The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World [Paperback]

Ted Orland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2006

In their perennial best-seller Art & Fear, Ted Orland (with David Bayles) examined the obstacles that artists encounter each time they enter their studio and stand before a new blank canvas. Now, in The View From The Studio Door, Orland turns his attention to broader issues that stand to either side of that artistic moment of truth.
In a text marked by grace, brevity and humor, Orland argues that when it comes to art making, theory and practice are always intertwined. There are timeless philosophical questions (How do we make sense of the world?) that address the very nature of art making, as well as gritty real-world questions (Is there art after graduation?) that artists encounter the moment they're off the starting blocks and producing work on a regular basis.
Simply put, this is a book of practical philosophy. As a teacher and working artist himself, Orland brings authentic insight and encouragement to all those who face the challenge of making art in an uncertain world. The breadth of material covered is reflected in chapters that include Making Sense of the World, Art & Society, The Education of the Artist, Surviving Graduation, Making Art That Matters, The Artistic Community, and more. All things considered, The View From The Studio Door is a perfect companion piece to Art & Fear.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Orland is a widely exhibited art photographer and former assistant to Ansel Adams. He is a digital photography instructor at Cabrillo College, in Santa Cruz, CA. Co-author of "Art & Fear," he is also author of history book "Man & Yosemite" and the autobiographical monograph "Scenes of Wonder & Curiosity."

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Image Continuum Press; First Edition edition (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096145475X
• ISBN-13: 978-0961454753
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ted Orland began his professional career working as a young graphic artist for designer Charles Eames, and later served as Assistant to photographer Ansel Adams. Ted currently lives in Santa Cruz CA, where he pursues parallel careers in teaching, writing and photography. He is co-author (with David Bayles) of the best-selling artists' survival guide, "Art & Fear", and author of its recent companion piece, "The View From the Studio Door". He also leads workshops on a variety of artistic issues and photographic topics. Ted's own fine art photography is represented by The Ansel Adams Gallery.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for any artist or wannabe artist, April 25, 2006

By 

Mark (SOQUEL, CA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World (Paperback)

This is a must read for any artist or aspiring artist. It will help you to understand yourself, your art, and your audience. The View From The Studio Door is part philosophy, part psychology, part history, and entirely authentic, entertaining and enlightening. The author is very articulate in a down-to-earth and entertaining way. Original insights are spread throughout the book and it's margins. On one page you will be in awe of the philosophical insights that are revealed and on the next page you will enjoy the author's delightful sense of humor. On the next page you may learn something about yourself and your art. Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite passages. " In 1927 a young Ansel Adams made one of his most famous photographs: Monolith-The Face of Half Dome. Or more accurately, he made a photograph that several of his friends thought was very nice....It appeared as a gritty halftone in a newsletter of the local chapter of the Sierra Club....Finally, a half-century after it's first appearance, Monolith appeared in a Time magazine cover story about Adams accompanied by the headline "Ansel Adams: GOD'S FIRST ART DIRECTOR.""

The author, Ted Orland, is co-author of the book Art and Fear that is also a wonderful read for artists in all disciplines.
Art and Fear is one of the top 4,209 best selling books on Amazon.com. Although we do not usually consider ranking #4,209 an badge of sucess, this is a remarkable accomplishment for a book that has artists as it's primary audience. The View From The Studio Door is a very worthy next read for any artist.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging, March 29, 2008

By 

Karen Tiede (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World (Paperback)

I'm just another artist with a day job, and while I may know, at some level, many of the ideas in this book, it is completely worth the time it took to read and the money it cost to buy. I read it twice right away, actually, and it will join Art & Fear in my flight carry-on because they're good books for times when you can't make your own art.

I particularly relish the way Ted speaks to artists in all media; there's far too much "truth for every artist" that turns out to be for painters only.

I come away strengthened, encouraged, set back on my path. I am doing the right thing and I don't have to know where this path leads. It did used to be different for artists but it's not that way now and make your art anyway.

Heck, a therapist or a creativity coach will charge a lot more and take a lot longer to get you to the same place!

If I were writing the book, I would devote much less space to art students, but perhaps my distaste for that chapter has its roots in major-envy, in that I want to believe life would be different if only I'd recognized a path earlier. And yet probably my life would have been much the same if I had, only with no insurance.

Own the book. It's doesn't cost much, and it's worth it. Someone over in the Art & Fear reviews noted that all the used copies are completely covered in highlighting and margin notes. My copy of View is well on its way to the same end.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A permanent addition to my "regular reading list", June 3, 2008

By 

A. Zlatic (St. Louis, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The View From The Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way In An Uncertain World (Paperback)

After years of struggling with the question, "Am I really an artist?" I finally got my answer. For some reason, I had convinced myself that unless I lived an angst-ridden, eat-or-make-art existence, I wasn't really a true artist.

Once I read this book, though, I learned that art isn't about lifestyle...it's about what you DO with your life, how you choose to live it.

For addressing such weighty issues as "the making of Art," The View is an easy read, and chock full of motivation and inspiration and all the other good "-tions" that are too numerous to list here. I've read it once (unless you count the passages I read several times in a row, just because I liked them so much), and know that it will be a perennial favorite. Possibly more than once a year, if I find I need a little positive reinforcement (a literary kick in the rear, so to speak).

If you're an artist, think you might be an artist, want to be an artist, were once an artist, could possibly some day in the future be an artist, or even just know an artist, it's worth reading. Heck, if you just like art, it's worth reading. It'll give you some insight into what exactly goes into making art. It's way more than just the materials and a learned skill set!