15 Books on Art & Creativity

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Jan 2

Written By Christina Bailey

Go ahead, judge these books by their cover.

We did.

Dress up your coffee table with books that will inspire you to be a multi-creative.

We’ve shared inspired videos and links to purchase books on Amazon below, but we prefer to buy books local. If you live in Nashville, The Book Shop in East Nashville is a great place to buy Phaidon and other beautiful art books.

House Industries:

The Process Is the Inspiration

An illustrative collection of helpful lessons, stories, and case studies that demonstrate how to transform obsessive curiosity into personally satisfying and successful work.

If you’re obsessed with fonts, exploring House Industries is like being in a candy store.

Flying Too Close To The Sun:

Myths In Art From Classical To Contemporary

A unity of myth-inspired artworks by ancient, modern, and contemporary artists, from Botticelli and Caravaggio to Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

The only graphic novel to be nominated for the Man Booker Prize, Sabrina is about the reality of viral death.

The below video by JustWrite is a great review with glimpses into the artwork.

Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel

We wrote about Lee Krasner in our highlight of two Ultra-Modernists. This book features her and other artists who impacted the Modern Art movement. If you’ve got an hour to kill, the below video is a conversation with the author, hosted at The Whitney.

You Are A Dream

We’ve been thinking a lot about creating work that’s different from what we’ve already experienced or seen.

The book above and video below (by the author) challenge you to think about how to be different. How to weigh analog vs. digital to create art that sets you apart from others.

The Definitive History Of Costume & Style

Smithsonian Fashion

If you’re going to sport the Coco Chanel book, might as well purchase the whole fashion art book collection.

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Don’t Read This Book. Time Management for Creative People.

This book is a perfect way to acquire tips and tricks that will help manage your time as a creative. Click the link above for a physical copy, or check out the free online version here.

Oh So Pretty. Punk In Print 1976 - 80

500 artefacts - 'zines,' gig posters, flyers, and badges - from well-known and obscure musical acts, designers, venues, and related political groups

Broad Strokes. 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (in that order).

Highlights of 15 overlooked women in the art world.

Reading Art. Art Book For Lovers.

Focusing on artists who opted to use books as a medium to make art, you can read a few excerpts of what’s featured in this book in this review by Artspace.

The Accidental Creative

One element of being a multi-creative, is being able to label yourself an artistic title, while also acting and living as a business Professional.

This book does a great job of encouraging ideas of creativity to live within an artistic scope, but also within a day-to-day lens for full time professional life in and out of the arts.

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Co-Art: Artists on Creative Collaboration

This book shines a spotlight on creative duos, specifically 25 artists who work together. Food for thought for creatives looking to take on creative partners.

The 20th Century World Architecture

750 of the most outstanding works of architecture built between 1900 and 1999 are showcased in this Phaidon book. You can see a sneak peek of the compilation in the video below.