Ellen Langer writes about her own process of discovering "how to paint" tied in with ways that we can be mindful when creating art. She discusses things that often hold people back from creating art, like the "definition of art" (no one can agree, why worry?), comparing self to others (with so many different types of art, what good does comparing ourselves to ONE do?) and saying we're "not creative" (also with the many types of art doesn't make sense). She emphasizes that the process of making art, the curiosity of the finished product and the process are what is most important when doing any type of creating - it's not about the evaluation or what others think - it's about a way to be mindful when creating.

I'm oversimplifying, but this book was really helpful for me. Langer gives people a freedom from "knowing the rules" and getting something on the paper/canvas instead, learning as we go.

Recommended.

Pairings: Art and Fear, Sabbath.