Art & Fear, by David Bayles & Ted Orland, is a quick and helpful read for all practicing artists and any one with a burning desire to create art who has taken the plunge. The book talks about “Observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking”. What I particularly like about the book is the author’s assumption of every human’s ability and call to make art. In the brief 121 pages of the book artists are bolstered up in order to create regardless of their fears of others, their abilities, or even themselves.
Inside the pages of the book is a strong emphasis on craft and discipline over and above the question of natural talent. The author’s opinion of talent, “Even talent is rarely distinguishable, over the long run, from perseverance and lots of hard work”. I couldn’t agree more. The work ethic demanded in Art & Fear is absolutely necessary to anyone who wants to create art. Throughout the book artists are encouraged to remain diligent and never give up regardless of their “skill level”. What is important, is to create.
Another aspect of the book, as simple title broadcasts, is fear. The author’s view of artistic fear: “the fear that your fate is in your own hands, but that your hands are weak.” Essentially they go on to dismiss your opinion, or anyone elses opinion of how strong or weak you are, i.e. your ability or skill. Their answer to Art & Fear is the relentless pursuit of creating. Though the book is not written from a Biblical perspective it reveals some Biblical truths.
“The horse is made ready for battle, but victory rests with the Lord”. Proverbs 21:31
The Artist must always make the horse ready for battle, they can’t expect their craft to improve on it’s own. Though the book is incredibly encouraging for artists there are some dangerous assumptions made by the authors concerning humanity and our purpose in the Universe.
There is no question the book is encouraging to anyone who wants to pursue the creation of art. However, the authors make a faulty assumption about making art in the post-modern age. One shared by many Christian artists and thinkers in particular.
Bates and Orland assert, “Other people, in other times and places, had some robust institutions to shore them up: witness the Church, the clan, ritual and tradition. It’s easy to imagine that artists doubted their calling less when working in the service of God than when working in the service of self.”
It took me three reads to get it, but if you stop and think, this assertation is absolutely preposterous. These “other people” in a supposed idyllic time, when artists worked only at the sole calling and belief in God, some how doubted the creative process less? Would not their doubts be a thousand times greater when in the service of the Almighty than when in the service of self? The post-modern man creating for self only doubts whether he has got the chops for it. The artist in the service of God believes their communities’ purpose and quality of life in this age and the age to come depends on the quality of their work. This responsibility to God and community needs to be communicated to all artists.
Instead, the authors of Art & Fear contend that institutions and rituals used to keep artists from doubting, and by extension thinking. Only when artists were able to break free from the binding authorities of culture and clan did they begin to create for self. What a dismal prospect. This kind of thinking leads one to believe that any artist who creates based on a belief in God must have limted ability when compared to the artist who creates based on the belief in self. Art for the sake of self is a dead end street. Creating art for the common good and the glory of God is where artists must turn their passion in order to discover where art & fear meet and ultimately find purpose; in the outstretched arms of a kind and loving Creator.
Art & Fear
Art & Fear, by David Bayles & Ted Orland, is a quick and helpful read for all practicing artists and any one with a burning desire to create art who has taken the plunge. The book talks about “Observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking”. What I particularly like about the book is the author’s assumption of every human’s ability and call to make art. In the brief 121 pages of the book artists are bolstered up in order to create regardless of their fears of others, their abilities, or even themselves.
Inside the pages of the book is a strong emphasis on craft and discipline over and above the question of natural talent. The author’s opinion of talent, “Even talent is rarely distinguishable, over the long run, from perseverance and lots of hard work”. I couldn’t agree more. The work ethic demanded in Art & Fear is absolutely necessary to anyone who wants to create art. Throughout the book artists are encouraged to remain diligent and never give up regardless of their “skill level”. What is important, is to create.
Another aspect of the book, as simple title broadcasts, is fear. The author’s view of artistic fear: “the fear that your fate is in your own hands, but that your hands are weak.” Essentially they go on to dismiss your opinion, or anyone elses opinion of how strong or weak you are, i.e. your ability or skill. Their answer to Art & Fear is the relentless pursuit of creating. Though the book is not written from a Biblical perspective it reveals some Biblical truths.
The Artist must always make the horse ready for battle, they can’t expect their craft to improve on it’s own. Though the book is incredibly encouraging for artists there are some dangerous assumptions made by the authors concerning humanity and our purpose in the Universe.
There is no question the book is encouraging to anyone who wants to pursue the creation of art. However, the authors make a faulty assumption about making art in the post-modern age. One shared by many Christian artists and thinkers in particular.
Bates and Orland assert, “Other people, in other times and places, had some robust institutions to shore them up: witness the Church, the clan, ritual and tradition. It’s easy to imagine that artists doubted their calling less when working in the service of God than when working in the service of self.”
It took me three reads to get it, but if you stop and think, this assertation is absolutely preposterous. These “other people” in a supposed idyllic time, when artists worked only at the sole calling and belief in God, some how doubted the creative process less? Would not their doubts be a thousand times greater when in the service of the Almighty than when in the service of self? The post-modern man creating for self only doubts whether he has got the chops for it. The artist in the service of God believes their communities’ purpose and quality of life in this age and the age to come depends on the quality of their work. This responsibility to God and community needs to be communicated to all artists.
Instead, the authors of Art & Fear contend that institutions and rituals used to keep artists from doubting, and by extension thinking. Only when artists were able to break free from the binding authorities of culture and clan did they begin to create for self. What a dismal prospect. This kind of thinking leads one to believe that any artist who creates based on a belief in God must have limted ability when compared to the artist who creates based on the belief in self. Art for the sake of self is a dead end street. Creating art for the common good and the glory of God is where artists must turn their passion in order to discover where art & fear meet and ultimately find purpose; in the outstretched arms of a kind and loving Creator.