Book - Friendly Demons

A dedicated creative practice is riddled with demons. Let's befriend them.

Your creativity has the potential to change lives for the better, and not just your own. It carries its own rewards but also unique challenges, many of which should be embraced rather than avoided. Yet widespread narratives about the creative practice undermine creativity, reinforcing unhealthy habits and mindsets: real artists must create obsessively and suffer to be true to their art, but they’re doing something wrong if their practice isn’t easy and joyful.
Which challenges are useful and which are not? And how do you keep going when confronted with uncertainty, blocks, and exhaustion? Grounded in compassion and self-discovery, this book will help you identify, understand, and befriend your creative challenges. It’s a guide to discover a deeper and healthier connection to your creativity.

Friendly Demons is an insightful, empowering, and practical resource that shows how transforming fear and obstacles into positive forces can help artists of all kinds carve out a meaningful and sustainable creative life, on their own terms.

------ Reviews
“An honest and intelligent insight into the creative process which perfectly deconstructs how best to navigate a career in illustration and the arts. A book for anyone at any point in their career.” -- NEIL PACKER, illustrator, designer, and author

“Whether you’re just starting out or already established in your creative career, Friendly Demons is the perfect companion to help you find clarity, soothe your mind, and gain perspective on your artistic journey.” -- GENEVIEVE GODBOUT, illustrator and author

“By combining honesty with objectivity, Marie-Alice has achieved something remarkable in these pages: to narrow that terrifying space between the idea and its realisation, to shrink the gap between the mind and the page.” -- RICHARD JONES, illustrator and author

“Friendly Demons is a refreshingly honest, uplifting, and very much needed guide to accepting that to be a creative is very often to walk with the fear of how your work will be received by the world. Marie-Alice writes with compassion as she offers practical tips on how to identify, accept and make peace with your inner creative demons, and protect and nurture your joy while creating.” -- DAPO ADEOLA, illustrator, author, and visual development artist

------ Author
Marie-Alice Harel is an award-winning author and illustrator who knows the ups and downs of a creative life. After working as a researcher and earning a PhD in geosciences, she began a freelance illustration career at thirty. Being self-taught, she knows the value of empowerment in forging one's own creative path. With Friendly Demons, she shares the insights learned on her journey and hopes that they will help you carve your own.

------ Specifications
- Paperback with French flaps and debossing on the cover
- 148 pages, printed in colour throughout
- Spot illustrations (decorative)
- Durable sewn binding
- Size 13 x 19.2 x 1.6 cm
- Printed in China on high quality, responsibly sourced paper (Munken)