A fascinating book which at times gets far too bogged down in the author’s own self-analysis, On Not Being Able to Paint nevertheless comes to some amazing conclusions about what can stop creativity. She talks about the fear to create a piece of artwork and how it often seems like a life-and-death situation, when really, it isn’t at all. After all you can just tear up what you made if you don’t like it. And how it’s really difficult to teach someone how to paint with rhythm and real feeling in a painting. Because that comes from within, from a deeper place, and can’t be taught.

The significance of an art school for an artist, she feels, is not in teaching certain painting techniques but in offering a safe framework and space in which the artist can work. That really resonates with me because going to my art classes once a week really helped me stay creative and keep putting something down on canvas. Whether it was crap or not, which sometimes it could be.

So I think it’s great that two of my favorite TV shows are about divisions of the college I’m attending. Inside the Actor’s Studio is just great, I love hearing actors talk about their craft. James Lipton can seem a bit annoying as the frustrated actor-turned-interviewer, until you read his biography and find out all he’s done in his life including writing books and screenplays and lots of acting roles; and the fact that he started the Actor’s Studio in the first place.

Project Runway is another one of my favorites, because I find it amazing that these designers can put together such great outfits with so little to work with. Sewing aint easy, and to have that level of technical skill plus the creativity to pull it all together, is just a rare talent.

I love plastic cameras, especially my Holga. The photos come out with all these unexpected light leaks and effects. There’s a great article for beginners in Plastic Camera photography I would really recommend here. You can buy Holgas in NYC at ICP.

If you’re anything like me, you love to go to the Salvation Army or any thrift store you can find looking for old weird junk. And one of my favorite thrift store finds is a polaroid camera. If it’s a pack-film type of camera, you can still shoot with it, with varied results depending on the condition and model of camera. If you find one, check out the Land List How To page and get shooting! The photos come out with some very unusual and interesting affects. In subsequent posts I’ll show you some examples of what I mean, after I dig in my old box of polaroid pics. Click on the link below to see this old Polaroid ad in full-size.

So some friends are finally reading my unfinished novel that I started 3 years ago during National Novel Writing Month. I am so excited! I’m getting lots of good feedback and it’s making me want to continue writing and rework some parts. Maybe I’ll do the National Novel Writing year…

The Giant Pink Bunny. I really want to climb on him and relax on his belly. via chrisdiclerico.com

So my co-worker just put out an album on his own label! He’s a singer-songwriter and the stuff is really good. And he’s also a really sweet, great guy. Really bare bones singing and acoustic guitar a la Nick Drake. Very moody and melodic. Check it out here:

neilshah.com