What Artists Do

I’ve read a lot of books that claim to demystify creativity, but this one actually gets the messy, uncertain part right. The tone feels like a candid conversation with a mentor, and it made me feel less alone in the studio.

Koren doesn't romanticize the finished piece—he gets into the chaos of deciding what to make next, which is exactly where I live. The chapters are short enough to read between studio fits, and I've already dog-eared half the pages.

I was expecting another self-help book full of checklists, but Koren's focus on the messy, uncertain parts of the process felt more like a conversation with a friend than advice. The chapters are short enough to read between studio breaks, and it made me feel better about all the half-finished work