This book offers constructive advice for artists who are becoming discouraged or feel stalled and those who yearn to rekindle their passion for making art. Several life-long artists in mediums as diverse as drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, and sculpture share philosophies and outline strategies for remaining an artist despite chronic challenges such as financial worries, social pressures, family obligations, “day jobs,” and self-doubt. From setting up a studio and establishing a realistic work schedule to finding the right subject matter and reconsidering every option, Making Room for Making Art discusses important changes in attitude and offers practical suggestions on how artists can rediscover the pleasure of making art.
BIOGRAPHY OF SALLY WARNER
Sally Warner was born in New York City and grew up in Connecticut and California, where her family moved when she was eight years old. She attended public schools in Pasadena. She then received her B.A. degree from Scripps College in Claremont, California, and her B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in fine arts from Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles.
Sally Warner worked as an artist (primarily charcoal drawings) for many years, exhibiting her work at galleries, small museums, colleges, and universities across the country. Her drawings are in many private collections. She also taught art education for ten years at Pasadena City College. Her teaching led her to write her first non-fiction book for adults, ENCOURAGING THE ARTIST IN YOUR CHILD, in 1989. This book sold more than 20,000 copies. Another of her non-fiction books for adults, MAKING ROOM FOR MAKING ART (1994), is still in print and doing well.
Sally Warner then began writing fiction for young readers. Her first novel, DOG YEARS (1995), has almost 90,000 copies--in Italy! Sally Warner did the cartoons herself. IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY, another novel she has illustrated--with nearly 100 drawings---was published in 2008 and is for ages 8--12.
To date, Sally Warner has had 23 novels published, mostly for ages 8--12. One of her most popular books so far was SORT OF FOREVER (1998, still available through Scholastic Book Club), which has sold more than 220,000 copies! She also writes for younger readers, ages 7+; the books in her current funny series for Viking (ONLY EMMA, NOT-SO-WEIRD EMMA, SUPER EMMA, BEST FRIEND EMMA, and EXCELLENT EMMA) have been getting lots of positive attention. At least 3 ELLRAY JAKES books will be coming out in the next few years as well.
Sally Warner and her husband live in Southern California. She has four step-daughters, five step-grandchildren, and two sons who both have active careers in the arts: dance/choreography/teaching, and computer generated imagery for television and movies.
For photos, cartoons, and more information on her books: www.sallywarner.com
