At 65, being an old fart artist (a Fartist?) – I rarely purchase books anymore about being an artist because I figure if I don’t have a handle on it by now maybe I should look for other work.
Rafi’s book was a surprising and refreshing exception to my line of thinking. It was delivered 4 days ago and I finished reading it, cover to cover, 2 days ago (I could not put it down).
He writes in a very genuine, authentic, and personable way that makes you feel like you are sitting at the kitchen table having a conversation with an old friend. He presents his ideas directly and clearly while maintaining a sense of accessible vulnerability both as an author and a human being possessing a full range of emotions.
Rafi’s hard-won advice is grounded in common sense and rooted in his practical experience. All of his ideas along with the graphics are presented in a very organic way so that one topic flows seamlessly into the next.
You’ll find no airy-fairy nonsense in this book or abstract concepts that require you to jump-the-ship of your own reasoning. All of it makes solid sense both contextually and in its real-world application.
This book made me feel good without pumping me up with a bunch of ego-inflating empty promises or over-used, worn-out positive thinking rhetoric found in so many How-To guides. When he cheers you on in this book – it feels both sincere and deserved. As I stated at the beginning – there is a casual, comfortable sense of friendliness infused throughout this book. You really feel that Rafi believes in you and your abilities when he’s addressing you, which serves as a gentle reminder to then believe in yourself.
It’s loaded with practical tips and information including an unflinching look at what today’s “Professional Art Establishment, Art Experts & Renowned Galleries” really looks and feels like from a working artist’s perspective.
I highly recommend this book to new artists just starting out, artists in mid-career and Old Fartists, like me, who mistakenly think they already know everything.
