Careers for Travel Buffs and Other Restless Types (Careers for You Series) Book

This was a challenging, motivating book. Smith has written it in the form of a series of letters to an imaginary young artist named BZ, who ostensibly won her mentorship in an auction. The letters are meant to offer BZ encouragement to pursue a life in the arts. Smith offers inspirational advice about the civic applications of art, and how it can reveal to audiences a new way of dealing with their own emotions and therefore viewing the world, as well as practical advice about staying hydrated, letting the image of the sickly starving artist go, forming a community of interdisciplinary membership, and talking without fear to The Man, whomever that may be. For my "West Wing" loving heart, there was a small section of the book where Smith writes to BZ about getting offered a role on the show that she would end up taking, and in which I admire her greatly.
After "The Artist's Way," which I thought was patronizing and saccharine, "Letters to a Young Artist" is refreshing. It's full of tough love, direct advice, useful anecdotes, and plain old inspiration. Smith writes as a teacher and an established, famous artist, but she also writes about not nailing auditions and not getting awards and not knowing how long any given job will last her. The book also has an appendix of resources for artists seeking grants and community. I'm a sucker for nuts and bolts, what can I say.
Bonus: The letters are from all over the world, which feeds my traveler's soul. Smith got her start in my favorite city, San Francisco, so her romantic writing about the sunrise over the Golden Gate and Marin got right under my skin. I liked this book A LOT.