Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland

Santa Cruz: Image Continuum Press, 2001
122 pp. $12.95 (paperback)

I’m not an artist—I’m a phony
I have nothing worth saying
I’m not sure what I’m doing
Other people are better than I am
I’m only a [student/physicist/mother/whatever]
No one understands my work
No one likes my work
I’m no good (13)

These are just a handful of the doubts and fears that plague many artists as they set out to make art. Such worries are no surprise given that many consider art the result of forces outside their control—and because through their work, artists reveal their deepest convictions, standing spiritually naked in front of the world (or at least in front of those who take the time to discover their art). If left unchallenged, such fears will not only hamper artists’ ability to do their work, but even motivate some to quit.

Thankfully, Art & Fear comes to the rescue. The authors, themselves artists, draw upon their years of experience and stories about successful creatives to demystify art and show that most problems artists face are neither unique nor proof of unworthiness but common and fixable. . . .