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Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon, is currently on The New York Times Best Seller list and is a quick, inspiring push in the right direction. Working in a creative field can either leave you stuck - or leave you with so many ideas that you are flustered and can't accomplish anything. Either way, you sometimes need a kick in the pants and a new perspective. Artists get bad reps for being disorganized, poor, and a bit crazy. Now, stereotypes are made for a reason and I certainly have dealt with my fair share of modern day Van Goghs - but there are just as many crazy, disorganized, broke Computer Analysts out there as there are Artists in this world - And just as many successful ones.

I got this book as a gift and I couldn't put it down. It was a fun, quick read with many insightful.....insights and tactics to utilize. I'd like to highlight some really great and simple things to organize your life, change your perspective and accomplish your dreams. Kleon's techniques are simple and organized.....Makes you wonder why you aren't doing these things already.

I can't believe how simple and powerful this one simple technique is: Make a calendar. Like Kleon says above, "Amassing a body of work or building a career is the slow accumulation of little bits of effort over time." Above, he gives you a sample of his notebook and credits that this concept was inspired by Jerry Seinfeld's system for writing jokes. You take a page in your notebook, box out 365 squares is a row and apply it to what you need to get done creatively. For example, write a page of your novel each day - 1page - and X out the box. Essentially, at the end of a year you have a novel. Link the chain of your boxes for that year and keep them linked and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. I've been using this system and it is incredibly annoying when you can't fill a box in.

Self explanatory. Just go. Get out of here!

Back Cover:

I stumbled across this little art store named Telegraph on a recent trip downtown in Charlottesville VA and I've never had so much fun in a gallery before. It has a clean New York feel with a pop art edge. They have interactive workshops where you can watch the artists pull some prints and have them screenprint their images onto a tote or t-shirt. Free if you bring your own! Plus they have First Friday events every.....First Friday.

David and Kate, a married couple in Charlottesville, opened Telegraph and you can read their blog to learn more about events, artists and their fabulous life.

The current exhibition is called JURASSIC. Featuring artists: Jen Lee,Zac Gorman,James Harvey,Warren Craghead,Louie Chin,Michelle Romo.