Customer Reviews

Marry Your Muse: Making a Lasting Commitment to Your Creativity

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I have read pretty much all the books on creativity (The Artists' Way, Natalie Goldberg, etc.) and maybe I'm just getting tired of all the "psychological work" that is beginning to get in the way of actually producing any art itself....I do like Jan Phillips' personal stories a lot, and as a fledgling writer, fashion illustrator/designer and performer I can relate to all the blocks and fears she discusses. But enough already!! I do not get the sense of "joy" that the PR blurb uses to describe her book at all, but much like Julia Cameron's, her art sounds like a prolonged, painful and complicated birthing process. Personally I am experimenting with taking a road of less resistance, trying to actually follow my own lightness and desire, and who knows, maybe I will come up with a helpful workshop of my own someday! In the meantime, I would recommend Sally Warner's "Making Room for Making Art" as a down-to-earth, practical view into how mostly unblocked, working artists effectively structure their lives and time.

If you haven't yet realized the joy and self-empowerment of participating in one of Jan Phillips' workshops, MARRY YOUR MUSE comes as close to that experience as any book could. Jan manages to infuse the magical energy she brings to her creative sessions into print, providing a wider audience with her inspiration and her affirmation that we are creative, spiritual beings--no matter what we've been led to believe. For those lucky enough to have written, danced, laughed, cried, created in a Jan Phillips workshop, the book is further confirmation of the promise of our Muse: that we can in fact partake in the joys of creativity, that this sacred transformation isn't reserved for a few elite individuals. "Do not doubt that you are born to create," she says, "Do not believe that the realm of art belongs only to others..." MARRY YOUR MUSE evolved from "The Artist's Creed," a prayer of commitment to her creativity that Jan wrote some years ago after leading a workshop at the annual International Women's Writing Guild summer conference (an event held every August at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY, at which she still teaches a weeklong session). However, the book is more than just "The Artist's Creed"--it's a meditation and a plan for action and a litany of stories about the joy of living a creative life. It dispels those nagging doubts about the existence of creativity in our lives-- and it stresses the importance of creating our art NOW, making time for it. My favorite Jan-quote is, "There are a lot of things we don't have in life, but time is not one of them. Time is all we have. One lifetime under this name to produce a body of work that says, 'This is how I saw the world.' Your work is worthy of whatever time it takes." As a Regional Representative for the International Women's Writing Guild and a facilitator of a women's writing group, I am often asked about books/tools I suggest for enhancing creativity, "getting started", dispelling writer's block--and MARRY YOUR MUSE is the first title out of my mouth (generally followed by Julia Cameron's THE ARTIST'S WAY, Natalie Goldberg's WRITING DOWN THE BONES and WILD MIND, and Dorothy Randall Gray's SOUL BETWEEN THE LINES: FREEING YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT THROUGH WRITING). And then, after you've read MARRY YOUR MUSE, done the exercises, crafted your own imaginative work-- you may just find yourself wanting more... perhaps seeking to attend a live Jan Phillips workshop--to see where this creative lady is headed next and if you can thumb a ride. I know I'm looking forward to my next dose of Muse Magic in August!

This book is very encouraging about honoring your own creative gifts, without making you feel GUILTY, which was my reaction to the book everyone goes on about, THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron - just made me want to curl up in bed and go back to sleep!! It was just too demanding - Do this! Do that!! Like you had all the time in the world to devote to "Creativity" - MARRY YOUR MUSE is a lot more accepting of who you are... there are suggestions for exercises you can do - and some good ideas and inspiring words, but they're not COMMANDMENTS - Thou shalt be CREATIVE!! Now, JUMP!!!! ("Too hard" says me - "let's see what's on TV!?") Jan Phillips takes it MUCH easier - she encourages rather than commands! My reaction is, "Sure!! This is DO-ABLE!! And worthwhile! And validating! What's next?"

I have many books on writing and creativity. Jan's is the only one that I never shelve. It rests on my coffee table so that I can pick it up whenever I need encouragement or inspiration. She inspires, she reassures and her suggestions and exercises are easy to complete. Her wonderful collection of quotes which grace the margins spark insights. Her Artist's Creed reminds me I have a right to take the time to create whatever calls me at the moment. And you know from her words that she's lived everything she writes about. Don't miss this one!

As I read Marry Your Muse, I was constantly reminded of The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron. The entire book sounded like a reworking of the information in Julia Cameron's book, which is ironic since Jan Phillips says to keep originality in mind as you begin your work. Her autobiograhical stories may, indeed, be original, but The "Artist's Creed" is simply a variation of "An Artist's Prayer" in The Artist's Way.

Marry Your Muse is for people who don't want to do all of the assignments that are included in The Artist's Way or The Vein of Gold.

The photographs are great.

Jan Phillips took me on a journey I had never been. I had sensed this part of my inner being, but stayed out, afraid of the power I may find. Then my eyes got wider and wider as I turned each page and suddenly, without being conscious of my change, I trusted her honest voice and slowly let go of fears that had restrained me from being and creating more. I became deeper and truer, because Jan was deep and true. And my writing and art expanded.

Marry Your Muse is well-organized, rich and meaty, and void of fluff. Every chapter contains its distinct wisdom, realness, and a high calling to "Marry Your Muse."

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to go further in themselves and their art.

Jan Phillips brings a gentle, even poetic, sensitivity to the opportunities and challenges of really living a creative life. Her Guidelines make a powerful way to work for anyone--artist or other. This approach will make a difference in expanding your creativity!

Jan Phillips accomplished her goal if her goal was to inspire and encourage many creative journeys. I found the chapters brief enough to be enjoyed individually or as part of the larger sections. I read it forward and some days from the back and felt completely validated. The photos helped place the creative effort in the ordinary and in simplicity. My muse and I are in the courtship phase but after reading this book and following some of the exercise suggestions I believe my muse and I will become engaged pretty soon.

This is not a book that covers the technical or formal-artistic aspects of photography. Instead, Jan Phillips presents something deeper, a description of the soul healing and growth that occurs when the photographer connects with her/his subject and allows this connection to manifest in the printed photograph. I continue to re-read this book and discover something new with each reading - it resonates with me, at both the human spirit and aspiring photographer levels. The photographs and quotes are beautiful in their own right. Engage with what you do, connect with your subject, be in the moment, drop the extraneous clutter and let your spirit guide your actions behind the lens. Share yourself with the world through your photographs, photograph for yourself not for a preconceived notion of what is "good" or "bad" - your soul/spirit and the world at large will benefit as a result. These are the messages I consistently receive from God Is at Eye Level - a must have for anyone passionate about photography.

Jan Phillips says what you and I need to hear. Touching our inner creative selves allows us to learn to become authentic, which can heal ourselves and others. I cannot say enough about the power of these words. Similar to the Artist Way book series, this one seems to take us one step further. Good quotes in the margins and some suggested helpful activities to practice. I bought the book for a university course I'm taking, but am so very thankful that I ran across it at all.

Debbie, Illinois