This book guides artists through the discovery and development of the art that they alone were born to create. Through real-life examples and exercises, we tear down the cultural, educational, and psychological obstacles to finding authentic visual voice, stripping away years of assumptions, external and self-imposed limiting parameters. We learn how to listen to the Universe and get out of the way when work wants to come through us. We construct a core foundation, unique to each artist, one that will grow along with them in their artistic practice. Artists will discover their own singular visual vocabulary by mining their personal history, psyche, and world view to reveal new creative directions, and learn how to intensify and develop their core ideas to make them more resonant and complex. We explore methodologies to tap into the subconscious, cultivate breakthroughs, create environments to maximize the gestation of ideas, instill bravery, and do meaningful research to produce deeply layered works of art. While designed for college students, professional artists will also find it allows them to get to that illusive “next level” in their work; the one that calls to them, haunts them in their dreams, yet remains unarticulated in their practice. In addition to helping undergraduate and graduate students who are looking to identify, articulate, and hone their vocabulary, it can serve as a tool for more established artists to step up or refresh their practice. It is the kind of book that artists will keep on the studio shelf, to pick up time and time again, as their responses to the exercises will change throughout the course of their career. There are extensive lists, exercises, and questionnaires, anecdotes of art-historically significant artists and detailed descriptions of the methodologies they employ to tap into the subconscious, various types of research on creative breakthroughs (and how to apply it to your own process), helpful suggestions to create an environment / lifestyle to maximize the gestation of ideas, and how to do meaningful research to produce deeply layered works of art. While the tone of the book is often earnest and spiritual (in an “art is religion” kind of way), Kretz is aiming for a straightforward, accessible, kind-but-no-nonsense tenor, with some humor, and nurturing “tough love” when needed, to say some of the things that artists need to hear, but few people have the guts to tell them.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures  Acknowledgments       Introduction     FUNDAMENTALS OF VOICE        The Art You Were Born to Make How to Listen to the Universe CLEAR THE OBSTACLES  The Art World and the Art Life Who Do Think You Are? The Crisis of Meaning Needless Constraints The Approval of Others Intention, Execution, and the Gap in Between Money and Other Earthly Concerns The Noise What to Do with the Darkness BUILD THE CORE   Mine Your Life Mind’s Eye Memoir Distillation Conscious Creating INTENSIFY THE VISION    Go Deeper Feed Your Head Follow the Threads Stand in the Fire Highly Impractical Generosity Onward Bibliography