On occasion I come across a book on a subject unrelated to painting, which nonetheless turns out to be a treasure trove of ideas that enhance my studio practices. One of these is Stephen King's book On Writing. You don't have to be a would-be novelist to love this book. If you are at all interested in the creative process, or simply in writing well, you will be rewarded by reading this one. I should have included it in my recent post on Summer Reading!
King's book is part memoir, part "how to" on writing. I found the memoir portion to be as instructive as the other parts on the subject of the creative process. His memoir provided proof that if you follow the things that have excited you since childhood, you are tapping into the best and most authentic material. In King's case, think goblins, gore and things that go bump in the night.
Here are a few quotes from the book that I find especially applicable to my own work. Faithful readers may also find that they contain important life lessons:
"You must not come lightly to the blank page."
"Good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation."
"If you want to be a successful writer, you must be able to describe [the experience], and in a way that will cause your readers to prickle with recognition."
"Description begins in the writer's imagination, but should finish in the reader's."
And a personal favorite, so akin to what I strive for in simplification of my paintings: "Good description usually consists of a few well chosen details that will stand for everything else."
I'm illustrating this post with some recent paintings, in which I tried to SEE clearly and DESCRIBE with a few details so that the work can be completed in the viewer's imagination. Enjoy!
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