Customer Reviews

Creating from the Spirit

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If you are an artist who has turned to alcohol or drugs in your struggle with creativity, if you feel that being creativity requires you to be alienated and irresponsible, then this book is definitely for you. However, if you do not have any such problem, then half this book is for you. Wakefield has taken at least half the space in this work, or so it seems, to deal with the Dylan Thomases and the Ernest Hemingways of the artistic world who subscribe to the myth that an artist can not be at their best unless they are completely engulfed in misery. Wakefield, who himself had to deal with this tragic myth, shows how it is a total fallacy by contrasting these artists with others who are fulfilled, widely-accepted and seemingly content.

But this is not a critical work by any means. There is a very practical side to it as well. Wakefield draws upon the experiences of these fulfilled artists to get at the heart - or rather the spirit, as the title imples - of creativity. And not only artists, but people from all walks of life including clergy, atheletes, business executives and secretaries, who believe their lives are creative. And to Wakefield's credit, he steps out of the way and lets each of these tell their own personal story in their own words and reveal methods they use to unleash that mysterious well of energy residing deep inside each of us - our creativity. No doubt anyone trying to get in touch with their creative faculties will find this section of the work interesting to say the least and can regard it from that standpoint as a valuable resource

If you are an artist who has turned to alcohol or drugs in your struggle with creativity, if you feel that being creativity requires you to be alienated and irresponsible, then this book is definitely for you. However, if you do not have any such problem, then half this book is for you. Wakefield has taken at least half the space in this work, or so it seems, to deal with the Dylan Thomases and the Ernest Hemingways of the artistic world who subscribe to the myth that an artist can not be at their best unless they are completely engulfed in misery. Wakefield, who himself had to deal with this tragic myth, shows how it is a total fallacy by contrasting these artists with others who are fulfilled, widely-accepted and seemingly content.

But this is not a critical work by any means. There is a very practical side to it as well. Wakefield draws upon the experiences of these fulfilled artists to get at the heart - or rather the spirit, as the title imples - of creativity. And not only artists, but people from all walks of life including clergy, atheletes, business executives and secretaries, who believe their lives are creative. And to Wakefield's credit, he steps out of the way and lets each of these tell their own personal story in their own words and reveal methods they use to unleash that mysterious well of energy residing deep inside each of us - our creativity. No doubt anyone trying to get in touch with their creative faculties will find this section of the work interesting to say the least and can regard it from that standpoint as a valuable resource