Peter London, in No More Secondhand Art, said it beautifully: artists are custodians of issues larger than themselves. But this idea isn’t limited to artists. Anyone working in social change—whether you’re passionate about local food, clean water, better government, or art education—is carrying something bigger than “just” your personal mission. Your work isn’t just about expressing…
When I teach writing classes, people often ask for tips on being more disciplined and productive. My answer might surprise you: discipline isn’t the key to creativity. Instead, creativity needs to be fed. When you take care of yourself—indulging in what makes you feel warm and fuzzy—your creative voice naturally starts to speak. Then, all…
“Why should an artist’s way of looking at the world have any meaning for us? Why does it give us pleasure? Because, I believe, it increases our awareness of our own potentiality… A valid work of art promises in some way or another the possibility of an increase, an improvement… For it is not the…
One of my favorite art quotes is from Pauline Kael, the American film critic known for her witty and insightful movie reviews: “Art doesn’t come in measured quantities: it’s got to be too much or it’s not enough.” I always think of this quote when I see flowers blooming in the spring. Nature doesn’t hold…
In a class I taught last fall, I posed the question, “What inspires you?” The following is what the students came up with. I’ve had it taped to my office wall ever since. In my opinion, inspiration is what life is all about. Lucky for us, it comes in many forms.
End of content
End of content