quotes within it. 

Here's one of my favorites:

Look at your work and it tells you how it is when you hold back or when you embrace. When you are lazy, your art is lazy; when you hold back, it holds back; when you hesitate, it stands there staring, hands in its pockets. But when you commit, it comes on like blazes.

The imagery in this quote truly personifies how dancing feels when you completely commit. "It comes on like blazes." I like to read this from time to time to remind myself to never stop working and never allow myself to get content with my art.

Written by artists themselves, the book discusses the challenges artists face both internally and externally. Internal challenges involve self-confidence, fear of others criticism and finding your own voice, while the external challenges deal with art networking, marketing yourself, and finding ways to make your work. 

The bottom line is that art is hard, and these guys recognize that. They are here to tell you how to navigate through its obstacles and confusions so you can come out on top with a clear focus. Because at the end of the day, sticking with your art and truly cultivating it is undoubtedly worth it. You shouldn't just give up when it gets hard. Recognize that art is challenging for everyone and that these challenges actually help you grow and mature as an artist. Art and Fear eloquently and concisely gives you tactics to achieve your goals and motivation to continue when you feel discouraged or confused. I truly hope you find something useful within it. Enjoy!