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By John A. Barry And Bill Carmel

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About this blog: John Barry is the creator of trAction Painting, a process/performance genre in which he applies paint to large surfaces with bicycles, roller skates, and other wheeled conveyances. With Bill Carmel and other associates, he has bro...  (More)

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Be an Exhibitionist!

Uploaded: Apr 15, 2014
I just read an entertaining, informative, thought-provoking book that should be on the shelf of any artist, struggling or not. Show Your Work, by Austin Kleon, presents quick steps to getting your art discovered. . .in a nutshell, by showing it. Kleon debunks several myths, such as the "lone genius" and "selling out," all in lively, fast-moving format. I breezed through the 10-chapter, 212-page book the first time in about an hour. Now I'm going to go back and savor it.

Among other endeavors, Kleon, creates poems and aphorisms by blacking out text in newspapers (Newspaper Blackout) leaving the words he wants. He is also the author of Steal Like an Artist, which, like Show, dismisses the idea of the lone genius in favor of an "art ecology" (e.g., you must take advantage of social media, he explains) and posits that "art is theft."

In hopes of more effectively showing my own work, I plan to follow much of Kleon's advice.

He recently appeared on KQED's "Forum" program (http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201404011000). His website is http://austinkleon.com.

Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Kasia Kessler, a resident of Walnut Creek,
on Apr 15, 2014 at 9:11 pm

John; I always enjoy your columns but this is really apropos for me as an artist at this time as I just got accepted to the Bedford Galleries annual Craft Fest on May 4th.
So I will definitely get this book. Thanks for the info,
Kasia Kessler
creator of Pillow Talk


Posted by Kasia Kessler, a resident of Walnut Creek,
on Apr 15, 2014 at 9:11 pm

John; I always enjoy your columns but this is really apropos for me as an artist at this time as I just got accepted to the Bedford Galleries annual Craft Fest on May 4th.
So I will definitely get this book. Thanks for the info,
Kasia Kessler
creator of Pillow Talk


Posted by Leo, a resident of another community,
on Apr 16, 2014 at 10:45 am

Web Link Safe for work, more-or-less.


Posted by Leo, a resident of another community,
on Apr 16, 2014 at 10:48 am

John: on a serious note, do you know where I can pick up a copy locally? I would like to support bricks-and-mortar, but if they have to order it, so can I.


Posted by John Barry, a resident of Danville,
on Apr 16, 2014 at 11:18 am

Doubt if Rakestraw in Danville would have it. Maybe B&N in Walnut Creek? I\\\'m guessing you\\\'ll have to order.


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