Become inspired, find your voice, and create work that matters.
When we experience a great work of art, we are often connecting with a deep and essential truth about life and the way things are. The work resonates with us and with others, and in doing so, it brings us together and comforts us in our shared experience.
However, art isn't reserved for the "full time artists." Everyone, in their own way, wants to join in on the act of creation-to become actively involved, become a maker, express one's own truths, and contribute. Sean Tucker has made things since his earliest days. His creative output has taken many shapes over the past 20 years-from musician, to photographer, to filmmaker, to speaker, to writer. Whether professionally or as an amateur, the common thread running through all of his work is a fundamental desire to make, to speak the truth, to contribute, and to connect with others.
But what does it mean to make? Why are we driven to do it, and how might you take your first steps on this path to become inspired, find your voice, and create work that matters-first to you, and then, hopefully, to others?
In The Meaning in the Making, Sean addresses all of this and more as he shares his own journey of creativity and making, integrating personal stories and examples with discussions about the process of making art, and offering suggestions for how you can go about carving out your own path. In small, accessible chapters and with a friendly and down-to-earth voice, Sean covers topics and ideas such as:
. The desire to create order from chaos, which is at the heart of why we make
. The need for inspiration-feeding your mind and spending time alone
. Determining what to make
. Finding your voice and defining your style
. The role of ego, and balancing the positive and negative aspects of it
. Dealing with the response to your work, and how to handle criticism and feedback
. Setting reasonable expectations, packing for the long road, and enjoying the journey
The Meaning in the Making will not offer you quick and easy solutions or a list of practice exercises to spark your creativity. What it will do is give you the tools you need to find your own answers and embark upon your own unique journey toward finding your voice and creating work that matters.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Order
Chapter 2: Logos
Chapter 3: Breath
Chapter 4: Voice
Chapter 5: Ego
Chapter 6: Control
Chapter 7: Attention
Chapter 8: Envy
Chapter 9: Critique
Chapter 10: Feel
Chapter 11: Shadows
Chapter 12: Meaning
Chapter 13: Time
Chapter 14: Benediction
