How To Art
Bringing a Fancy Subject Down to Earth so We Can All Enjoy It
Published on 18. September 2025
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-1-5291-5452-8 (ISBN)
Description
'Finally! Art without terror!' PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE
'Puts art in our lives, our homes, our hearts' RICHARD CURTIS
'A breath of fresh air' PHILIPPA PERRY
'Read it, enjoy it and be liberated' DAILY MIRROR
What is art, where do I find it, and once I'm in front of it, what am I supposed to think about it?
Kate Bryan is a self-confessed art addict who has worked with art for over twenty years. But before she studied art history at university, she'd been into a gallery just twice in her life and had no idea she was entering an elitist world.
Now, she's on a mission to help everybody come to art. Like playing or listening to music, or cooking and eating great food, reading or watching films, making art or looking at other people's deserves to be an enriching part of all our lives.
So here, in HOW TO ART, is a nifty way to take art on your own terms. From where it is to what it is, to tips on how to actually enjoy really famous artworks like the Mona Lisa, to how to own art and make art at home, through to vital advice for making a career as an artist and even how to make your dog more cultural, How to Art gives art to everyone, and makes it fun.
Laced throughout with original artworks by the very down-to-earth artist David Shrigley
'Like food, art has that wonderful ability to bring us joy. Kate is the perfect expert to help us all develop a more meaningful relationship with art.' JAMIE OLIVER
'Joyous and liberating ... if art slightly scares you, or if you've ever stood in front of a painting feeling gauche and tongue-tied, you're going to love it.' INDIA KNIGHT
'The definitive "how to" guide to not being intimidated by the world of art and artists. It brings joy, which is a powerful thing.' MARIA BALSHAW, DIRECTOR OF TATE
'Puts art in our lives, our homes, our hearts' RICHARD CURTIS
'A breath of fresh air' PHILIPPA PERRY
'Read it, enjoy it and be liberated' DAILY MIRROR
What is art, where do I find it, and once I'm in front of it, what am I supposed to think about it?
Kate Bryan is a self-confessed art addict who has worked with art for over twenty years. But before she studied art history at university, she'd been into a gallery just twice in her life and had no idea she was entering an elitist world.
Now, she's on a mission to help everybody come to art. Like playing or listening to music, or cooking and eating great food, reading or watching films, making art or looking at other people's deserves to be an enriching part of all our lives.
So here, in HOW TO ART, is a nifty way to take art on your own terms. From where it is to what it is, to tips on how to actually enjoy really famous artworks like the Mona Lisa, to how to own art and make art at home, through to vital advice for making a career as an artist and even how to make your dog more cultural, How to Art gives art to everyone, and makes it fun.
Laced throughout with original artworks by the very down-to-earth artist David Shrigley
'Like food, art has that wonderful ability to bring us joy. Kate is the perfect expert to help us all develop a more meaningful relationship with art.' JAMIE OLIVER
'Joyous and liberating ... if art slightly scares you, or if you've ever stood in front of a painting feeling gauche and tongue-tied, you're going to love it.' INDIA KNIGHT
'The definitive "how to" guide to not being intimidated by the world of art and artists. It brings joy, which is a powerful thing.' MARIA BALSHAW, DIRECTOR OF TATE
Reviews / Votes
A much-needed antidote to an art world fogged with jargon and pretension. Bryan's book is honest, humane, and crammed with revelatory insights -- James Fox How To Art is a cry from the heart, a call to arms ... Read it, enjoy and be liberated. * Press Association * A delightful guide for enjoying more art, Bryan's witty volume - adorned with original artworks by David Shrigley - shows how to take art on your own terms. * Waterstones Blog * A joyous and liberating new book that I love ... How to Art is friendly, witty and super-accessible, so if art slightly scares you, or if you've ever stood in front of a painting feeling gauche and tongue-tied, you're going to love it (such an inspired idea, this book). Plus David Shrigley! ... Funny, joyful and completely demystifies what art 'is' and how to approach it, buy it, look at it, spend time with it, talk about it and make it. -- India Knight Finally! Art without terror! -- Phoebe Waller-Bridge A completely joyful book about the joy of art. A cracking, easy read that puts art in our lives, our homes, our hearts. -- Richard Curtis In this book, you hold in your hand a set of luminous keys to infinite doors in the world of art. -- Es Devlin The definitive 'how to' guide to not being intimidated by the world of art and artists. It brings joy, which is a powerful thing. -- Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate Like food, art has that wonderful ability to bring us joy. Kate is the perfect expert to help us all develop a more meaningful relationship with art. -- Jamie Oliver Art is a fundamental part of being alive and Kate's book helps everybody get involved. -- Russell ToveyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Dimensions
Height: 205 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 44 mm
Weight
756 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5291-5452-8 (9781529154528)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 10/2026
Penguin
€16.50
Not yet published
E-Book
09/2025
Penguin (Cornerstone)
€14.99
Available for download
Persons
Kate Bryan (Author)
Kate Bryan is a British art historian, curator and arts broadcaster. Since 2016, she has been the curator for Soho House's global art collection which numbers 10,000 artworks. For over a decade she has regularly presented television programmes for Sky Arts including "My Week With" and is a judge on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of The Year. This is Kate's third book and her first for a mainstream audience.
David Shrigley (Illustrator)
David Shrigley OBE is one of those unique artists, like Andy Warhol or Keith Haring, who is recognised within the art world but whose reach extends far beyond to impact our wider culture. In 2016, he was awarded the Fourth Plinth Commission for Trafalgar Square and was nominated for the Tate's Turner Prize in 2013. His works are found in prominent international collections, including Museum of Modern Art, New York and Tate Britain, London
Kate Bryan is a British art historian, curator and arts broadcaster. Since 2016, she has been the curator for Soho House's global art collection which numbers 10,000 artworks. For over a decade she has regularly presented television programmes for Sky Arts including "My Week With" and is a judge on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of The Year. This is Kate's third book and her first for a mainstream audience.
David Shrigley (Illustrator)
David Shrigley OBE is one of those unique artists, like Andy Warhol or Keith Haring, who is recognised within the art world but whose reach extends far beyond to impact our wider culture. In 2016, he was awarded the Fourth Plinth Commission for Trafalgar Square and was nominated for the Tate's Turner Prize in 2013. His works are found in prominent international collections, including Museum of Modern Art, New York and Tate Britain, London