For Those About to Write, I Salute You

The blogs I've been visiting lately are mostly dedicated to illustration, after all I've been following links from Illustrationfriday.com to get to them. Through many of those sites I learned about a book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I asked for it for my birthday because writing is art, and I've been out of practice. Well, it turns out Julia Cameron also has a book called The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life. I know that the followers of The Artist's Way are big fans - they feel it offers the most refreshing and challenging assignments and lessons so let me tell you, The Right to Write is just as powerful.
After just six chapters, I am smitten with Cameron. The book is truly an invitation to write, to put aside all of your ingrained beliefs and preconceived notions about writers and writing, and to join her on the journey. Though the structure of the book is a "lessons & assignments" format, her writing style is far from tutorial; Cameron's language is poetic and colorful, the types of things I envy while reading other authors, but just "can't" duplicate on my own. Just after the first few pages I felt as though I was let in on a secret by a master of the skill - like a young ninja, asked to join the elite clan by the ringleader himself, or a measly hitman invited into the Mafia by the Don of the most important family.
This book comes highly recommended by me. What credentials do I have to be recommending books? I'm exactly like everyone else... and that's who this book is for. Writers & nonwriters alike are invited into the Writing Life. Anyone who is capable of using language should read this book. The freedom of writing is something that I believe every person should experience before deciding it is not their "thing", and this book makes it truly feel like a freedom.

Another Illustration

Illustration Friday: Escape

I love the idea of inanimate things coming to life to escape their boring existences, maybe because - as a human - I could never imagine living their "lives". My other idea was a picture of a lamp, pulling his cord from the wall to run away to freedom, complete with a "hobo sack". I chose this interpretation instead because it's just a lot easier to give a tree arms than it is a lamp. Also, it probably has some political poignance that was completely unintended. Seriously, I'm not a "tree-hugger" even if I do illustrate trees that could hug back.

Depth

Illustration Friday: Depth

I wasn't going to do an illustration this week, but I skipped last week's and I've been so busy working on making clothes for my niece's birthday that I've been ignoring my blog. This covers both... an illustration which I post to my blog. I hope you like it.

Dreams

Illustration Friday: Dreams

This is my little interpretation of dreams. Well, I had plenty of other ideas, but I spent so long working on some elements of this picture, that I had no time for the other ideas. I still don't know if the fairy is taking the "dream", or placing it. I guess it's up to the viewer.