Living the Creative Life

How do you craft a life that's filled with inspiration and energy, joy, and discovery? What is it that allows some people to live a life like that? What can the rest of us do to get a little bit more of that in our lives? This book does an excellent job of blending right brain creativity with the left brain reality of successfully marketing or publishing your art.

To answer these questions and more, fabric artist and writer Ricë Freeman-Zachery interviewed 15 successful, working artists and then compiled their insights along with stunning examples of their one of a kind artwork. The result is an engaging glimpse into the lives and processes of the creative people who inspire and entertain us.

The book's ten chapters are as diverse as the artists and their art — covering such topics as opening your eyes to inspiration, work spaces and work habits, and your finished work's place in the world.

Sprinkled liberally throughout are "try this" sidebars that jog creativity in unexpected ways, including keeping a journal of sensory experiences, displaying a piece of your art in your home or studio and seeing it as if for the first time, and "Living Your Life Out Loud!" by wearing your art, displaying it on your car's bumper, or coloring your hair (if only for a day!).

Featured artists include: Textile artist Sas Colby, bookbinder and calligrapher Wendy Hale, jewelry and assemblage artist Michael DeMeng, art quilter and sculptor Bean Gilsdorf, mixed media artist and author Claudine Hellmuth, bead artist Rebekah Hodous, art quilter Wendy Huhn, beaded creature maker Kelly Buntin Johnson, puppet maker Scott Radke, mixed media artist and travel journaler Gail Rieke, visual artist and art quilter Susan Shie, collage artist and found object sculptor James Michael Starr, illustrator and art educator Violette, mixed media artist and author Linda Woods, and mixed media artist and sculptor Melissa Zink.

Author – Ricë Freeman-Zachery.

Paperback. 144 pages. 8" × 8".