How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum [Paperback]

Keri Smith (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 7, 2008

From the author of Wreck This Journal, an interactive guide for exploring and documenting the art and science of everyday life.

Artists and scientists analyze the world around them in surprisingly similar ways, by observing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, and comparing. In this captivating guided journal, readers are encouraged to explore their world as both artists and scientists.

The mission Smith proposes? ?To document and observe the world around you. As if you?ve never seen it before. Take notes. Collect things you find on your travels. Document findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to.?

With a series of interactive prompts and a beautifully hand-illustrated two-color package, readers will enjoy exploring and discovering the world through this gorgeous book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Both daring and meditative, How to Be an Explorer of the World is part Maira Kalman, part Wendy MacNaughton, part its very own kind of whimsy, delivering — beautifully — exactly what it says on the tin, with an invitation to be just a little bit more alive each day.”
—Brain Pickings

About the Author

Keri Smith is the author of the popular weblog Wish Jar Journal, which attracts 8,000 readers daily, Living Out Loud, and Tear Up This Book. She’s illustrated for the Washington Post, New York Times, Ford Motor Company, People, The Body Shop, and Hallmark. She lives in Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; First Edition edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399534601
• ISBN-13: 978-0399534607
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,540 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Creativity & Genius
  • #48 in Books > Self-Help > Creativity

More About the Author

Keri Smith is an author/illustrator turned guerilla artist. She is the author of several bestselling books about creativity including This is Not a Book (2009 Perigee), How to be an Explorer of the World -the Portable Life/Art Museum,( 2008 Perigee), Wreck this Journal (2007 Perigee). Her newest book, Mess: A Manual of Accidents and Mistakes will be released fall 2010 by Penguin Books. She is the author of the popular weblog the Wish Jar, and writes on occasion for a variety of magazines. Keri spends her days playing with her husband and son, and divides her time between upstate New York, and the countryside of Canada.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How to "Be" Guide for Artists November 12, 2008

By C. Campbell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Smith's newest book is the most recent installment in her passionate, ongoing process to distill life and the art process (indistinguishable to most artists) down to it's bare matter. If you can embrace playfulness, open courageously to the idea of art as life, are willing to turn off the television and look around you, love to challenge yourself to learn to BE and create from essence as opposed to trend or fancy, Explorer is for you.

As an author, she seems to live her life exactly the way she writes (as one can easily pick up when visiting her blog The Wish Jar Journal).

As an artist, she is apparently very well read on the subjects of art and life and willing to push beyond art school rules to find her own voice among so many artsy voices that seem to blend together these days. For an insightful, modern perspective on gathering the fodder to create amazing experiences, I was not disappointed with this book.
I completely disagree with other reviews which state that this book is not for deep thinkers. I find her simple, freshened concepts to be timely and revolutionary, just what artists have been missing from our creative processes.
I also recommend Wreck This Journal and Guerilla Art, also by Keri Smith.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring After the End July 4, 2012

By Lorrene Desbien

Format:Paperback

I purchased this book for my daughter, Sarah. She wrote in it and underlined words and left it a rag tag mess. After she passed away in a car accident when she was 16, I loved flipping through the pages seeing her thoughts and observations.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good ideas November 29, 2008

By L. Velarde

Format:Paperback

this book is cleverly written and has some wonderful ideas for exploring your world. most all of them are ideas I have never seen before and want to try in my sketchbook. there are examples too. I highly recommend this book for the artist, journaler or someone that just wants to see their world with FRESH eyes!