summary ofSteal Like an ArtistBook by Austin Kleon

first KEY POINT

Art is our imagination brought to life by creativity

Art fosters the expression of unique human creative skills and imagination, often in a visual form such as painting or sculpture. These works are appreciated primarily for their aesthetic qualities or emotional power. Regardless of complexity or simplicity, they are always ingenious.

Humanity has engaged in artistic endeavors for a long time; cave paintings were the first sign of humans evolving into intelligent creatures. We couldn't speak, but we found another way to express ourselves — painting. This truth explains the reason behind associating images with art. As our thought process evolved, we discovered new forms of communicating feelings and ideas. Soon masterpieces became a way to gauge the country's level of development.Over time, creativity acquired an almost magical atmosphere. We all know about muses that bring inspiration, stories of extraordinary geniuses, and light-bulb moments. Myths are a natural part of our life, but we need to be aware of the stereotypes they popularize. “Inspiration is a miracle, we should wait for it” and “Only a few people can create art” are the most ubiquitous. The truth is that each of us has artistic skills, and we choose whether to nurture or neglect them.We don't need to organize exhibitions, publish a book, or sing in opera to consider ourselves creative. The impulse to bring something novel into people's lives goes far beyond sculpture, music, theater, etc. The whole of life can become a laboratory for experiments.In this summary, you will discover how to help your imagination and thinking-out-of-box thrive. Are you ready to overcome mental blocks and unleash your full potential? Let's get started!