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Learning by Heart: Teachings To Free The Creative Spirit
Introduces principles, tools, and techniques developed by Corita Kent to enhance and encourage artistic creativity in students
205 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1992
118 people are currently reading
1550 people want to read
About the author
Corita Kent
24 books34 followersCorita Kent (November 20, 1918 – September 18, 1986), aka Sister Mary Corita Kent, was born Frances Elizabeth Kent in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Kent was an artist and an educator who worked in Los Angeles and Boston. She worked almost exclusively with silkscreen and serigraphy, helping to establish it as a fine art medium. Her artwork, with its messages of love and peace, was particularly popular during the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s.
At the age of eighteen Kent entered the Roman Catholic order of Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles. She also studied at the University of Southern California where she earned her MA in Art History in 1951. Between 1938 and 1968 Kent lived and worked in the Immaculate Heart Community. She taught in the Immaculate Heart College and was the chairman of its art department. She left the order in 1968 and moved to Boston, where she devoted herself to making art. She died of cancer in 1986.
Kent created several hundred serigraph designs, for posters, book covers, and murals. Her work includes the 1985 Love Stamp and Rainbow Swash, the 150-foot (46 m)-high natural gas tank in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.
At the age of eighteen Kent entered the Roman Catholic order of Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles. She also studied at the University of Southern California where she earned her MA in Art History in 1951. Between 1938 and 1968 Kent lived and worked in the Immaculate Heart Community. She taught in the Immaculate Heart College and was the chairman of its art department. She left the order in 1968 and moved to Boston, where she devoted herself to making art. She died of cancer in 1986.
Kent created several hundred serigraph designs, for posters, book covers, and murals. Her work includes the 1985 Love Stamp and Rainbow Swash, the 150-foot (46 m)-high natural gas tank in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 5, 2019
I found my way to this book when I was making my sister in law's Xmas present and was looking for the original source of the rules I have on my fridge--a photocopied page acquired as part of a music theater workshop I did years ago. The page has a heading from the Merce Cunningham dance studio and it SAYS the rules came from John Cage, but the internet rabbithole I went down revealed that they are actually the rules of the Immaculate Heart College Art Department, and the real source of them is Sister Corita Kent (here's a quick breakdown, if you're interested: https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/08...). Of course I didn't know a thing about her before I read about her work as an artist and educator, but she was massively influential to all who came in contact with her. I put in a library request for this book immediately.
The book is a bit of a hodgepodge and is definitely one that you do instead of read, so I recommend picking this one up if you are looking for some projects to spin you off your axis. I've saved a couple of them for later. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on work as play and play as work, on absorbing as many disparate references as you can and combining them in new ways, and most especially on the idea that if you address yourself to process, you're eventually going to come up with something useful. I've really gotten away from that kind of fun (I blame binge-watching) and am hoping to just make more stuff with no goal in mind other than making.
The book is a bit of a hodgepodge and is definitely one that you do instead of read, so I recommend picking this one up if you are looking for some projects to spin you off your axis. I've saved a couple of them for later. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on work as play and play as work, on absorbing as many disparate references as you can and combining them in new ways, and most especially on the idea that if you address yourself to process, you're eventually going to come up with something useful. I've really gotten away from that kind of fun (I blame binge-watching) and am hoping to just make more stuff with no goal in mind other than making.
December 5, 2019
One of the best books about creativity I've ever read, despite it looking as if it was produced on a photocopier in the 1980s.
June 15, 2013
Corita Kent was a Catholic nun who taught art in California is an unusual way. She assumed everyone is creative and everyone wants to explore who they are and what they know and don't know. She encouraged exploration, invented projects and delighted her students with surprises about themselves.
The book is not new, but has many new and refreshing ideas about exploring art, creativity, design, (Sr. Corita was a graphic designer as well) and building a creative community.
A good read on many levels. You can dip into it again and again and learn something every time. I wish the photographs were in color, but black and white are enough to incite you to your own creative force.
The book is not new, but has many new and refreshing ideas about exploring art, creativity, design, (Sr. Corita was a graphic designer as well) and building a creative community.
A good read on many levels. You can dip into it again and again and learn something every time. I wish the photographs were in color, but black and white are enough to incite you to your own creative force.
May 16, 2024
Love Corita so much.
48. “I gather things up first because I like them and then they become sources.”
66. “I hadn’t thought about structure as being something that enabled me to do things. I thought structure meant discipline and rules. It is that—as well as being the core and frame for any successful work. Preordained rules or rote discipline are not structure; they are inhibitors of creativity when they have no real connection to the project at hand. Structure makes our creativity possible, by providing a framework to build on.”
77. “The second thing that reminded me of Eames was his statement that the basic problem of design was to care.”
82. “The concepts of limitation, structure, and boundary are sometimes looked on as inhibitors of our creative energy. But with the whole universe to choose from, we should welcome these concepts and see them as providing valuable information that will help define our goal.”
96. “Creative power is often mistakenly attributed to in born talent. Genuine creation is not merely the product of a gifted person. It is the result of the successful arranging of complex activities and parts according to specific goals and needs, and above all the ability to connect one thing with another . . . “
156. ‘Play is a way of working and work is a way of playing. Our best times are when working and playing are the same.”
162. “Watch a child when she is drawing or painting. You will see a worried look on her face—a look of intense concentration. Is she working or playing?”
48. “I gather things up first because I like them and then they become sources.”
66. “I hadn’t thought about structure as being something that enabled me to do things. I thought structure meant discipline and rules. It is that—as well as being the core and frame for any successful work. Preordained rules or rote discipline are not structure; they are inhibitors of creativity when they have no real connection to the project at hand. Structure makes our creativity possible, by providing a framework to build on.”
77. “The second thing that reminded me of Eames was his statement that the basic problem of design was to care.”
82. “The concepts of limitation, structure, and boundary are sometimes looked on as inhibitors of our creative energy. But with the whole universe to choose from, we should welcome these concepts and see them as providing valuable information that will help define our goal.”
96. “Creative power is often mistakenly attributed to in born talent. Genuine creation is not merely the product of a gifted person. It is the result of the successful arranging of complex activities and parts according to specific goals and needs, and above all the ability to connect one thing with another . . . “
156. ‘Play is a way of working and work is a way of playing. Our best times are when working and playing are the same.”
162. “Watch a child when she is drawing or painting. You will see a worried look on her face—a look of intense concentration. Is she working or playing?”
July 8, 2022
Part creative workbook, part philosophy lesson, this is a beautiful book. Simply written, but with some powerful ideas about creativity. Although nominally about making art, life lessons abound: it's okay to fail, keep on keeping on, everything is an experiment, blind alleys can often contain marvelous things, and so on. I make this sound so trite, a sappy version of "live laugh love" but honestly, it's contains multitudes. If for nothing else, this contains the magical "Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules" which some more consumer minded business guru than me is probably (or has, probably) turned into a $10K weekend seminar at Aspen (sullying the memory of Corita Kent). You can read more about the ten rules here: https://www.themarginalian.org/2012/0....
December 13, 2020
As just a book to read for pleasure, it would be fine, but it was lacking as a resource to inform my research. I thought some of the examples were interesting and the best parts were Kent's explanations of aspects of art such as creativity and limitations.
Personally, I did like all of the inclusion of Indonesian art because I went there for a Fulbright and the artistic elements of that culture were my favorite, although the authors could have included more historical context.
Personally, I did like all of the inclusion of Indonesian art because I went there for a Fulbright and the artistic elements of that culture were my favorite, although the authors could have included more historical context.
November 2, 2024
This book fundamentally changed my life. I am feral about this woman. I love her writing, her philosophies, almost everything deeply impacted me somehow. Easily in my top 3 books I’ve read this year.
June 4, 2025
Was reading this for my 101 list - I've always admired Corita and I'm glad to have heard more about her teaching/art philosophies. I tried to work alongside - didn't get all of the exercises done - but the ones I did were fun and helpful. I wish I could go back in time and be in her classes!
June 19, 2018
An earlier review of this book says it very nicely, "This is not a book you read; this is a book you do." I found this book when it was recommended within Austin Kleon's weekly newsletter.
I was immediately drawn to the comparison to Warhol, but I found this book to be a wonderful love letter to the approach within the classroom, any classroom inviting, exploring, nurturing, and celebrating the creative act within.
I was immediately drawn to the comparison to Warhol, but I found this book to be a wonderful love letter to the approach within the classroom, any classroom inviting, exploring, nurturing, and celebrating the creative act within.
January 23, 2009
I found this book truly inspirational. Art educators who are interested in developing a creative learning environment will benefit from the problems in this book. Corita Kent is to teaching creativity as Betty Edwards is to teaching drawing.
March 28, 2021
Some books help you see everything differently. This is one of them.
May 20, 2018
What a valuable book! Kent's creative spirit is rendered powerfully, infectiously. You just want to put the book down every ten pages and go make art. For me, even one of her "assignments" triggered two months or more of intensive artmaking, and I'll borrow and steal from her much more in years to come.
Kent's simple message is that opportunities for creativity exist all around us, at all times. The book guides the reader to see these opportunities and harness them for action in art. Even at random, our environment gifts us with material for creating and making. The assignments she gives are far flung and loose, yet they come with enough structure to contain the work, to give it a good handle. Despite all the experimentation, Kent insists on quality and professionalism. The stuff is so fun too...
Learning by Heart provides new ideas, inspirations from different cultures (especially Japan, India, and Bali), and sometimes practical step-by-step guidance in technique. If you're interested in collage or print-making, the book will be especially enjoyable and useful. If you're not interested in these, you will be after you finish this read.
This is a good book, and differently formatted from your average creative-inspiration book, full of photographs and illustrations from the Kent's own work. The content is different too; it's a pure expression of one woman's life spent in the abandoned and joyful making of art.
Kent's simple message is that opportunities for creativity exist all around us, at all times. The book guides the reader to see these opportunities and harness them for action in art. Even at random, our environment gifts us with material for creating and making. The assignments she gives are far flung and loose, yet they come with enough structure to contain the work, to give it a good handle. Despite all the experimentation, Kent insists on quality and professionalism. The stuff is so fun too...
Learning by Heart provides new ideas, inspirations from different cultures (especially Japan, India, and Bali), and sometimes practical step-by-step guidance in technique. If you're interested in collage or print-making, the book will be especially enjoyable and useful. If you're not interested in these, you will be after you finish this read.
This is a good book, and differently formatted from your average creative-inspiration book, full of photographs and illustrations from the Kent's own work. The content is different too; it's a pure expression of one woman's life spent in the abandoned and joyful making of art.
February 6, 2024
Sempre tive curiosidade de conhecer mais profundamente a obra de Corita Kent e esse livro foi meu primeiro contato mais intenso com ela (saí da leitura com sede de mais).
O livro equilibra perfeitamente reflexões e exercícios práticos para uma vida mais criativa.
Como criadora de conteúdo, as vezes acabo sentindo uma grande pressão externa e o que era pra ser leve, acaba se tornando pesado.
Esse livro me fez enxergar a criatividade de uma outra perspectiva, onde precisamos olhar com mais empatia para dentro e mais atenção para fora. Que devemos tratar tudo como um experimento e que a criatividade faz parte do nosso dia a dia.
Posso garantir que esses momentos de pressão serão menores depois dessa leitura.
Recomendo o livro para qualquer pessoa que queira se reconectar a sua essência criativa, mas especialmente a quem efetivamente trabalha com criação.
O livro equilibra perfeitamente reflexões e exercícios práticos para uma vida mais criativa.
Como criadora de conteúdo, as vezes acabo sentindo uma grande pressão externa e o que era pra ser leve, acaba se tornando pesado.
Esse livro me fez enxergar a criatividade de uma outra perspectiva, onde precisamos olhar com mais empatia para dentro e mais atenção para fora. Que devemos tratar tudo como um experimento e que a criatividade faz parte do nosso dia a dia.
Posso garantir que esses momentos de pressão serão menores depois dessa leitura.
Recomendo o livro para qualquer pessoa que queira se reconectar a sua essência criativa, mas especialmente a quem efetivamente trabalha com criação.
December 31, 2024
Corita’s enthusiastic spirit is ever present throughout the book. It’s a collection of exercises that prompt us into action, to experience creativity more so than thinking or reading about what it should be. Contrary to the artists way by Julia Cameron (the only book I’ve read similar enough) it’s not structured as a course, and it’s loose enough that it works as an art companion more than a linear, structured user manual. I believe that as much as we read books, they read us, and every read-through is a different conversation. This one in particular, more consciously so :)
At its core, hides a masterclass in observation with a probable consequence of daily doses of fun.
At its core, hides a masterclass in observation with a probable consequence of daily doses of fun.
January 29, 2018
Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of Corita Kent, the female Andy Warhol.
This book is about releasing, supporting the burgeoning artist, but I think that it goes beyond that. Much like THE RULES that were posted in her classrooms, Sr. Corita has provided a clear path to educating and supporting students. A blue print for allowing them, encouraging them to think, work and grow into adults capable of critical thinking and a vision for a future different than ours.
This book is about releasing, supporting the burgeoning artist, but I think that it goes beyond that. Much like THE RULES that were posted in her classrooms, Sr. Corita has provided a clear path to educating and supporting students. A blue print for allowing them, encouraging them to think, work and grow into adults capable of critical thinking and a vision for a future different than ours.
October 5, 2024
You don’t so much read this book but rather live it. I just picked it up again and have started with some of the assignments at the beginning, chosen and readapted one in the middle that I’ll soon start in on and will be spending more time with this in the future. It’s an endless well of inspiration that I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface on and believe I could continue coming back to it time and again.
September 1, 2021
I've had the "Rules for Teachers and Students" posted in my office for easily five or more years (two offices ago) but I didn't seek out more information about the creator of that list until recently. I'm not a visual artists in the least but there's a lot to be taken from this little book for creatives of all kinds.
June 20, 2024
"Excesso de expectativa e trabalho ou diversão em tempo integral são decepções garantidas. Desse modo, é preciso reduzir suas expectativas, esperar o melhor e trabalhar e se divertir. As definições do dicionário para trabalho e diversão têm muito em comum, como se a pessoa que definiu essas palavras não fosse capaz de separá-las como duas coisas distintas".
January 14, 2025
Alguém que desenvolveu lucidez em último nível quanto ao criar e seus processos. A ansiedade, tão comum entre designers, que ao se depararem com uma imensidão de possibilidades se sentem frequentemente tão incapazes, é algo que Corita conseguiu encarar e curar em si e em gerações de alunos. Através da atenção e afinco às pequenas coisas, Corita cria imensamente.
January 20, 2022
At first I thought it was a shame that this book is only black and white. As I read, however, I came to appreciate the way the book felt like a packet lovingly assembled for me by a creative teacher. Because that’s exactly what it is.
May 31, 2025
Encontré en este libro algunos ejercicios que cambiarán mi forma de instalarme ante el mundo y lo que me rodea. Dibujaré contornos e intentaré enfocarme en los detalles, en recortar las páginas y no solo deslumbrarme con la imagen panorámica o completa.
July 20, 2017
A book perfect for the artist in you. There were so many good prompts, it'll be a book I refer back to time and again.
December 1, 2017
Not as good as I thought it would be
March 23, 2019
Very little of the book was written by Corita Kent, and it's a workbook so I didn't get to learn much about Corita or her work
January 31, 2023
This book is a frequent reread. Each time I come away with something new. Jan Stewart is a brilliant chronicler and writer and Corita Kent was a teacher I wish I had.
July 4, 2023
So many great ideas, insights. I’ll be buying this book
Even though some parts seemed a little out of place!
Even though some parts seemed a little out of place!
April 30, 2024
Love this book and love Corita Kent.Such a creative and inspiring artist. I have a very wore copy of her rules to make art.It not only pertains to art ,but life too.
September 22, 2024
One of my favorite books. Close to my heart.
December 27, 2024
A book of art lessons and assignments, geared toward how to teach art, but really a primer on creativity. Some simple ideas, but really encapsulates the approach of Corita Kent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews