Customer Reviews

Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art

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Rice Freeman-Zachery has managed to write a book that manages to be very entertaining and warm while still delivering the goods on what it takes to make time and space in one's life for making art. I think that a lot of us who work traditional non-art related jobs have a tendency to believe that if we just had the right tools, or the right space, or enough time that we could be artists or creatives also. This book puts that tired excuse to bed. Not all of these artists have ideal working situations and not all of them are working on their art full-time or have always worked on their art full-time. Some of them are also juggling families as well as their careers. Managing time is very much as difficult for them as it is for the rest of us. Rice and the artists interviewed helped to explain what they gave up to make the most of their time and the things that they knew that they could not give up because it would make their lives impoverished from their standpoints and these lists varied from artist to artist.

The examples of how the artists managed their time and whether they kept calendars and were strictly scheduled or were more fluid in their scheduling varied greatly. It was interesting to see how each made time work for them. I also enjoyed reading about artists' rituals for getting ready to do their work each day. I also loved the sneak peaks that we got into the artists' studios. The examples of the artists' work throughout the book gave life and color to the text as well. I enjoyed the tips and techniques boxes and found a lot of useful information in them.

I enjoyed Rice's first book on creativity but if you made me choose, I'd say that this one is even better! If you haven't already bought this book, drop what you're doing and order it NOW! Buy some for gifts. Your friends and family will thank you. I am not related to Rice nor am I a participant in the book. I just love the book--a lot!

Get ready for another interactive, entertaining, and useful book on creativity by Ricë Freeman-Zachery. Unlike other books that just give us studio envy, she goes far beyond the pretty pictures and gets into the reality of creative self-management. Creative Time and Space isn't a list of recipes: it won't tell you exactly how you should manage your time or how to build the perfect studio, and that is precisely what I like about it. Instead the book is packed full of suggestions and techniques used by fourteen very different artists to show that there is not just one way to go about managing your creative life.

Her storytelling style makes the book complete: it is funny, down to earth, and respectful of her contributing artists as well as her readers. I enjoyed every page and will return to it often for guidance and inspiration.

Ricë ROCKS.. and so do her books...
So BUY IT already. Seriously.
Worth every penny.

This comes from artist who is not so impressed by most of the "art-inspiration", project-oriented books out there.
"Face your Fears", Silence Your Inner Critic", " Find Inspiration"... they all say the same.exact.thing.
All very helpful information, but what about those of us who are past all of that?
and have been for years?

Who KNOW what they want to do, and how much they NEED to create and are constantly battling time, life's obligations(and mental)demons?
Who do not need project guidance, but just a voice from those who are walking our path, only just a bit ahead of us?

Ricë is filling a niche for us, and there are many of us out here.
So MORE MORE MORE, Ricë !

Reenie Hanlin
When is your next book coming out?

I was reading an interview on Empty Easel (an art promotion website) with Rice Freeman-Zachery and it prompted me to buy her book: Creative Time and Space. Visually, the book does a fabulous job of showcasing the featured artists' work. As for the content, I found myself wanting more.

The author, Rice Freeman-Zachery, weaves her own thoughts amid the mish-mash of anecdotal references by the featured artists on the various chapter topics:

1. Exploring Time
2. Making Time
3. Corralling Time
4. Stuck in Time
5. Jumpstarting Time
6. Mental Space
7. Soul Space
8. Real Space
9. Creative Habits
10. Taking It on the Road

The book is for those who are struggling with "making room for making art." Rice includes little exercises in the form of "Try This" boxes to help you explore your own ideas about why you are where you are artistically and how to jump-start your passion for your art to get your back on track.

There is so much about this book that I wanted to like but much of it I had heard before. Surely, there is quite a bit here that is grounded in practicality, which just goes to show you why the reviews on Amazon were all positive. The author's style is very warm and engaging. You cannot help but feel her passion and desire to motivate you.

However, what disappointed me was the fact that the Empty Easel interview more clearly addressed what I needed to hear than the 171-page book. I expect an article that references a book to whet my appetite for the full-course meal that the book will provide me when I read it.

My Top 10 From Creative Time and Space

1. Take a notebook/sketchbook with you everywhere. As Freeman-Zachery puts it so well, "Writing down ideas reinforces the value of creative thinking and encourages your brain to spend more time in creative mode."
2. Set studio boundaries so my creative time is seen as important to me (and others)
3. Cut down on Web surfing and devote my time to painting
4. Stop (or severely cut back on) watching TV since it easily and needlessly sucks up my evenings
5. Consider implementing a schedule for myself (some of the featured artists' schedules encouraged me, others were overwhelming)
6. Write out my goals (both short-term and long-term)
7. Make a studio-efficiency list as I work that could make my next studio experience more enjoyable
8. Make a list of things that inspire me and when a rut hits, revisit it
9. Make a list of what attracts me and/or scares me about my art; then take steps to work through that list
10. Use my head-space as well as my studio space to infuse both thoughtful and spontaneous creativity throughout as much of my day as possible

You'll notice in my list, time management plays a key role (see #2-7 above). In fact, that is really the crux of the matter and so the first half of the book is devoted to giving the reader strategies.

Rice (and a few of her featured artists) strongly recommends journaling. I have not made time for this and haven't felt it to be a detriment. Who knows, you may find it essential. There were other pieces of advice throughout the book but I just didn't find them compelling. They seemed more fluffy than substantial. Of course, we are all individuals and such little bits of esoterica may inspire you towards productivity.

The chapter on your studio---Real Space---was probably one of my favorites because I loved hearing about the variety of places these professionals did their work. I found it very encouraging since I just cleaned out a small space in our bedroom to work.

Well, that's my take on Rice Freeman-Zachery's Creative Time and Space. I can't say I would definitely purchase this book again BUT I would have taken it out of the library and documented what I found that was practical.

I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars but that's not an option here, so the artist's enthusiasm for her topic earns her an extra 1/2 a star.

This is not a book about how to make art. This is a book about how to incorporate making art and thinking artistically into the fabric of your life. If you've ever said "Oh, I'd love to do that, but I just don't have time", then "Creative Time and Space" is a first step to having that time. Written in her wry and wickedly funny voice, Ms. Freeman-Zachery gives you tools to find where you lose time, how to rearrange that time, and then lays out innovative ideas for what constitutes "space" for art. A talented artist as well as writer, Ms. Freeman-Zachery weaves in hints, anecdotes, and examples from many other artists that reinforce her suggestions. Illustrated with many examples of these artists' works, the book is not only a wealth of information, but it is rich with "eye candy". Your brain will be roiling with ideas as you read. So keep a notebook handy! (OK - that's one of Ricë's tips in the book. But I'm using it!)

Even if you already have your art life all neatly laid out (HA!), you'll enjoy the book. So... what are you waiting for! Click "ADD TO CART"!!

This is a fabulous book for either artists who are just starting out or people who want to incorporate a daily creative practice into their every day routine. There are NO projects in this book, instead, this is more of a "owner's manual" for making time and space for more art in our lives.

Rice (pronounced "Lisa") Freeman-Zachery covers all the topics that are important to those wanting to add more time/space for art in their life- issues of time (how to make time, how to "wrangle" time, how to use the time you have- even if it's tiny), issues of space (big or small or out of a backpack, there are tips and inspiration for all of us), issues of "play" vs. "work" in art (which was most useful to me).

Along the way, there are lots of bits on information, tidbits, and suggestions from many working artists, and the book prominently features their artwork on every page. I do like the format of Freeman-Zachary's books, but I have to admit, when I was 3/4ths of the way through, I was wishing the book had more of a "traditional" layout. The book is sort of a scrapbook of images, text, and small "asides" with information and a lot of the time I lost my place (and focus) in the book because I started studying an artwork or reading something in one of the small boxes that are randomly placed right in the middle of a block of text. It's awfully nice to look through, but reading straight through is a bit of a challenge.

My other criticism is that it didn't quite cover time management in the way I was hoping it would, which is absolutely not the book's fault. I was hoping for examples of different artists' working schedules (an idea of how much time they spend "working" vs. how much time they spend "experimenting", examples of a typical schedule of a day spent in the studio, etc.) and these are not really covered. For those of you looking for firm guidance on time management in the art studio, this isn't the book.

While this book will not change your life, and probably won't be useful to more established artists who already have a studio and dedicated time for their art, for those of us starting out, it's a great guide. I highly recommend it.

i've been wanting to finish this book so i could give you a comprehensive review. not. I started my cursory review with the wrong intention. i was going to logically,i thought, read the book, organize my notes and comments, put my thoughts in order and then it happened that weeks later i'm still struggling to write this review. why?

and what's in this for you? well it hit me this morning: this book is not your "normal book" that can be categorized into left brain organizational mechanisms. have you tried reviewing and reporting on life?... this book is the wonderful insights and secrets of the mind of an artists sharing what we would like to ask other artists--it's the artists' life.

next to a video show, here is your live opportunity to hear their words, see their artistry/ works, visit some of their studios(even the kitchen countertop in one case) as if you were tuned into an in depth public tv show. the author knows what you want to know because she's been there herself. she gives you the works of the artist not for just eye candy, but, i believe, because it helps you to connect their ideas and suggestions and get to know "them". and notably even their personal pictures tell alot. alongside the exposure to the artists is the author's provocative ideas about creativity and sewing together the threads to weave a colorful tapestry of the complexity, yet accomplishable idea, of finding your artistry within.

i admit bias; i've visited and participated in her blog at [...]. in fact check out the blog and guatanteed you'll want her books. this is a non politically paid announcement. now back to review.

i think this "artist tool" has something for everyone--it's multi dimensional: one sitting choose your menu--focus on looking at pictures of artist and their works, looking at in depth shadow boxes, in green, of tips and suggestions. and not pithy tips. some tips and suggestions are 60 words or more... some suggestions are actual art techniques or projects you can do to begin your journey...

my favorite chapter, at least for this sitting and review is on making mental space for your creativity: giving yourself permission to play and knowing that experienced artists struggle with this too and knowing that early 20th century essayist was "always writing" even while socializing...and according to the author contributes to what some call "absent mindedness" in many artists.

the author makes a point of explaining the importance of "creativity" in life. how does one balance their artistic perceptions and their focus on other life activities, read chapter 6 for yourself. this artist tool will remain on my shelf. it will not be discarded. i want to make copious notes,but find the book pages to beautiful for writing; i think when i can write on those pages i will have arrived. thankyou rice and ege for the fine work: ege????... you'll have to get the book and or visit the blog to find out...

*****
Such a pretty, pretty book, and SO much fun as well. I needed some creative inspiration, and this wonderful book provided it--it was a great kick in the butt! It is a beautiful book filled with the work of the fourteen artists interviewed. Packed with information, ideas, and stories that caused me to reflect on how I work and how different or the same I am from the various artists--this book was a lovely adventure.

It is a book about how to befriend time when it comes to being creative. It's an opportunity to see how other artists view, manage, and befriend time, how they prioritize, weed out, organize, play, and get unstuck. The enormous variety in the ways each artist works helped me to identify what was and wasn't for me. And to get new ideas on other ways I might approach my work in order to have more time and be able to be more creative.

My favorite chapter was on mental space. It was enormously validating for the way I think and work and for my preoccupation with creative endeavors and my living in my imagination.

Even if you have a lot of art books already, you won't regret this purchase.

Highly recommended.
*****

I've been carrying this little book around the house with me, off and on, since I got it a few weeks ago. It's exactly what I was looking for--conversations with and advice from working artists on the daily life of making art. It's got tips from those artists on everything from making time for what you want to do and using the time that you have. It'll help you get your head on straight, which is the key to doing anything worthwhile. There are techniques in this book that can help you get started, keep going, and get re-started when you need to. Get this book and refer to it often!

Reading Rice is so enjoyable -- she's intelligent, witty, informative, and always interesting. I just sat down with the book today and I'm already impressed with the way she and the other artists share what works for them. Rice has done a wonderful job of organizing and presenting the material, giving your brain a little spark here & there, or an interesting anecdote, so that reading the book is like taking a workshop you've always wanted to take, but YOU are in charge of the pace. I found that some of the ideas were helping me to build a framework for things I already knew, so that I can access that knowledge and make use of it. I finished the first chapter today and I know already that this purchase was money well-spent.