Our world today is filled with so much online content that it can feel nice to step away and handle something physical. I think as artists, getting inspiration offline, in literature, is beneficial! I know when I’m dealing with creative block, reading helps! One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2025 is to read more, dive deeper into art, and understand artistic concepts and philosophy.

I’m here to share some of the books I’ve read so far and some I plan to read. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books and share what you are currently reading!

1) Women in the Picture: What Culture Does with Female Bodies

This book by Catherine McCormack dives into art history and how it has depicted the female form. She covers various famous pieces as well as more contemporary works. From Venus, maiden, wife, mother, and monster, McCormack illuminates the stereotypes of women that were subtly (or not so subtly) depicted in Western art. She beautifully delves into the intersectionality of the depiction of Black women in Western art history and its influence on contemporary art (such as Kim Kardashian paper magazine photo).

This book beautifully explores women’s identity, sexuality, race, and power in many complex ways. I finished this book in 2024 and found it inspirational and motivating as a female, queer artist. Even if you don’t fit into that category, this book is maybe even more important for male artists to read so they can assist in dismantling systems of oppression and bias towards women.

2) Art on My Mind: Visual Politics by Bell Hooks

In Art on My Mind, Bell Gooks, a leading cultural critic, responds to the ongoing dialogues about producing, exhibiting, and criticizing art and aesthetics in an art world increasingly concerned with identity politics. Always concerned with the liberatory black struggle, hooks positions her writings on visual politics within the ever-present question of how art can be an empowering and revolutionary force within the black community.

I just started this book and am already loving it! As an emerging curator since 2020, this has been on my book list for a WHILE. I will update as I continue to read but Bell Hooks never dissapoints.

3) The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

I love to pick this book up when I need some motivation! It is filled with some amazing philosophical messages and puts into perspective what it means to be a creative person and artist. Though many of these concepts are obvious, it’s a helpful reminder and I love how Rubin writes in a way that feels natural. It’s not filled with heavy academic wording. It flows effortlessly. After every chapter, I like to think about what I just read and reflect, often writing down my thoughts.

4) Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results by Shane Parrish

Clear Thinking gives you the tools to recognize the moments that have the potential to transform your trajectory and reshape how you navigate the critical space between stimulus and response. As Parrish shows, we may imagine we are the protagonists in the story of our lives. But the sad truth is, that most of us run on autopilot. Our behavioral defaults, groomed by biology, evolution, and culture, are primed to run the show for us if we don’t intervene. At our worst, we react to events without reasoning, not even realizing that we’ve missed an opportunity to think at all. At our best, we recognize these moments for what they are and apply the full capacity of our reasoning and rationality to them.

I am excited to explore this book and relate it to my creative workflow and ideas!

5) The Work of Art: How Something Comes from Nothing by Adam Moss

What is the work of art? In this guided tour inside the artist’s head, Adam Moss traces the evolution of transcendent novels, paintings, jokes, movies, songs, and more. Weaving conversations with some of the most accomplished artists of our time together with the journal entries, napkin doodles, and sketches that were their tools, Moss breaks down the work—the tortuous paths and artistic decisions—that led to great art. From first glimmers to second thoughts, roads not taken, crises, breakthroughs, on to one triumphant finish after another.

This not only is a beautiful coffee table book but offers an insightful and thought-provoking exploration of the creative process!

This blog is fully written and run by photographer Caterina Maina. If you like what you read, please leave a comment, like, and/or share it on your social media! You can learn more by subscribing to her newsletter!

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