your summer reading list and your stash

My Friday newsletter just went out to my subscribers. Here is an excerpt that continues with my theme of how we can add art to our summer holidays...

What is on your summer reading list?

Have you noticed the book reviews that come up in early summer, citing all the hot picks and the recommended best sellers to take to the beach?

Well forget those lists.

Who needs the latest who-done-it or romantic drama? Not you – you have your own mysteries to solve and your own romance to immerse yourself in – and yes I shall explain...

But first up, I am going to get you rooting around in your stash again. And by the way, turns out many of you found some fun things in your stash exploration two weeks ago (thanks for the emails). I posted one of my own stash finds on my FB biz page. (in case you missed it:  Facebook )

This time though, we are not exploring your stash of unfinished work, we are exploring your stash of art books. Yes, those piles of books that normally gather dust in the various corners of your house are now going to get your attention.

You are an art lover – which inevitably means that over the years you have acquired books - probably lots of them – everything from how to books, to coffee table sized art picture books, to biographies. Oh and let’s not forget about art magazines, maybe you have a few of those. (I have way more than a few.)

You assignment is to go find those books and magazines.

Forget the book store’s who-done-it, go solve your own mystery – pick up that book on colour theory (or whatever topic you have wanted to know more about), perhaps that beginners book on oil or pastel or whatever medium you thought you wanted to learn about. Seek to solve the mystery this summer by examining these books closely.

Romance – hum, well a lot of us eventually end up taking art for granted, it is just this ‘thing’ in our lives. Now is the perfect time to fan those flames of interest and to fall back in love with everything about art.

A fabulous way to do this is to gaze upon the gorgeous art in your books. How can you not get stirred up when viewing such delights? Seriously folks, this works. You will find yourself stirred up, suddenly feeling the urge to grab that sketch pad or the canvas or perhaps even motivated to sign up for a course.

(And guess who has just a few spots left in two coloured pencil courses this fall? Click here for details: classes)

 

 

Besides your stash, your local library is another great resource for some free reading to take to the deck or the cottage. Take out a book on a medium or a style of art that you thought you didn’t like (dare to get reacquainted), grab a biography on a famous artist (turns out they struggled with the same stuff you do) or explore your favourite time in art history.  Your library will have some of those gorgeous coffee table books too but be warned, they can make that beach bag pretty heavy to carry!

So here is your call to action, finish this newsletter, then leave your computer and go find those art books. It will be like hearing from a friend that you haven’t heard from in ages...relish the delights of reconnecting.

I would love to hear what you found to read this summer. You can leave a comment on my FB page, on my blog or you can write me an email.

Enjoy.