“But the Greeks and the Romans both believed in the idea of an external daemon of creativity—a sort of house elf, if you will, who lived within the walls of your home and who sometimes aided you in your labors. The Romans had a specific term for that helpful house elf. They called it your genius—your guardian deity, the conduit of your inspiration.... See more
To illustrate the difference between art and technique, he tells the story of two people who each make a glass cup: the first person designs a fine, functional glass from which one can drink perfectly, but the second person, an artisan, creates another glass cup that is so special, it generates an emotional reaction.
One of the most important aspects of these workbooks is the remarkable sense of process they provide—not only are the projects they’re concerned with in process, the books themselves are process, and as such unworked. This contrasts with the completed works, as well as with the name that underwrites them. In order to create something, Bergman had... See more