My favorite pop culture writer of 5×5 books that list “10 ways” or “10 things” published a fourth book! Similar to Austin Kleon’s initial three installments, Don’t Call It Art: 10 Ways To Create Like A Kid Again is a quick read that features quotes from other artists and experts, drawings, photos, keen observations, and memorable one-liners. As mentioned in the subtitle, this book is obviously inspired by kids which is fun for me since the last time Kleon published a book, I was pregnant with Fleet. Also, the last time I reviewed one of his books, Fleet was seven months old. Clearly a lot has changed since then as Fleet is now seven years old and I published my own book, Wookie Is Not His Real Name, in February 2021. In true Steal Like An Artist form, I was inspired by Kleon’s 5×5 book size and chose the same dimensions for mine!
The thesis of Don’t Call It Art is to remind readers that creating art like a kid will yield the best return. Kleon goes all in on using his two sons as sources of inspiration for creating and he takes that inspiration seriously – and not seriously when necessary! But he’s also careful to point out that you don’t have to be a parent to read or unearth valuable takeaways from this book. Instead, he wants readers to lighten up, let go of what we think we’re “supposed to do” regarding art, and create without inhibitions. In the introduction, Kleon says, “Being around my kids liberated me from so many of these feelings [washed-up, burned-out]” making the book a compilation of the lessons he learned.
The Freedom Of Being A Kid
My husband and I have always said that young kids don’t have any hangups until others give them something to be hung up on. Kleon agrees, “Little kids don’t have a critic in their heads until we put one there.” Additionally, I’ve always thought that if everyone was as direct as kids, there would be far less miscommunication. “When you’re trying to make art, your head is full of all kinds of instructions about what is and isn’t art and what you should and shouldn’t do.”
In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, Julia Roberts plays an art history teacher working at a prominent all-girls college in the early 1950s. One of her snobby students says, “Art isn’t art until someone says it is.” Roberts’ character retorts, “It’s art!” Then the student says, “The right people.” And that is exactly what Kleon is talking about. Art can be anything anyone wants it to be and no one understands that more than young kids.
Fleet loves to draw. Usually he draws what he likes and sees outdoors (snakes, lizards, deer, fossils, our dog Zephyr, the river, fishing, etc.) and I love that he expresses himself in that way. Sometimes he’s hard on himself when his art does not turn out exactly the way he wants it to look but, overall, he draws because he genuinely enjoys doing it. Kleon adds, “When they were younger, my kids always knew what they liked because they never cared about what they were supposed to like.” Let’s get back to that! Similar to Kleon’s kids, Fleet is always asking me to take photos of things so he can draw them when we get home. Inspiration is key!
No Unsolicited Opinions
Kleon points out how, at a time when ALL the information you could ever want is at your fingertips, there is a lot to be said about figuring things out for yourself. “You are fine without advice or suggestions.” AMEN. I don’t always need to read books just because they are popular or are on the New York Times bestsellers list. As a person who writes and reads for a living, I’ll read whatever I damn well please. Also, as someone who spends time weekly on a college campus, I appreciate Kleon noting: “No matter how good your teacher is, the learning must be done by you.” Exactly. Teachers and tutors are there to help but not do it for you.
Chapter 2 was made for my husband Brian: “Don’t Take Things Too Seriously.” One of his biggest strengths is the ability to let things roll off his back. I’m always trying to be more like that. Kleon notes, “It feels like barely anyone is having fun right now and we need people to show us how it’s done.” Brian will show you. Fleet will show you. Kleon also points out that “the ending of a comedy is always a happy one – every ending is the beginning of the rest of their lives.” Such a good point. “That sounds like a story I want to be in.” Me too.
In Chapter 5, the author mentions that his kids say “the most magical, poetic things on a daily basis.” I feel the same about Fleet – some the words and phrases that come out of that sweet boy’s mouth make my heart swell while I laugh out loud. “Children find magic everywhere because they believe in it, and the artist who believes in magic will find it, too.” Even if people aren’t into looking at art (or the world in general) from a “magical” perspective, the takeaway here is that believing that something exciting is around the corner is a beautiful way to go through life. “Take everything as a sign and you’ll be less stumped about what to do next.”
Chapter 6 focuses on getting outside (literally and figuratively) of our own heads. In Keep Going, Kleon talked about great ideas coming to him while taking a walk and, in my review, I mentioned that I get some of my best ideas when walking our dog. I tell students all the time that if they are stumped or are experiencing writer’s block, they should walk away from the computer for a few minutes. Take a stroll down the hall, get a snack, call a friend – whatever works. Walk away from what you’re working on so you’re excited to return to it.
In Chapter 7 there is a section about going to the library which of course I love. Fleet wants a snake as a pet (HELL NO) but we have been talking about getting leopard geckos because I have come around to allowing lizards in our house. That being said, Brian and I explained to Fleet that there are several stipulations surrounding this happening including researching leopard geckos (what they eat, their habitat, what to know about having them as pets, etc.) which means going to the library. “The librarian never asks you to be anything other than what you are – they just put you in touch with what you need.” I love that. It’s so true. The author also points out that: 1) The librarian does not demand any results from you. 2) The library gives us the power to take learning into our own hands. 3) The library is the true lifelong learning environment. “Be like the librarian: Do not spend time judging yourself. Simply give yourself the time, space, and resources to grow.”
Chapter 9 offers a Van Halen reference (another one is listed under the Quotes From Others section below) which talks about Eddie’s mom being upset when he quit playing the piano to focus on guitar. I’ve read iterations of this story throughout several Van Halen books and I always think it’s interesting how some parents can’t help but want their children to be carbon copies of them. “If you follow your true interests and your curiosity, the desire to keep going will be there.” Both adults and kids can feel beat down after hearing unsolicited opinions about what they should be doing instead of just letting everyone do what interests and excites them without judgement.
Get On Board
Overall, I appreciate Kleon giving the reader permission to give themselves a break, lighten up, and have fun. Sometimes I definitely need that reminder. The author adds, “Learn to let go of things that no longer matter…To respond to what’s really not working for you, to be flexible, and to correct course.” When I read his books, it feels like having a conversation with a friend who happens to be a writer as well. The pop culture references, quotes, and metaphors demonstrate the research, observations, and conversations that he spends a lot of time putting together to create his books. Kleon is also clearly a caring parent who loves his family which definitely informs his work. Anyone who has a family knows that attitude adjustments are key – and that goes for both kids and parents. “Whatever works. It’s all about getting into the spirit.”
Kleon Words Of Wisdom
“[My kids] worked the way I dreamed of working: without fear or hesitation, just wild energy, raw passion, and a lightness of touch.”
“Anytime I tried to give them pointers or tell them what to do, it backfired on me…they certainly didn’t need anybody to teach them how to be creative. What they needed was for me to be there when called upon but otherwise stay out of their way.” Yes!
“Trouble begins when someone tells us, or we discover on our own, that we don’t know what we’re doing. We start worrying whether what we’re doing is any good and whether we’re any good. Many people stop at this point. The people who don’t stop become artists.” I hope Fleet never stops. ❤️
“The discovery that nobody knows anything can be frightening but also incredibly liberating, if you take it to heart.”
“Our fear of looking foolish holds us back from learning, trying new things, experimenting, and doing our most wild, daring, creative work.” I need to remember this.
“Don’t be afraid to do what comes naturally. Fight the urge to do things the ‘right’ way. Don’t lose the magic.”
“You can feel it in your body when you’re doing something right.”
“Anger is dirty fuel, but it burns hot.”
“You have a right to be afraid! You have a right to doubt your abilities. You just have to muster the courage to carry on anyway.” Yes!
“Why make stuff? Not necessarily to feel the way you felt when you were a kid, but to feel the way you wanted to feel when you were a kid.”
“Start paying attention to who makes the stuff you like and figure out where you can find more of it.”
“You can’t really direct a four-year-old. They’re not interested in your suggestions about what they should do. Best to hang back and let them rip.”
“To be with a young kid out in the world is to witness a kind of magic happening all the time.” Absolutely.
“Stopping for a while is not the same thing as quitting. You can stop and reserve the right to start again.”
New rule: “Give a book fifty pages, and if it’s not doing anything for you, put it down and find another one. Every hour you spend inching through a boring book is an hour you could’ve spent sailing through a brilliant one.”
“History is full of people with a vision who left a wide path of destruction in their wake.”
Quotes From Others
“The magic was in the first few years, when we didn’t know what we were doing, when we were willing to try anything.” -Alex Van Halen (I recognize this line from his book Brothers).
“I am determined to have fun doing my work…if I’m enjoying myself then that feeling is passed on to the reader.” -Ed Emberley
“If you can stay light, and stay loose, and stay relaxed, you can play at the very highest level – as a baseball player or a human being.” -Bill Murray
“Even though it seems foolish and silly and crazy, comedy has the most to say about the human condition.” -Mel Brooks
“The great thing in all education is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy.” -William James
“They look at my paintings and say, ‘My four-year-old could’ve done that.’ And I say, ‘Yes, But could you?’” -Sam Messer
“If you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, you will ALWAYS be disappointed.” -Mica Angela Hendricks
“Whatever happens next, it won’t be what you expected. If it is what you expected, it isn’t what’s happening next.” -Brian Eno
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