A Great Resource for Artists
I was looking through the New York Public Library’s YouTube channel and I came across “Design by the Book,” a very cool series of videos discussing the importance of libraries for artists. One very important thing to note is that art never exists in a vacuum; there is no “art for art’s sake.” Whether art be dreams, an expression of beauty, a meditation on the profound, an observation, a reflection, a criticism, or analysis, or even all of the above, art is something that is deeply connected to other ideas, history, literature, science, nature, religion, or even preceding works of art. To create is to not simply wait for the muse, but to peruse, research, read, and think deeply on various things. Even the most utilitarian forms of expression can benefit from visits to the library.
Arts students and professors have the benefit of their university libraries with their extensive inventory of books and other media, along with their special collections. When I was working on my MFA in creative writing, my thesis chair encouraged me and my classmates to take advantage of this great resource, to find things that would help our projects and even our work in the long term. His advice especially resonated when I watched this video. It’s something I should never forget, but to always apply in my own creative life.
For all other artists, whether they be without a formal arts education or they are working long after that degree, the public library part of what makes inspiration, ideas, and research possible. The books one reads or the movies or music one may listen to may have a great effect on what an artist creates. While it is possible to create anywhere, anytime, institutions such as libraries and enhance the quality of one’s intellectual and creative life. They make ideas accessible in a way that universities and bookstores do not. For those, one needs some amount of money. The library, on the other hand, is free to the public and even provides space to read, study, or contemplate while there. It has made the writing of Ray Bradbury possible. Given that, who knows what else is possible?
Don’t overlook the library. You might get an idea, and that is the wildest thing that can ever happen. You won’t be sorry.
