Time out from kid lit for a moment to share Teresa Funke’s “Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life” releasing Oct. 1. A compilation of her blog posts on the creative life, these short little readings offer up humor, inspiration, support, appreciation, and a myriad of thoughts on art and artists of all kinds. The writing is full of energy and a pleasure to read. It’s a gem!
“Artists are mirrors. They reflect humanity back to itself. They ask, ‘What do you see?’ And we all answer.”
In some pieces you’ll recognize yourself, and in others you’ll see your friends. Teresa covers it all – timidity, eccentricity, hope, trust, gratitude, learning, criticism, courage, and so much more.
“At a certain point, though, something happens in an artist’s journey. You realize this whole thing is a pull, not a push, as they say in marketing. You’re not pushing your art on the world hoping people will like it and respond to it, you’re pulling people toward you who share a common interest or appreciation for the work you produce.”
I admit I haven’t read the entire book yet. It’s a different kind of reading—snippets to enjoy in spare moments. Food for the creative soul—which is really all of us, right? (I didn’t want to keep it from you while I lallygagged through at my leisure.)
“… the fact is, there are many parts to ourselves. We feed our bodies, our intellects, our spiritual beings, but we neglect to feed our imaginations. There’s an artist inside all of us. Whether your art is writing or music or crafts or gardening or cooking, it is the space in which you express your creativity and originality, and experience passion and joy. And what does that lead to? A rise in energy—energy we take into our lives and work, enabling us to do much more and do it far better.”
Believe me, this woman has energy! Teresa has grown from author to speaker to consultant. She’s fearless and generous, and has a lot of knowledge and experience to share!
“Sometimes the only way to grow is to get out of your head and into your heart.”
You can visit Teresa Funke HERE.
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 