Last week mail brought me Peter Clothier’s just-published book, “Persist – In Praise of the Creative Spirit in a World Gone Mad with Commerce. ” Who can postpone reading Clothier’s latest uttering? I dug into the book.
In his book Clothier’s explores and analyzes his struggles as a writer, all the ups and all the downs. Always candid and impeccably honest to his readers (what the author terms confronting himself vis-à-vis his chosen art, the written word), he never spares showing us his scars, warts, and bumps, dearly won from his writing career. The book is everything you might expect from a highly analytical intellectual with plenty of idealism thrown in–no doubt the result of a man whose great empathy for others coexists with a well-developed sentimental streak. We learn that the author is at heart a rather private person who nevertheless seeks high exposure, a trait not uncommon in artists and less contradictory than it may seem. For Clothier, sharing his work invests it with personal meaning.
What a writing career it’s been for Peter Clothier. A product of the English public (what we call private) school system that ended in a degree from Cambridge University and later, in the U.S., a Doctorate in Literature. He’s written two novels, two books of poems, a memoir, a monograph on David Hockney, and untold articles and art reviews. He was the art school dean of USC, Otis, and Loyola Marymount, and now writes regularly for The Huffington Post as well as his weblog, “The Buddha Diaries”.
As a “word smith,” a moniker Clothier gives himself, he recognizes that his struggles are essentially the same as a “paint smith,” a “dance smith,” a “musical note smith,” or any creative sort of “smith.” In other words, the process of writing is much the same as the process for anyone in other creative fields. In fact, he reveals much about his experiences writing as an art critic reviewing artists.
The book consists of many short chapters, each touching on a particular aspect of the creative process. According to the author, everyone in the creative endeavors is faced with periodic or continuous examination as to why one should continue with his or her art form, especially in light of meager praise or financial reward for one’s efforts. Giving up is always just behind the corner, hence his title “Persist.”
I’m going to resist stealing thunder from his book by simply highlighting the message of some of the chapters. One is a short manual on using meditation to deal with creative blocking or fear of making mistakes. Another discusses artists’ coping with their various vulnerabilities. Still another chapter is a thumbnail sketch on the term “beauty” as the author understands it.
I was particularly pleased to find his chapter on creativity describing the process as non-linear. In fact, Clothier writes that art is a process to go “where I didn’t even know I wanted to go until I got there.” Other sections give practical suggestions on how to improve work discipline, budgeting time by learning to turn things down, and practicing one’s concentration and focus during gallery visits.
Later chapters deal with his comments on what constitutes success and, returning to the high supply / low demand curve for creative products, he suggests that artists might consider “gifting” their work rather than letting it rot in storage.
Establishing a community around a common topic or endeavor is important to the author and I was pleased to see Clothier mention the artist group called “Artist’ Matters,” established and run by his incredible wife Ellie Blankfort. The title may offer little panache, but its members do, a magnificent set of artists who gather once a month to bare their collective creative chests. Indeed, I feel honored to be counted among them.
Ultimately, the great power of the book is as an inspirational resource for those who may lose heart. The artist Roland Reiss put it best on the back cover of Clothier’s book: “This book will heal your soul and help you find your way. All artists should keep it close at hand.”