Audette, Anna Held. The Blank Canvas: Inviting the Muse. Boston: Shambhala, 1993.
This book is written with the art student who is fresh out of school in mind. Anna Audette addresses many problems that new artists face to include artists' block. Without a teacher to give them assignments, a new artist can be faced with the sense of unease at not knowing what to say or create next. This book gives many examples of veteran artists who have had artist's block and how they coped with the problem of "trying to create."
This book was able to spark some ideas for me that otherwise would have never come. Audette suggests techniques like drawing material from earlier artists, narrowing your subject matter, rethinking old prejudices, trying new media, and painting with a fresh eye. All of these seem like good strategies for overcoming an artists block and would like to try them when the time arises (hopefully not too soon).
I was a little disappointed in that the book rarely mentioned anything related to the spiritual aspect of art. I believe the main point that the author is trying to get across to the reader is to keep working. That through work, the creativity will come out. No matter how mundane or how trivial the work seems that you are doing now, it will have a major impact on the work you produce later. By pushing through a block and painting regardless of what you're feeling that day, it will do you good in the long run. Through the act of painting alone, you are opening up ideas and creating avenues for later exploration.
Audette's research into the problem that professional artists have had was very helpful. These let me know that everyone, not just beginning artists, can go through periods of frustration. I feel that all artists should work at least a minimum of one drawing a day, even if this is just a small rough sketch. In the past, I hardly ever drew, except to plan a painting. Now, I find myself drawing at least once every other day. I want to increase this to creating one drawing a day. Anne Audette's advice on working through blocks gives me more incentive to pursue this strategy and draw every day, regardless of how trivial my subject is.
I would recommend this book to any artist, beginner or veteran, that is looking for ways to inspiration and enlightenment.