12 Art and Creativity Books To Read | Books For Creatives

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#1 You Can Do All Things by Kate Allan

When you have anxiety of depression, you can feel deeply alone. You can feel like you're the only person on the planet who's struggling with weird worries (which won't go away), who can't go grocery shopping without getting sweaty and panicked, who fears everything.

When we feel this way, one of the greatest gifts we can receive is knowing that there's someone out there walking a similar path, someone who understands the sorrow, the struggles, the symptoms, the hardships. Someone we can relate to, someone who shares their story, with vulnerability and without filters.

With You Can Do All Things, Kate Allan has given us such a gift. In You Can Do All Things, Kate shares her struggles with anxiety and depression, which started when she was just a child. Through her honest words, uplifting illustrations, and actionable suggestions, Kate also encourages us to keep trying and to keep going.

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Contributor: Brenda Knight from Mango Media

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#2 Guerrilla Kindness and Other Acts of Creative Resistance

Craftivism is a non-violent form of activism that gives people a voice when they feel voiceless and power where they feel powerless. It is an international movement for our time, and noted Craftivism expert Sayraphim Lothian has put together the first-ever tutorial book on the subject.

In Guerrilla Kindness, this master craftivist shows you how to make and use various crafts for political and protest purposes, including crafting methods like embroidery, cross stitch, knitting, stenciling, decoupage, stamping and much more. Craftivism, a growing worldwide movement, uses hand-crafted works to highlight political issues, creatively engage in activism, and encourage change in the world.

Craftivists employ their works to open a space for people to be introduced to issues and to broaden the discussion surrounding them. Creative resistance has been with us for centuries around the globe, and craftivism and makers stating their mind through the medium of art is here to stay.

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Contributor: Brenda Knight from Mango Media

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#3 Bad at Adulting, Good at Feminism by Prudence Geerts

A top online illustrator, Prudence Planet Prudence Geerts presents her take on the struggles of adulting and finding your own voice. Bad at Adulting, Good at Feminism is the debut collection from Prudence Geerts.

This book will make you laugh at the awkward moments we all go through as we learn to be functioning adults in society, in an effort to make the world a better place. We all think: Am I the only one who acts like this? Am I the only one who goes through this moment in life?

Bad at Adulting, Good at Feminism shows you that you're not. It laughs with you at the struggles we're going through as we fight for equal pay, respect and realistic role models. Filled with love, laughter and food, Bad at Adulting, Good at Feminism helps us realize that we're not so different after all.

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Contributor: Brenda Knight from Mango Media

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#4 Slater Mountain: The Journey by Judy Ricketts-White

This is a fun fictional adventure for readers ages 8 and up, about teenager Bailey Mathews, her horses, family and friends. Life lessons and good horse-handling principles are woven throughout the pages of this inspiring tale, as Bailey studies a herd of wild horses, works on the family ranch, and makes a dangerous journey on horseback to save an injured family member.

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Contributor: Judy Ricketts-White from Mecate Press

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#5 Slater Mountain: The Legend by Judy Ricketts-White

In the second book in the series, Bailey Mathews and her friend Noah Collins go on a trail ride and through dangerous circumstances, they stumble into a beautiful and forgotten canyon and find themselves trapped. They must survive and find a way home. A thread of life lessons, family values and pure enjoyment follow these amazing young heroes as they seek to protect this spiritually inspiring and ancient place.

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Contributor: Judy Ricketts-White from Mecate Press

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#6 Insights from Professionals by Antoine Airoldi

Insights From Professionals is a book that features 10 interviews from the most creative people out there: Erik Wahl, Tony Moze, Taylor Clark, Hugo Bombardier, and many more that share their art and how they were able to monetize their passions. If you’re looking to learn about creative forces, this is for you.

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Contributor: Antoine Airoldi from Antoine Airoldi Communications Inc.

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#7 The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Forget the long title, this book is a goldmine when it comes to analyzing your own creativity. As with all arts, we fight our own battles when it comes to forming new ideas. This book has cleared my mind when it comes to artistic block and I would highly recommend it.

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Contributor: Patrick Aniol from Friendly Windows

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#8 Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

I read Eat, Pray, Love (2007) when I was a student but I didn’t know Elizabeth Gilbert till I read Big Magic (2016). It is such an inspiring and entertaining read. The book talks about the stages of being creative and the struggle to keep up with the challenges of life and art. I loved the book.

The book is divided into 6 parts: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust, and Divinity. And my favorite part is Persistence where Gilbert explains how she struggled with time but still persistently took out small slots out from her busy schedule to work on her creative projects.

How she managed to continue to follow her passion for writing and how pursuing one’s passion can relieve them from the dreadful burden of being who they are. Even if the escape windows are short and uptight, they’re worth it.

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Contributor: Ayesha Ambreen from Right Solutions

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#9 Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

A quick read, this book will make you feel like you’re having a conversating with a good friend of yours. It revolves around the idea that the most important part about being an artist is being yourself. He also explains how nothing is truly original, but that’s okay!

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Contributor: Caleb Backe from Maple Holistics

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#10 Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley

This book is for everyone but ideal for entrepreneurs. If you’re an entrepreneur looking for how to take a more creative approach to the way you solve problems and think, this is the book for you.

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Contributor: Caleb Backe from Maple Holistics

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#11 Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky

Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality by Scott Belsky. This book breaks down the psychology and reasons why artists and creatives have trouble completing projects as well as breaking down the methodology of what they can do to make sure their ideas become real. Paired with real experience from entrepreneurs and creatives at major firms, this book will inspire you to get things done!

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Contributor: Mikki Stith from Your Creativity Business

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