The Furry Artist's Way
Jonas Silver
Hey, fuzzballs. This post is a bit off topic, but of interest to the
creative types (artists, writers, etc.) who either presently participate
in furry fandom, or once did and now mostly watch from the sidelines.
There's a book out, titled "The Artist's Way." It was written about
seven years ago by Julia Cameron, a longtime film & television writer, as
well as director, producer, teacher and journalist (and the wife of Martin
Scorsese). The Artist's Way is essentially a twelve-week, self-taught
course for artists and other creative types who feel that they've lost
their creativity; the book tries to help them recover it. That's more or
less what you get from the publisher's blurb on the back.
I finished the course in February, and it's made a world of difference
in my life and for my creativity. I wasn't expecting much when I bought
the book last October; the book takes a spiritual approach to recovering
creativity, which can make a lot of people leery of its methodology. But
I can truly say that at that point I was thoroughly exhausted from a
creative standpoint; a big part of my life is my creativity, what I
produce professionally and elsewhere, and I'd nearly given up drawing
furries, or anything else for that matter. I was willing to try a
faith-and-discipline-based approach to getting it back, because it seemed
like it could be as viable a route as any. You don't have to necessarily
be a spiritual person to have this course work for you; while the
spiritual aspect is emphasized, the course is general enough and its ideas
universal enough that I bet anyone of any denomination (or none) can find
something good in it.
Going through the book was like pulling teeth at first, because a lot
of the things Cameron identified as sources of creative block really hit
home with me. She also provided tasks for the reader to complete, tasks
which were supposed to excise the behaviors some creative types use to
keep themselves blocked. The book tried to create within the reader a
renewed sense of possibility, of playfulness in regards to creativity.
Yes, it sounds kind of sappy and simplistic. But it really wasn't; for
me, it was an arduous, awkward, long process of reconsidering a lot of
what I'd come to take for granted as an artist and a writer. I gave up on
it more than once. But eventually it made me more aware of my potential,
something a lot of my friends and fellow creative types in the fandom had
been trying to alert me to but I'd mostly downplayed. For all the trouble
it was, the book singularly benefited me in the end.
I strongly recommend The Artists's Way for any furry artist, writer or
other creative type who feels like:
The joy's gone out of what used to come naturally and easily to the
page or the canvas.
They have to force their creative drive up to do a commission.
Someone else has to light a fire under their arse to get them to finish
a project.
They're blocked, burned out, disillusioned with what they
draw/write/make or what others expect them to create.
They had great plans for furry projects and abandoned them either out
of financial necessity, loss of interest, or shame because others
criticized them.
They work bloody hard to produce something good, and get minimal
recognition or return for it.
They're upset because they could've done better or could be doing better.
They look at the pinups or novels or fanzines of others, and long to be
of that caliber.
They look at the pinups or novels or fanzines of others, and despise them.
They want to do something creative and ambitious, but they don't have
enough time to do it, or a concrete plan.
Granted, it's not for everyone; I don't think there are many formulas
that can really be applied to the entire human race. But there's nothing
to lose from just trying the book. :)
Oh, and if anyone else who reads this group has already heard of and
gone through the Artist's Way, please E-mail me...I'm interested in your
perspective on how it went.
Jonas Silver
The Artist's Way can be found at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874778212/o/qid=923176675/sr=2-2/002-4603287-8980867
-- Jonas
--
Jonas Silver
j o n a s @ a r c l i g h t . n e t