I've listened to this book as an audiobook. It's a book that suits me very well right now. It is about artists' fears, perhaps mainly the fear that one's work should not do in the eyes of others. What is the result of write cramps/write blocking on? Why is it so hard to get started when there are so much ydes? This discusses the authors of the book. It's about all sorts of art forms. I found it comforting to hear that everyone suffers from the same thing and that the important thing is not what others think but to start from what I myself want to say and express. It's something I really need to practice, to dare to stand for what I do, to pick out what I think is good and be proud of what I accomplish when it actually gets good (everything doesn't even get half good, but sometimes it shines to). Here's how the publisher writes about the book:

"This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Ordinary art means something like: all art not made by Mozart. After all, art is rarely made by Mozart-like people; essentially-statistically speaking–there aren't any people like that. Geniuses get made once-a-century or so, yet good art gets made all the time, so to equate the making of art with the workings of genius removes this intimately human activity to a strangely unreachable and unknowable place. For all practical purposes making art can be examined in great detail without ever getting entangled in the very remote problems of genius."

—from the Introduction

Art & Fear explores the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way. The book's co-authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, are themselves both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Their insights and observations, drawn from personal experience, provide an incisive view into the world of art as it is expeienced by artmakers themselves.

This is not your typical self-help book. This is a book written by artists, for artists — it's about what it feels like when artists sit down at their easel or keyboard, in their studio or performance space, trying to do the work they need to do. First published in 1994, Art & Fear quickly became an underground classic. Word-of-mouth response alone–now enhanced by internet posting–has placed it among the best-selling books on artmaking and creativity nationally.

Art & Fear has attracted a remarkably diverse audience, ranging from beginning to accomplished artists in every medium, and including an exceptional concentration among students and teachers. The original Capra Press edition of Art & Fear sold 80,000 copies.

An excerpt:

Today, more than it was however many years ago, art is hard because you have to keep after it so consistently. On so many different fronts. For so little external reward. Artists become veteran artists only by making peace not just with themselves, but with a huge range of issues. You have to find your work…

Author: David Bayles & Ted Orland ISBN: 9
780961454739 Language
: English Weight
: 181 grams Publi
shed: 2001-04-01 Publ
ishers: Image Continuum Press – Image Continuum Press Nu
mber of pages: 122

This afternoon I took a photo walk on the town in Örebro. I had decided it would be sun but it didn't turn out quite so, it was pretty gray, cold and ruffled. Almost like there was snow in the air.

Also, I forgot to check the ISO settings so it became very gritty pictures. I'm still quite happy, some pictures of the houses down by the river in the USÖ area became really spooky. It'll be fun to see if I can do something good out of them.

Yesterday I was at Hasselfors Naturfoto and film festival and exhibited eight pictures. It was a very nice event with about twenty other participants. There were also lectures about nature all day. To see other people's photographs and talking photography with other interested parties was very inspiring.

When we got there we were welcomed by the organizer and we who had room in the small room became acquainted with each other and each other's pictures. What was a bit extra fun was that we were several who interpret images in different ways, it opened up for discussion around different methods, very instructive.

A couple of things that I learned in practical terms were, among other things, that next time I will arrange real business cards and to dare a little more when it comes to presentation. Looking forward to having the opportunity to exhibit pictures more times!

I made some misorders at the beginning, including some pictures of mother-of-pearl print instead of dull or that I thought a kind of half-math. Today I felt i had to compare the images because I discovered that the contrast at the edge between tree and sky became so sharp on the pearl-like paper. I think it gets so cool and is what is a goal in my photography, because infrared photo removes almost all other colors so it will be the part funny effects as well.

I framed both versions and posed next to each other. Guess which one is which one! The one on the right is the one with shimmering paper. It is actually difficult to see which is which, especially if one goes on the feeling. The picture that is printed on matte paper does itself best in a bit of a direction and I have to go on for the exhibition because most probably will not go next door and look.

I made a new order of the pictures I wasn't happy with in the first try, it came in three days, and now I'm happy with the quality. At the same time I am very critical, the more I look the more details I see that could be better but it is so cool to see the pictures printed. You can't get away.

I've tried framing a picture too, it got really neat!

I've been thinking that the pictures should be framed with passepartout and I want nice frames, not too plasticy while not being too expensive, it will go 8-9 pieces maybe. Today, Jonas and I bought frames at Dollarstore in Arboga. We looked at The Ö&B as well but their frames didn't passepartout so it's just an option if it's not too expensive to buy for, in addition, the frames at Dollarstore were prettier.

Yesterday I got my first prints! What a feeling to see them printed 30×40 cm large, a little different than seeing them on computer screen. Unfortunately, I made a mind crank when I placed the order so I need to supplement. Instead of pearl paper, I ordered pearlescent paper which gave effects I hadn't really anticipated. In addition, I managed to order images with printed passepartout in size 45×60 which is almost hopeless to find. Sometimes one learns the hard way

Now I have got home a couple of sample prints that I ordered from BestCanvas, a print on foamboard and one on mobile shell, the one on mobile shell was mostly for fun to see how it will be. Both prints actually turned out really well! So fun to see their pictures on print 🙂

One of the destinations my husband and I love most is the small town of Agios Nicolaos in East Crete. The first time we were there was in July 1994, when we travelled with his parents and sister. The second time was on our honeymoon at the end of August 1995, at that time we embarked on (not fully thought out) adventures: managed to miss the bus from Plaka near Elounda and went to a wedding party among other things. This year we were there again with the kids. One of the warmest summers ever in Sweden and we choose to go to Crete… At least it was a nice trip to a city we like as much but that has been a bit scruffled over the years that have passed.

Often when I walk through Örebro, I pass the castle. It's pretty cool that there's a medieval castle there!