All this week, I’m sharing excerpts from a book I published a few years ago. It’s called The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. It’s a short, fun read for all kinds of artists, particularly for writers.
Here’s today’s excerpt from the chapter, “O is for Old Things.”
When it comes to art, do “old things” intimidate you? Do the classic works of painting, writing, sculpture, music, or even movies scare you a bit?
If so, you’re not alone. Most people are intimidated by towering creative giants such as Shakespeare, Michelangelo, and Beethoven.
Let me put your fears to rest. You can understand and enjoy the great works of art and history. When you encounter them for yourself, you’ll be inspired to do your own best work.
In his introduction to the spiritual classic On the Incarnation by Athanasius, C. S. Lewis speaks about the importance of experiencing the “old books” for yourself:
There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. . . . The error is rather an amiable one, for it springs from humility. The student is half afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator. . . . It has always therefore been one of my main endeavors as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.
Lewis’ words apply not only to books, but to all types of creative art. When we think of a work as one of the “greats,” we tend to build it up in our minds as a towering accomplishment that only geniuses can understand. But most of the time, those works are great not because they’re complicated, but because they’re simple.
It’s not enough to read about great art second-hand. You should experience it for yourself as much as possible.
But where do you start? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of great art available. So just pick one thing and dive in.
If you like painting, visit a museum in your area.
If you like music, listen to a recording of Beethoven, Mozart, or modern greats like Miles Davis or the Beatles. Be sure to listen to the whole thing in one sitting to get the full experience.
If you like architecture, visit a local cathedral or historic site.
If you like to read, pick up one of Shakespeare’s plays or Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey.
If you like movies, watch one of the classics such as Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights or David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia.
If you want to grow in your creative life, you have to stay curious. You must always be seeking out new things to learn and new artists to explore.
One of the best biographies I’ve read is Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs. The book mentions several times that Jobs was a huge fan of Bob Dylan. I didn’t know much of Dylan’s music, so I decided to educate myself.
I listened to several of his albums on Spotify, including Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan, and Modern Times. I was amazed at the power and simplicity of his music and wondered why I hadn’t been listening to this my whole life!
When you read, watch, or listen to something new, it can often lead you to something else you’ll enjoy. Every piece of art is like a map that leads to more treasures.
So take a little time to visit an art museum, pull a classic work of literature off the shelf, or sample a bit of older music. You’ll find that ironically, the things of old will inspire you in ways that are fresh and new.
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I hope you enjoyed that short excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. You can grab the book by visiting https://kentsanders.net/suitcase.