LARB Radio Hour Sally Mann's "Art Work: On the Creative Life"
12 snips
Jan 2, 2026 
Sally Mann, an acclaimed American photographer and author known for her groundbreaking works and candid reflections on art, shares insights from her book, Artwork: On the Creative Life. She delves into her journey to becoming an artist and discusses how self-doubt fuels her creativity. Mann emphasizes the importance of persistence, drawing from her experiences with rejection and her rural Southern roots that shape her art. She also candidly addresses controversies surrounding her work and the evolving nature of photography in a world flooded with images.
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Treat Art As A Job
- Keep receipts, write letters, and make lots of lists to sustain creative practice.
- Treat being an artist as a job you work at rather than a mystic calling.
From Aspiring Poet To Working Photographer
- Mann wanted to be a poet but chose photography because it paid sooner and was easier to earn a living.
- She kept writing privately (letters to Ted Orland) which later became a springboard to publishing books.
Embrace Terrier-Like Obsession
- When obsession takes hold, pursue work relentlessly and accept being distracted from daily life.
- Embrace a terrier-like focus: latch on to the project and refuse to let go until it's finished.
