The Miracle of the Artist's Date: 52 Ideas for Activities that will Nourish Your Creative Soul

by Julia Cameron

Julia Cameron’s groundbreaking Artist's Way program has helped millions of individuals around the world discover their creative selves. In this invaluable companion to The Artist’s Way, Cameron provides further insight into one of her most powerful Artist’s Way tools: The Artist’s Date. The Artist's Date is a block of time that aspiring and established artists devote to stepping aside from their work to engage in simple, fun activities that nourish their creative spirits. All artists have experienced creative blocks and know the feeling of keeping their noses to the grindstone, making their days feel only dutiful and drab. According to Cameron, what is needed is a good dose of enforced play, whether it involves a trip to a museum or toy store or simply baking a pie. In The Miracle of the Artist's Date, Cameron presents 52 ideas for Artist's Dates—one for each week of the year—that will inspire and delight.

Also included in this e-special is an excerpt from The Artist's Way for Parents, the most highly requested addition to Cameron's canon of work, as well as an excerpt from The Prosperous Heart, in which Cameron offers the practical financial tools to guide you to prosperity in all areas of your life.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Writing

89 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2013

About the author

Julia Cameron has been an active artist for more than thirty years, with fifteen books (including bestsellers The Artist's Way, Walking In This World and The Right to Write) and countless television, film, and theater scripts to her credit. Writing since the age of 18, Cameron has a long list of screenplay and teleplay credits to her name, including an episode of Miami Vice, and Elvis and the Beauty Queen, which starred Don Johnson. She was a writer on such movies as Taxi Driver, New York, New York, and The Last Waltz. She wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning independent feature film, God's Will, which premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival, and was selected by the London Film Festival, the Munich International Film Festival, and Women in Film Festival, among others. In addition to making film, Cameron has taught film at such diverse places as Chicago Filmmakers, Northwestern University, and Columbia College. Her profound teachings on unlocking creativity and living from the creative center have inspired countless artists to unleash their full potential.

Reviews

[KM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real rating 2.5, but I'll round up. This was a better idea than it actually turned out. Of the 52 ideas, only about 5 of them sounded like something I'd enjoy doing as a way to play as an artist and refill my creative well. That's not Julia Cameron's fault, that's just the difference in our personal tastes.

Where this started to fall apart for me is that after the 52 ideas there was an additional 30-ish pages that had NOTHING to do with artist dates. First there was content about mentoring creative children, and then 4 core exercises from another of Cameron's books called "The Prosperous Heart". Um... thanks but that's not what I signed on for. I don't have or work with children, and I was hoping to do more of a deep dive on the artist dates, not prosperity exercises.

Very glad I read this as a library book rather than buying it.

[Dearwassily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I definitely would not buy this; get it from the library, if you must. Otherwise, 52 not very creative ideas for dates, most of which include buying things, or were items re-hashed: make guacamole; make soup; bake a pie—these were three separate ideas, not one. So much fluff and filler. Disappointing—or, it would have been had I had any expectations whatsoever.

[K Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one of her books that I just thoroughly enjoyed. I don't consider myself an artist, but I think I would enjoy my life more living as one. That might also show me that I'm wrong...lots of ways to define being an artist. These books are helping me find mine.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful!

This was another quick yet insightful read. The book helped me explore ideas for artist's dates that I wouldn't have thought of before. I'm very satisfied with my purchase and looking forward to some playful fun!

[Connie Darlene Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and precise

Julia gave simple ideas that are easy to implement. She has a very easily read, quotable flow. The slight weakness in the artist date options were what gave the book its strength as well: simple, which in this case .

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

love Julia Cameron

I absolutely adore this author! But this book is my least favorite of hers. There are some activities I simply cannot do because of migraines and chronic pain, and I can’t really modify them.
3.5/5

[Sarah Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some interesting ideas here that help to reframe the idea of the artist’s dates as not just trips to the museum. However the book is also repetitive and has lots of filler.

[Becca]

A list of Artist's Date ideas with brief descriptions

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideas!

Who doesn't love ideas/help when venturing out and trying something new? I've been reading Julia Cameron's books for more than 20 years, but I am finally going to attempt to give the Basics real effort rather than halfies it. I'm ready!! 💛

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this as a companion to The Artist's Way. I've found it helpful to flip through when I can't think of an Artist Date. It is somewhat repetitive, but all it truly needs to do is inspire and that it does.

[Barbara Storey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little e-book with ideas for Artist's Dates, and a deeper explanation of what they are, and what they're meant to do. Recommended!

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and chock full of good ideas for Artist's Dates. I'll keep it on hand for when I have No idea what to do.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone who considers themselves an artist should read and do as this book says. Artist Dates are food for the soul. And the bonus chapters in the end are priceless. Your kids will thank you.

[Cynthia Wheelehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick little ebook