Front cover image for Letters to a young artist

Letters to a young artist

From "the most exciting individual in American theater" (Newsweek), here is Anna Deavere Smith's brass-tacks advice to aspiring artists of all stripes. In vividly anecdotal letters to the young BZ, she addresses the full spectrum of issues that people starting out will face: from questions of confidence, discipline, and self-esteem, to fame, failure, and fear, to staying healthy, presenting yourself effectively, building a diverse social and professional network, and using your art to promote social change. At once inspiring and no-nonsense, Letters to a Young Artist will challenge you, motivate you, and set you on a course to pursue your art without compromise. --From publisher description
Print Book, English, 2006
Anchor Books, New York, 2006
miscellanies
xii, 227 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm
9781400032389, 9781417728855, 1400032385, 141772885X
60835525
Preface3(4)
Introduction7(4)
basics
Presence
11(11)
Being In It, and Out of It, at the Same Time
22(3)
Confidence
25(3)
Self-Esteem
28(5)
Discipline
33(5)
The Man
38(5)
Exchanges
43(4)
Procrastination
47(2)
Trust
49(2)
The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword
51(3)
For Rent
54(3)
relationships
Struggling Artists
57(6)
Agents, Gallery Owners, Managers, Lawyers, Publicists, Accountants, Bookkeepers, and So Forth
63(7)
Dealing with the Man (or Your Power)
70(3)
Support
73(2)
Jealousy
75(2)
Mentors
77(3)
Reaching Out
80(3)
Find Your Twin
83(4)
work
The West Wing
87(1)
The West Wing II
88(1)
The West Wing III
89(1)
The West Wing IV
90(1)
The West Wing V
91(1)
Auditioning, Selling Your Wares
92(2)
Audition
94(1)
Your Name/Your Fame
95(3)
Teacher
98(4)
Teacher II
102(5)
Presence II
107(4)
matters of the mind
Questions
111(9)
More Than One Idea
120(3)
Art and Reality
123(10)
matters of the heart
Fear
133(4)
Sense Memory
137(3)
Soul
140(2)
Empathy
142(4)
Stage Fright
146(9)
keeping the faith
Chains
155(4)
Suicide and Keeping the Faith
159(2)
Stamina, Diamonds, and ``Try''
161(2)
Alienation
163(4)
Failure
167(6)
Faith
173(4)
art and society
The Place for Art
177(4)
Taking Care of Yourself
181(3)
Fame and Authenticity
184(1)
Fool
185(4)
the death of cool
Urgency
189(1)
The Death of Cool
190(4)
You'll End Up Like Dostoevsky
194(5)
The World Is Your Lab
199(5)
The Ultimate Presence
204(3)
Appendix: Resources for Young Artists207(19)
Acknowledgments226(1)
Illustration Credits227