Summer of Inspiration: Artist Date Week 7

I'm sure you've seen the joke online that says, "buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies". It's a joke that resonates all too close to home for me.

Growing up, I have fond memories of going to huge warehouse book sales, which I'm grateful my mom understood was a passion of mine. I would bring books everywhere, whether it's a family dinner out at a sushi restaurant or a wedding of some distant relative. Books were my source of comfort for as long as I could remember. The libraries close to home were lacking, so my mom would bring me to a lady's home where she would rent books. It was the closest thing I got to a public library in my childhood.

My childhood was shaped by the likes of Jean Ure and Jacqueline Wilson.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately for my wallet, my bookworm tendencies live on. When Sophia sent me a TikTok sharing the David Zwirner Book Shop moving out sale, I could barely sleep because I was thinking about going there by a specific time and browsing through the book selection. I ended up going on the second day after fighting the urge to spend money the first day, but knew I would regret it if I didn't at least check out what was available. In some ways, it was a good thing I went on the second day, because even though the tables have been picked through by the vultures, I mean, art and book enthusiasts of New York, I was still able to pick up a decent selection of books!

Now, you may wonder, is going out to buy books an artist date?

Yes, of course! From my perspective, it is because you're nurturing your inner artist by collecting things that foster that creative environment. Every time I see my stack of books, I feel inspired and called to create because writing is an act that I am called to do, even when I don't feel like doing it.

Getting to the book shop itself was a trek. I had to take two different subway systems, and I at least clocked in a few hundred steps to reach my destination. During my walk, I decided to be as intentional as I could be by observing the neighborhood I am in, noting the colors that I see, and taking the time to be mindful. It reminded me of a video essay by Anna Howard that I watched a couple of months ago, about how convenience culture kills or diminishes our creative impulses. When we optimize every second of every day, we decrease the number of times that casual magic can enter our lives or the moments that spark a brain blast. It's the quiet moments in a grocery store line or the repetitive act of washing dishes that I get my brightest ideas. The walk allowed me to process the feelings that came flooding in, as there are times when it hits me that I'm back in one of my favorite cities in the world. Even though New York City has seen better days, I still feel deeply connected to this metropolis.

The moving-out sale was underwhelming at first glance. However, upon further digging, I was able to unearth some gems. The key to navigating a book sale is patience. You must do a couple of rounds, because the first instinct is to find anything that looks familiar or interesting. The second round is when you uncover books that you may have missed initially.

If I hadn't looked at the nearly emptied rows of a random book cart, I wouldn't have come across the last copy of The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel.

Miraculously, I spent below my budget, which I was honestly really proud of. The list of books I got is as follows:

• The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel
• Yayoi Kusama: Inventing the Singular by Midori Yamamura
• Any Day Now: Toward a Black Aesthetic by Larry Neal
• Mad about Painting by Katsushika Hokusai
• The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Langston Hughes

When I brought my selection to the cashier, the person mentioned that I had a good collection in hand, which made my day.

I don't condone shopping as a means to spark creativity, but if the act of acquiring material or sources of inspiration is intentional, it could drive your creative instincts to a new direction. After reading The Sweet Flypaper of Life, I am inspired by the use of creating fictionalized stories through photography.

I'm excited to delve into the other books, especially The Story of Art Without Men and Yayoi Kusama: Inventing the Singular.

What have you bought recently that has sparked inspiration or a burst of creativity? I would love to hear all about it!