The Creative Happiness Resources List

A long list of books, films, and more to rejuvenate your creative spirit

Perfect Days, Wim Wenders, 2023

The fashion industry may be shutting down for all of August, but creative minds certainly aren’t. Wherever you find yourself – on a sweltering Greek island, in the cloudy Welsh hills, fanning yourself at home (or working) – there are plenty of ways to keep fresh ideas coming.  

With help from our community (<3), we have compiled a (very thorough) list of recommendations to help keep your creative energies pumping all summer long.

👀 READ 📚

Le Bonheur, Agnès Varda, 1965

We received so many recommendations of incredible books – from self-help for creatives to autobiographies of fashion luminaries. There should be enough here to keep you going through all of summer and beyond.

WANT TO PUSH YOUR CREATIVITY?

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Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act is a philosophical exploration of what it means to be creative, with plenty of sage-level advice, like: “All that matters is that you are making something you love, to the best of your ability, here and now.”

In Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert endorses “living a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear.”

In Think Like an Artist, the BBC’s Arts Editor Will Gompertz deep dives into the practices and processes of famous artists to offer practical advice for creative thinkers.

For more wisdom and straightforward guidance, Beth Pickens’s Make Your Art No Matter What deals with how to manage creative hurdles like self-doubt. 

Similarly, in Brief Lessons in Creativity, Frances Ambler passes on insights and exercises designed to spark creativity and innovation. 

In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon endorses “stealing”, remixing, and reinterpreting existing ideas to create something new and unique.

And you’ve probably already heard of The Artist’s Way, but if you haven’t read it yet, now might be the time!

If you just have your phone on you and want to keep it quick, these interviews from The Creative Independent offer wisdom and ideas for living a creative life. 

In On creating a school for yourself, poet Madeleine Cravens discusses “knowing when a project is done, paying attention to the world, and being inwardly ambitious.”

In On discovering what excites you, the artist Alteronce Gumby discusses “finding your interests in the unknown, harnessing parallels between artistic disciplines, and forever being a student.”

And, in this interview with Kiley Reid, On day jobs and money and creative work, the author discusses “the influence of money on art-making” and “why practice is key.”

Baisers Volés, François Truffaut, 1968

FEELING PRODUCTIVE? 

Radical Fashion Exercises includes a series of unconventional exercises aimed at pushing the boundaries of fashion design.

Written by Central Saint Martins’ foundation curriculum leaders Lucy Alexander and Timothy Meara, the CSM Foundation Book compiles a year of projects and techniques (ranging from draping fabric on the body to conducting blindfolded discussions) alongside examples of student work + advice from staff and alumni.

FEELING CONTEMPLATIVE?

Junichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows examines the aesthetic value of shadows and subtlety in traditional Japanese art and architecture. 

Martha Nussbaum’s The Fragility of Goodness examines the vulnerability of human flourishing in the face of adversity. 

Blow-Up, a collection of short stories by Argentinian author Julio Cortázar, blurs the lines between reality and illusion (and includes the titular story that inspired Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film.)

Audre Lorde’s Uses of the Erotic explores how embracing the power of the erotic can lead to personal and political transformation.

Raymond Queneau’s Exercises in Style presents 99 variations on a simple story, demonstrating playful and inventive storytelling techniques.

The Art of Ecstasy explores the concept of ecstasy in art, examining how artists convey intense emotions and transcendent experiences.

Miranda July’s All Fours will undoubtedly blow your mind. Gripping, hot, hilarious and one of a kind. 

Partner, Bernardo Bertolucci, 1968 

ASSESSING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH WORK?

I Didn’t Do the Thing Today deals with the guilt and pressure of productivity culture. It explores ways to prioritise well-being and creativity over societal expectations of constant productivity.

Don’t Get a Job…Make a Job provides practical advice on entrepreneurship, self-employment, and turning personal passions into viable business ventures. 

OR JUST WANT TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE’S WORLD?

Yohji Yamamoto’s My Dear Bomb reveals the designer’s reflections on the nature of creativity, the impermanence of beauty, and the essence of clothing. "How does the cloth want to drape, to sway, to fall? If one keeps these things in mind and looks very carefully, the fabric itself begins to speak.”

Dana Thomas’s Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano (the title says it all).

Marina Abramović’s memoir Walk Through Walls explores the artist’s groundbreaking work and the physical and emotional challenges she has faced in her art.

+ any book by Bruno Munari.

WATCH 🍿🍿

Directed by stylist Joe McKenna, Alaïa is an intimate portrait of Azzedine Alaïa, with interviews with Nicolas Ghesquiere, Carlyne Cerf, Naomi Campbell and Grace Coddington.

Dior and I follows Raf Simons as he works under immense pressure to create his debut haute couture collection at Dior.

The Eye Has to Travel chronicles the life and career of fashion editor Diana Vreeland, highlighting her influential work at Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. 

Our all-time favourite fashion doc about Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton

Here are 10 fashion documentaries you can watch on Youtube for free!

LISTEN 💿

This BoF podcast ep with Charles Jeffery on ten years of Loverboy.

Creativity for Sale features Radim Malinic’s interviews with creatives, who discuss strategies for turning artistic talents into profitable ventures.

And here is a list of podcasts we love! 

CHILL🧖‍♀️🧠

Michael Taft’s guided meditations on YouTube are perfect for those of us who’ve been meaning to meditate for years and have never gotten around to it. Perhaps this is the summer that changes the rest of our lives…?

With huge thanks to all the members of our community who provided recommendations.  We hope everyone has a beautiful summer ahead!

X 1 Granary