The Creative Act by Rick Rubin - A Review

Creativity as a study 

To close out our series on art business books we have our last in this series called the Creative Act by Rick Rubin (ISBN: 978 1 83885 863 6) which was a recommendation from a very good friend of ours Malga Ceramics.   We9iive been working our way through a range of different books within the area of Art Business. We’ve had some specific and focused books that try to give you detailed outlines of what to do and when, in Art Inc and Artist freedom Formula, and on the other side we’ve had examples that are more about the creative process and being an artist itself, Steal Like an Artist and The Artist Way . The Creative Act is on the latter side of the spectrum.

There is no course, no specific order in which to package a print. This book is entirely a series of small essays, quotes, poems, and thoughts, spread across the book in an elusive order that also defies a notifiable order.  There isn’t really a start or middle to the book, and the table of contents simply shows the topics as “78 Areas of Thought”.

With each theme or area only covering about three to five pages, the thoughts are generally quick, and many beg for more content and discussion as the author takes many key topics but only gives them a cursory discussion in most cases.

That doesn’t mean the thoughts are poorly presented or laid out. Many do a good job of outlining the thought and have a point they present. The books nature to have a few pages to reflect on theme or thought however does mean they may not have the depth of discussion or perspective that may be interesting for some readers. While there is a light red thread throughout the book connecting the themes the book itself doesn’t feel like something that needs to be read in a single seating.

 I believe the book does a great job of covering a wide range of topics in enough of a way to give those that seek more information or depth the ability to go and explore that further in other sources and media.  The tone of the book is also very easily read and lends itself to be picked up and put down often as each chapter’s message is explained plainly and clearly.

Summary

I believe the book is an interesting read for anyone in a creative space or wishing to make their creativity more tangible as the book does a good job of exploring thoughts on creativity. The wide range of themes and topics as well as the authors comfortable writing method and formatting makes it very accessible. I do feel that if you are looking for more depth, or discussion, on a given topic or if looking for answers to questions you’ll need to look elsewhere.  The Artist way for example has many of the same topics discussed with a more focused manner and includes many tasks, ideas and suggestions that may speak more to those readers seeking a more impactful read.

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