"The art world is full of static. In the art market, there's the buzz of money and the fear of failure. In social media, there's the continuous jostling for scraps of praise. In art criticism, there's the fear of a bad review. In academia, there's the pressure of learning, the guilt of not producing, the competition for jobs. In the gallery scene, there's the expectation that your work will be consistent and on schedule. It's disempowering and distracting, and the result is thousands of artists who produce what they think the world wants. This book is like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. It will let you concentrate on what you desire, who you are, what art does for you, what you need to make. So go back to your studio, shut down your social media, and clear out your library. This is the only book you need."

 

James Elkins, author and E.C. Chadbourne Professor in the Department of Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

"Art from Your Core provides a poignant reminder to artists that living and expressing their truth through art is fundamentally important, and ever more so in a world where authenticity and the value of lived experience are under constant assault. Kretz draws upon decades of expertise in teaching and making art to offer this invaluable resource that supports the artist-creatively, psychologically, and professionally. This is a must-read for artists and art students at any stage in their career."

Micol Hebron, Artist, Activist, and Professor, Los Angeles

"Like the layers of an onion, Kate Kretz peels back the levels of art and art making through an invasive and comprehensive dissection. Not unlike a scientist searching for the core of discovery, she unwraps and peels back those layers of thoughts, considerations, opportunities, and conundrums that artists face making art from the core. Part guide, part philosophical musing, and part how-to, she makes real and understandable the complex and complicated world of the contemporary artist."

Joseph Seipel, Dean Emeritus, School of the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University

"Kate Kretz is your erudite, generous guide to "cultivating the core" of every creative soul. Art From Your Core is filled with amazing insights and exercises—useful for beginners and experts alike, no matter the medium—that will encourage you to look differently at the world, into yourself, and find your voice as an artist. With wisdom gleaned from thinkers and makers ranging from Seneca to Sontag to El Anatsui, this book is a precious toolbox to help you uncover the unique, genuinely felt art that only you were meant to make."

Maria Elena Buszek, PhD, Author, Professor of Art History, President's Teaching Scholar, University of Colorado Denver