Appreciate an Artist Week 2016

If you weren't around about this time last year, then allow me to explain. I've recently created a week-long holiday (yes, shy and introverted me has gone ahead and created a week-long holiday) to celebrate how awesome artists of all kinds are. 


These artists are writers and bloggers and painters and photographers and musicians and digital designers and website creators and actors and poets and screenwriters and sculpture-ers and visual effects artists and directors and whatever else you can think of. There are some artists who create this awesome art without getting paid for it and others who pay the rent with it, and others who make it just because they love it. 

I as a person consume a lot of art. Like, a lot a lot. I read blogs and books and watch TV shows and movies and look at pretty art and photos on Pinterest but despite all this art I consume, I rarely say thanks to the person who created it. That is not cool. Hence this holiday. 

Appreciate an Artist Week is a week when you take the time to tell an artist that you enjoy their work, and that your day was a little bit brighter because of them. You can write a letter or an email or tell it to them personally (if you're lucky enough to know them), but the point is to spread the love, share the joy and just basically be awesome. (The holiday is a week long because I usually have to work up the nerve to tell someone I appreciate them, so I get a week to build up the courage.)

This year, I'm writing to a new favourite author of mine, Patrick Ness. I first got into his with with the Chaos Walking trilogy, and from there I've slowly begun to collect his books and read them with a feverish excitement. His books are heart-wrenching, beautiful and I can usually read his 500+ page books in a day or two, thanks to the incredible pacing. He had a lot of awesome stuff to say on friendship and mental illness and being careful about who you become, and I cannot praise his work enough. I've grown so much as a writer from reading his books, and will be sending him a letter to tell him (as soon as I can work up the nerve). 

I'd like to encourage you to tell an artist that you appreciate them this week, because I can guarantee you that they'll appreciate you right back.

Who are you writing to this year? Have you ever read any of Patrick Ness' books? 

Comments

  1. Wow! This is such a good idea, and honestly I can't believe the timing of this post, because I've been thinking about writing to an author for a while, and finally gotten to the place where yes, I've just got to sit down and do it. I'm planning to write to Rachel Coker, author of Chasing Jupiter. She's written another book too, but I haven't read it.. Have you read any of her books?

    No, I haven't read any of Patrick Ness' books, but they sound interesting. It's always refreshing to find books that well-written, and relate-able. :)

    Oh, and I also tagged you for the Music Tag over on my blog, if you're interested. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay!! GO FOR IT, JESSICA! I haven't read any of her stuff, but she sounds vaguely familiar so I've probably seen her mentioned on a blog somewhere. I'll have to keep my eye out for her.

      Oh, he's brilliant. If I could write half as well as he can, I'd be happy.

      Thank you so much! I've checked it out and I'll (eventually) get around to it.

      Delete
  2. DID YOU JUST SAY PATRICK NESS THE LITERAL GOD OF ALL THINGS WRITERLY-RELATED????

    I fell in love with the Chaos Walking trilogy, and I frequently go back to it every now and then just because I love it so much! I'm so glad you get to experience the sheer awesomeness of his writing, and let me know how the reading goes! (PS - I highly recommend his book 'The Rest of Us Just Live here'. Trust me.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is such a cool idea! I'd love to do this, and I've actually met Jo Spain (author of With Our Blessing) and I chatted to her and she was just so NORMAL and AMAZING and I love her to bits!

      - PPS: Just curious...if I were to (hypothetically) create a writing tag, would you participate?

      Delete
    2. I DID HE SO TOTALLY IS JUST AD;SKLHGAPO!!!!

      Chaos Walking is basically one of the best trilogies in the world. Period. Todd and Viola just melt my little heart every time. (THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE IS AMAZING AND BASICALLY THE REASON WHY I WANT TO WRITE TO HIM BECAUSE IT IS PERFECT AND WOW AND JUST WHAT EVEN IS LIFE.)

      That's so amazing that you've actually met the author!!!! And you got to talk with her!! I'm basically really happy for you (even though I don't really know who she is? But still, she's an author you admire so yeah.)

      Yeah, totally! I might take a few weeks to get around to it (I have a backlog of tags) but I'd totally participate!

      Delete
  3. This is such a lovely idea!
    I personally couldn't finish the first book in the Chaos Walking series, but I'm keen to try again, because I enjoyed The Rest of Us Just Live Here :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Opal!

      The Rest of Us Just Live Here is just amazing. Chaos Walking are totally different books to TRoUJLH (that's an awkward acronym) but they're both totally amazing. Chaos Walking is more of a thriller. Thanks for commenting, Opal!

      Delete
  4. What a lovely idea to share with the people who make our lives so much better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Heather! I hope you take up the challenge :)

      Delete

Post a Comment

Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions! I'd love to hear from you. Please note that I reserve the right to delete comments that I think are hurtful.

Popular Posts