It's a common feeling well known by us that the art world is overwhelmingly large, full of art auctions, critics, studio visits, and always filled with the question: what does it mean to be an artist?

We recently read two books by Sarah Thornton, 33 Artists in Three Acts and Seven Days in the Art World that tackle these topics head on. These books offer an in depth and up close look at the studio practices of countless artists, how art moves through the market, how tightly knit the art world really is, and the incredible amount of work it takes to achieve success in the art world. Thornton's thoughtful interaction w...

Sometimes all you need to kick start a creative career is a little guidance. When combined, the books Art Inc. by Lisa Congdon and Art/Work by Darcy Bhandari & Jonathan Melber are an encouraging, inspiring, and informative duo that offer insights into creative career options, the realities of professional relationships (like being represented by a gallery), and the necessary tools for building both confidence and contracts!

Art Inc., The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist by Lisa Congdon is broken up into chapters that share valuable information on all aspects of having a career in the arts. It is...

As two artists only a year out of school, we're still trying to figure out how to keep our creative juices flowing without the structure of a class curriculum. To help, we had to get our hands on the newest book by Danielle Krysa, Your Inner Critic is A Big Jerk. She is the mastermind behind The Jealous Curator and has also written the books Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas and Collage: Contemporary Artists Hunt and Gather, Cut and Paste, Mashup and Transform.

The entire book is written in an encouraging, conversational tone that makes the advice feel as if its coming from a concerned and supportive f...