Creative Spirit/Inspiration

New Creative Artist

New Creative Artist: a Guide to Developing your Creative Spirit by Nita Leland. Practical advice and inspiring exercises & insights from other artists make this revised & expanded edition the ultimate creativity guide. Chapters on Creativity, Art & Craft: Highways & Byways, Drawing, Design, Realism, Abstraction, Experimentation and Adventure. In the “Creativity: A Joyride” chapter, you are invited to revisit the kid inside, visualize the unexpected, borrow design from an existing object, run with one theme – all ideas to start you percolating. Use her “job jar” concept to keep these ideas from getting away! Profusely illustrated with work by 90 contributing artists. 8.5” x 11”, 176 pp., 300 color, 100 b&w illus. Hardcover over sturdy spiral.

New Creative Artist (LELAND)

Art Escapes

Art Escapes: Daily Exercises & Inspiration for Discovering Greater Creativity and Artistic Confidence by Dory Kanter. What a treat and inspiration. Fun, easy-to-execute ideas for beginning and experienced artists for building an "art habit" by creating an artist's journal. Take Dory's advice and create space in your life for art escapes. Some of her shared secrets: quantity equals quality, time expands when you do art, short assignments, journal buddies, establish a daily rhythm, practice creative waiting. This idea filled, watercolor based volume reminded me of Sherri Kiesel's miniature painting class. Punctuated with wonderful quotations. Great advice on color selection & palette. Paper over board jacket with sturdy spiral binding for easy use. 8.5"x11", 128pp., 200 color, 20 b&w illus.,

Art Escapes (ESCAPE)

Portraits of the Word

Great Verses of the Bible in Expressive Calligraphy by Timothy R. Botts. Here are 75 pieces of Tim Botts’ work which were included in the Holy Bible. Along with Tim’s “word portraits” of 75 Scriptural pieces, calligraphers will enjoy the screened back images of his preliminary sketches and his comments on his artistic process. He also shares prayers written in response to his artistic encounters with God. A chance to see Tim's wonderful use of background washes and paintings along with his comments on each piece. Highly recommended for calligraphers, even those who purchase Tim Botts'
Bible. 7" x 8", 165 pp., hb.

Portraits of the Word (WORDTB)

Sunday Doorposts I

Sunday Door Posts by Tim Botts. Calligraphic renderings of Biblical quotations printed on one side only in black & white. Reproduction is permitted for non-commercial purposes so that the pieces may be used for church bulletins and programs. 60 illustrations in each, paperback. 8.5" x 5.5".

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Sunday Doorposts I (SUNDA1)

The Lindisfarne Gospels

A Medieval Masterpiece. The British Library. Beautiful, full color wall calendar featuring this classic manuscript produced in the early 8th century in an island monastic community near the coast of Northumberland. 12"x 13" wall calendar opens to 12"x 26".

The Lindisfarne Gospels (CALIND)

You Are a Woman of Wisdom

Honoring, Acknowledging and Celebrating Who You Are by Caroline Joy Adams. An exceptionally beautiful forum to honor our unique gifts, strengths, accomplishments and visions. In addition to the text, the book includes 40 full-page designs of inspiring quotes rendered in Caroline’s rich, elegant, colorful, calligraphic style. 7.5" x 9", 176 pp., pb.

You Are a Woman of Wisdom (WOWISD)

Fearless Creating

A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting and Completing Your Work of Art by Eric Maisel, Ph.D. A must have. This author knows. Eric Maisel is a writer of fiction, a psychotherapist with an expertise in working with artists and performers. And he knows. He knows about making meaning. He knows about anxiety and the creative process of wishing, choosing, starting, working, completing and showing. He knows about showing a piece of your art, about tripping over self-doubts, lack of confidence and competing desires. He knows about choosing while in the trance of work. Jean Formo recommended this at Soundings. It may give you wings! 7" x 9", 267 pp, Includes recommended reading, index.

Fearless Creating (FEARLS)

Artist's Journals and Sketchbooks

Artist's Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages by Lynne Perrella. Uncover new ideas for creating personal pages; discover tips and techniques from an inspiring group of artists; invent your own journaling style using found objects, memorabilia, and lots of art supplies; indulge your artistic intuition as you plan and create vivid visual diaries. Visual delight and inspiration from lettering and journal artists and bookmakers from the calligraphic community and a number of instructors from ArtContinuum. Contributors include Lisa Engelbrecht, Connie Newbanks, Pam Sussman, Jocelyn Curry, Juliana Coles, Dan Essig, Teesha and Tracy Moore and Linda & Opi O'Brien. 8.5"x 11", 128 pp., pb.

Artist's Journals and Sketchbooks (AJOURN)

Inspiring Creativity

Inspiring Creativity: An Anthology of Powerful Insights and Practical Ideas to Guide You to Successful Creating. Edited by Rick Benzel with Essays from 22 Professional Creativity Coaches including Cherryl Moote. A fascinating array of thoughtful approaches, practical tips, and valuable insights to engage your mind and help you become a more productive, successful lettering artist, painter, crafter, dancer or composer. Cherrie’s essay on liminal (threshold) experiences is worth the price of the book alone. This is one I'll be giving as holiday gifts to the artists in my world. 210 pages, 6”x9”, pb.

Inspiring Creativity (INSPIR)

Building With Your Creative Stumbling Blocks

Building With Your Creative Stumbling Blocks. All artists have their own set of creative stumbling blocks that trip them up or provide a protective wall to hide behind. Cherrie shows us how to use those blocks while exploring simple bookbinding, paper crafting & journaling along the way. Not only will you deal with some of your creative challenges & learn to feel more in control of you creative path but you will be doing it while learning new skills & being creative along the way. How to deal with critical voices, set goals, rediscover your creative voice, find time for creativity in your daily life. 118 pp. spiral.

Building With Your Creative Stumbling Blocks (BLOCKS)

Finding the Flow

Finding the Flow: A Calligraphic Journey by Gina Jonas. A new approach to developing the skills of calligraphy! Begin your calligraphy practice, like a musician or dancer, with exercises for warming up, sensitizing, and integrating mind and body. Stroke exercises with pencil and edged pen harness touch and rhythmical stroke dynamics. Exercises for building skill with the edged pen include basic pen principles and sophisticated techniques of pen turning and partial edge; these offer a foundation for formal alphabet study, alphabet design and artistic self-expression. Developing awareness of stroke flow and shape stimulates creativity and enhances delight in letter making! Full of illustrations and diagrams. Very popular at summer conferences! 8.5”x11”, 82 pp., spiral, pb. $19.95 till 12/31/06; $24.95 thereafter

Finding the Flow (FINDFL)

The Artist’s Muse: Unlock the Door to Your Creativity

The Artist’s Muse: Unlock the Door to Your Creativity by Betsy Dillard Stroud. For fans of Art Escapes! With a focus on painting this book & card kit offers lavish examples, advice and suggestions for creative use of your experience & inner awareness. Lots of suggestions for themes, shapes, line, symbols and transformation. Travel artistic pathways you’ve left unrevealed, untried. Stroud is also the author of Painting from the Inside Out. 9.75” x 8.5” case, 93 pp. pb book & 3 card sets.

The Artist’s Muse: Unlock the Door to Your Creativity (ARMUSE)

M.C. Richards: The Fire Within

Mary Caroline Richards (1916-1999) was an inspired artist, potter and teacher. In the film we witness M.C. engaging in contemplative questioning regarding the nature of art, imagination, wholeness, community, and our place in the cosmos. She inspires us to live creatively, to believe in ourselves, to experience the sensuality of existence. But this is a film not only about M.C., but about all of us and our quest to be real, authentic, creators of art and community. I am betting that you, too, will be dumbfounded and want to share this film with the people in your creative community. DVD, 60 minutes.

M.C. Richards: The Fire Within (FIREWI)