Cosmic Icon: Conversations with Artists, by Selden Rodman

Hello and happy Friday folks, sorry it’s been a week or more since my last post, but it’s been quite a challenge coming up with my first Cosmic Icon to post about. I had such a hard time choosing just one artist that I decidedly went with many artists instead…all of whom are featured in the most amazing book, Conversations with Artists, by Selden Rodman. If you’re not at all familiar with this book, than I am happy to introduce… 

Conversations with Artists really is a phenomenal book for any art lover; it features 228 pages of one-on-one interviews with some of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Take one look at the list of artists on its cover and you’ll understand exactly how amazing this book is. Each chapter consists of about five to eleven interviews and each interview is prefaced by a direct quote from the interviewee. These quotes have become words that I live by.

To put it lightly, this book IS MY BIBLE. Every time I open its cover, thumb through its pages and revisit its content, my creative brain gets a jumpstart. It reminds me to keep on truckin’…keep on working…keep making new stuff and most importantly, keeps me sane as an artist. Thanks to this book, some of the artists featured within its pages, have developed into my biggest creative idols and influences. After reading page after page of interviews, the artists become more than just plates in an art book, or pretty pictures in a museum; they become at once human, profoundly living and recognizable as individuals with creative vision – a vision that, as an artist, I share.

And apparently I’m not the only one who values this book; just recently I did an Amazon search and realized that it’s a pretty sought after title. In fact I learned, thanks to Google, that this book influenced the singer/songwriter, Seth Swirsky when he wrote the song, “Herman Cherry.” You can read about it here. It’s a pretty interesting story.

So there you have it, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Cosmic Icon…that I fretted over for so very long. I plan to share many more in the weeks to come! So, stay tuned, stay inspired and stay happy…it’s Friday!