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Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Book by Anna Deavere Smith · 10 quotes · Art, Doe, Hands

This book is a compilation of letters written to young artists, providing straightforward guidance on navigating a career in the arts. It covers a range of topics pertinent to actors, performers, writers, and artists, offering insights and advice on creating a fulfilling life in the creative field.

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This book is a compilation of letters written to young artists, providing straightforward guidance on navigating a career in the arts. It covers a range of topics pertinent to actors, performers, writers, and artists, offering insights and advice on creating a fulfilling life in the creative field.

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All Art Doe Hands Humans Knows Should Acquire Action Active Amount Art Is Artist Be Grateful Becoming Bigger Both Sides Canvas Care Cherish Circles

Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind Quotes

“They say that art should stand the test of time. Life lasts a limited amount of time. Mountains and trees and earth will outlive human beings, but we don't know if they will be here always. Art does outlast the life span of its maker. Art should communicate to an increasing circle of strangers-people who do not know the artist, but come to know the work, and through the work, come to know something about the humanity of the artist that rings with their own humanity.”

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“You are an explorer. You understand that every time you go into the studio, you are after something that does not yet exist.”

Doe Studios Exploration Explorers

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Use your time to bathe yourself in the gift. Move your hand across the canvas. Go to museums. Make this into an obsession.”

Use Hands Moving Obsession Museums Canvas

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“My job in my work is not to acquire power; it's to question power.”

Jobs Power Acquire

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Be more than ready. Be present in your discipline. Remember your gift. Be grateful for your gift and treat it like a gift. Cherish it, take care of it, and pass it on.”

Care Remember Ready Discipline Treats Grateful Take Care Preparation Cherish Be Grateful

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Art should take what is complex and render it simply. It takes a lot of skill, human understanding, stamina, courage, energy, and heart to do that.”

Should Humans Heart Art Energy Understanding Skills Complexes Simplicity Stamina

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Confidence is a static state. Determination is active. Determination allows for doubt and for humility - both of which are critical in the world today. There is so much that we don’t know, and so much that we know we don’t know. To be overly confident or without doubt seems silly to me. Determination, on the other hand, is a commitment to win, a commitment to fight the good fight.”

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Perhaps art is a quest for the perfect, or even the imperfect. Reality always falls short on both sides.”

Art Reality Fall Sides Perfect Art Is Imperfect Quests Both Sides

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“Even jealousy is based on fantasies: a fantasy that someone else has what belongs to you.”

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

“What you are will show, ultimately. Start now, every day, becoming, in your actions, your regular actions, what you would like to become in the bigger scheme of things.”

Shows Action Becoming Bigger Schemes

Book:Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

Source: Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind

About the Author

Anna Deavere SmithBrowse author quotes

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