A new book argues that artists find success through exploration rather than experience in one discipline, writes Alina Cohen. Are artists with broader backgrounds more innovative?
'We love stories about people who triumph despite the odds. The underdog genre—as old as David and Goliath—is a Hollywood favorite. Films from Miracle (2004) to Ali (2001) focus on sporting events where teams or individuals pull off upsets and become national heroes. The theme extends to creative endeavors as well. A famous literary anecdote recounts that Stephen King faced 30 rejections from publishers for his first novel, Carrie (1974), before Doubleday bought it.
The principle holds true in the visual arts, too. Take for example beloved outsider artist Lonnie Holley, who was born into poverty in the Jim Crow era and got his start carving tombstones for his sister’s deceased children. And Jackson Pollock, who was one of the worst draftsmen at the Art Students League before becoming one of the 20th century’s most important painters.' ... Keep reading on Artsy
'We love stories about people who triumph despite the odds. The underdog genre—as old as David and Goliath—is a Hollywood favorite. Films from Miracle (2004) to Ali (2001) focus on sporting events where teams or individuals pull off upsets and become national heroes. The theme extends to creative endeavors as well. A famous literary anecdote recounts that Stephen King faced 30 rejections from publishers for his first novel, Carrie (1974), before Doubleday bought it.
The principle holds true in the visual arts, too. Take for example beloved outsider artist Lonnie Holley, who was born into poverty in the Jim Crow era and got his start carving tombstones for his sister’s deceased children. And Jackson Pollock, who was one of the worst draftsmen at the Art Students League before becoming one of the 20th century’s most important painters.' ... Keep reading on Artsy