The artist's life : the heartbeat of the creative person / Beth Leibson, James C. Kaufman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Leibson, Beth, Author, Interviewer.

Kaufman, James C., author, interviewer.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Artists--Biography.

Artists.

Artists--Interviews.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxvi, 172 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2026.

Summary:

This book delves into the lives, growth, and inner workings of creative artists, sharing stories about the lives of those who have built their career in the arts. Drawing from interviews with more than 60 expert artists from varied domains - including Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize winners - these detailed, intimate, and surprising anecdotes shed light on creativity from both personal and professional perspectives. Chapters focus on the influences of family and school on creativity, through early discoveries and passions that led to growth and development. In their own words, interviewees describe the joys of 'making it' in the creative world alongside the realities of the business, from finances to relationships and possible legacies. Taking a narrative approach that reveals the hidden truths about being a creative artist, this book offers a unique window on creativity for researchers and artists alike.

Contents:

Cover

Half-title

Title page

Imprints page

Dedication

Table of Contents

List of Interviewees

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I Childhood

1 Supportive Parents: My parents had more faith in me than I did

Parents Who Were Wary of the Arts

Parents Who Were Fully Supportive

Parental Inspiration

2 The Extended Family: We all ended up in the arts

Supportive Grandparents

3 Parents Who Came Around: Once they saw I was serious

Changing Their Tune

Hobby vs. Career

Success Speaks Louder than Words

4 School through an Artist's Eyes: You passed because you're just going to be an artist

Arts vs. Academics

Taking Matters into Their Own Hands

5 School Struggles: Some of my teachers were almost obstacles

Too Creative for School

Asking Questions Can Create Problems

Personality Clashes

Part II Discovery

6 Sudden Insight: I knew this was my life

Creativity Teams

Seeking Peer Support

7 Specific Inspiration: I practiced what I heard on the radio

Switching Creative Gears

Finding Identity through Creativity

8 The Winding Path: I was a Renaissance kid

Creativity is a Hunger

Exploring Different Ways of Being Creative

Finding Your Niche

Sports to Arts

Taking Both Paths

9 Eventual Serendipity: All these things just opened up

Role of Serendipity

Part III Career

10 Finding Their Niche: I didn't realize there was a place for that

Circuitous but Inevitable

11 Becoming a Professional: That was where I honed my craft

Resilience and Evolution

Making a Left Turn

When Circumstances Change

12 Making It Big: Sometimes you just get money ideas

Big Break in Slow Motion

Perseverance Is Key

First Time's a Charm

Part IV Realities

13 Navigating Personal Relationships: Art is a selfish activity

Compromise and Sharing a Life.

Art Opening Doors

How People Treat You

Being Creative but Not in Charge

14 Making Money: How are you going to eat your creative writing degree?

Two Artists = Twice the Challenge

Alternative Sources of Income

Scraping By

Day Jobs

15 Different Creative Areas: Don't want to box myself in

Balancing Two Careers

Making a Switch

Career Switches

16 The Artistic Identity: A leap of faith

Calling Yourself an Artist

What Are You Not?

Everyone Is Creative

Some Last Thoughts on Creativity

17 The Role of Culture: So many rich untold stories

Confronting Hard Topics through Art

Stuck in a Category

Political Politeness

Part V Reflections

18 When Artists Fail: We're in the failure business

What Is Failure?

Fear of Failure

Coping with Failure

19 Inspiring Creativity in Others: I want people to have the same joy I have

Inspiration from Aspiration

Discovering Hidden Talents

Learning to Trust

Learning to Pass the Baton

Learning by Teaching

Giving Yourself Permission

Inspiring Inspiration

20 Looking Backward, Looking Forward: I've left enough of a thumbprint on the world

Rethinking Career Decisions

Thinking about the Future Self

Why We Create

International Impact

References

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 14 Nov 2025).

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-009-62600-0

1-009-62604-3

1-009-62602-7

OCLC:

1569638757