The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed by Seth Apter

My blog readers know that I'm a book nut (I know that I'm not alone in that department!) I've been eagerly waiting to get my hands on a copy of Seth's first book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed. When Seth asked if I would be a part of the book blog hop, I about jumped out of my seat at the chance to showcase such a fabulous book!

The Pulse of Mixed Media is one of the best and most unusual books that you can get your hands on right now. Not only is it chock full of yummy eye candy, but Seth has managed to get down to the nitty gritty with over 100 artists asking the questions that as an artist intrigue me the most. Seth asked about the whys of making art not the hows. This is not a how to book, it's something better, much, much better.

The Pulse of Mixed Media will start a fire inside of you. It will get you thinking not only about why you like the art and artists that you do but why you, as an artist, create and what makes you tick. The prompts are perfect for those who keep an art journal as well! It's a book that will inspire you to dive deep and ask the tough questions. Kudos and thanks, Seth!

Seth has asked us to answer three questions from the book. Here's what I chose:

What is one current trend that you wish would go away?

I wish that the trend of art journaling having to be perfect, finished pieces of art would disappear. With the myriad of books and magazines geared towards art journaling on the market these days, many folks (especially beginners) think that whenever they crack open their art journal that the pages they are creating have to be finished, perfect pieces of art, ready to hang on the wall and show the world. They're spending too much time stressing over perfection when art journaling should be about opening yourself up to the experience and getting messy with it.

Dan Eldon once said, "It's the journey, not the destination." Art journaling is about experimenting, documenting, reveling, revealing, and experiencing. It's about saying what if and finding our way as artists. It's about the good, the bad and the ugly. It should be all about creating pages in your own unique voice and style and not caring about what anyone else thinks of it. As long as you are open and honest on your pages, then it's all good even on the worst of days when it comes to art journaling.

Is creativity built-in, learned, or both?

I have said for a long time that I think that everyone is an artist. Every person on this planet is capable of creating something in a way that is truly unique to them. It doesn't have to be paint, paper, fabric, sculpture or jewelry. Some folks are amazing with food, writing, computers, how they dress, garden, work with others, solve problems, etc... Creativity is about expressing yourself with the tools you have at hand and making your own voice heard even if you are the only one listening.

Do you create art to work through inner issues, or is studio time more of a distraction to keep you from facing your problems?

I've never considered myself a crafter (it's not a word I really like at all. I actually wince when I hear people call me that.) To me, art is the equivalent of breathing, I have to do it. If a day goes by and I haven't worked in my journal then I get very antsy and, um, rather bitchy.

I use my journal to work through a myriad of issues, thoughts and problems. I dialogue with myself on the pages of my books to not only brainstorm a new idea that I may have, but also to react to the world around me. My journal is my safe place to work out my thoughts and feelings about what's spinning around in my brain and what's happening around me.

Please join The Pulse Blog Hop and see what some of the other artists have to say here:

April 2 Rice Freeman-Zachery
April 3 Stephanie Lee
April 4 Ali Edwards
April 5 Ro Bruhn
April 6 Roben-Marie Smith
April 7 Nancy Lefko
April 8 Me!
April 9 Trudi Sissons
April 10 Melody Nunez
April 11 Dina Wakley
April 12 Stephanie Hilvitz

Seth's blog, The Altered Page is here.

Would you like to win a copy of The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed? Leave a comment below before 12:01 a.m. on April 14th and later that day, I will randomly pick a winner.