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  • How to Be an Artist

  • The New York Times bestseller
  • By: Jerry Saltz
  • Narrated by: Jerry Saltz
  • Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (291 ratings)
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How to Be an Artist cover art

How to Be an Artist

By: Jerry Saltz
Narrated by: Jerry Saltz
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Summary

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
©2020 Jerry Saltz (P)2020 Octopus Publishing Group

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) 

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What listeners say about How to Be an Artist

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Loved it! Actually made me work!

Brilliant no-nonsense pep-talk style nuggets of wisdom in manageable snippets that motivate and inspire. Excellent! 😍

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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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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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Fab book

A real gem. Jerry cuts to the chase and is very motivating in the unending artists’ search for truth

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Excellent

all the artists will finally stop feeling sorry for themselves and will start creating ...
great kick in the b*tt

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Fabulous tips for any artist

every artist of every genre should read this, so many great bits of advise. read by the artist, east to listen to and take notes from.

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Highly Recommended

Highly Recommended - 5 Stars

Very Inspirational!!!!

I Just Wish I Had This Book 25 Years Ago.

Go Get Your Own Copy!!!

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Entertaining and informative!

Great delivery - very entertaining and informative!
Highly recommended to artists of all ages and levels.

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A useful book for artists

Well narrated. its a book of ideas to help you continue to make work even when you don't always feel like it...and making work is what every artist must do like breathing 😊

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Every single chapter dances

I'm a writer, and How to Be an Artist spoke louder than any writing book to me.

I love the gravelled narration and the juiced up advice.

Yes. Get to work.

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