Although I hadn’t heard of Sally Mann or seen any of her famous photographs, I picked up this book based on a recommendation for her writing skills. This book seems targeted towards artists who are just coming to terms with how to be creative and maybe use those skills to pay the bills. And also, it seems like she expects readers to have at least passing knowledge of her body of work.
I got a lot out of this book – it was interesting to see the practical side of creativity and how things go when that side of a person meets the rough practical side of just getting through life. The recommendation that I got was bang-on, and her writing was really enjoyable. I felt like I was reading the thoughts of someone much younger than in their 70s, full of energy and insight and a self-deprecating sense of humor. This was someone I’m sure that I would like to meet in person.
I’m not planning to get into art for work, but I was curious to see the practical side of things and this book delivered. It would be interesting to contrast the opinions here with other artists, and see where they converge and diverge.
Next I am waiting on some books from the library so I’ll do a little more reading on James Bond after our recent viewing of Moonraker.
