People I Read/On My Shelf: Austin Kleon

I came across Steal Like An Artist in the gift shop of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles some years back. The book is by Austin Kleon, a self-proclaimed “writer who draws.” Divided in to ten well illustrated  chapters that closely resemble commandments, the book urges the reader to absorb the world around them and assign it value as you never know what could inspire you. These lessons have shaped my creative process for the last several years and I highly recommend the book to any artist or writer.

Kleon’s follow up to Steal Like An Artist, Show Your Work! inspired me to start this site. In a similar ten chapter structure, it lays out how to build an audience, why your work is a continual process, and how sharing that process can help bring people to see your finished product. Again, this is a book I would recommend this to anyone creative or anyone who wants to build an audience for their work.

Austin Kleon’s books are an unusual mash up of drawings and words put together into two beautifully inspiring wholes. They are great reads and fill me up with near manic motivation every time I read them. Learn more about Austin Kleon here.