Architect Daniel Libeskind sees his master plan for the World Trade
Center site as a cultural response to Sept. 11. He found
inspiration in icons of America -- the Statue of Liberty, the Declaration of
Independence and poet Walt Whitman.
July 5, 2004
E.L. Doctorow became famous with his 1975 best-seller Ragtime. The
author says voracious reading and the ever-present music of his youth helped
nurture his talent for turning a phrase and honing a tale.
June 28, 2004
Some might say actor John Lithgow was born into the craft: His father,
Arthur, was a Shakespearean actor. As Father's Day approaches, the Emmy and
Tony award winner reflects on his father's influence on his own career.
June 14, 2004
Comedian Billy Crystal is known for his gift for improv and impersonation.
He credits his ease with riffing to childhood encounters with jazz greats.
June 7, 2004
Best-selling author John Irving is known for sweeping narratives
full of vivid characters, complex plots and overwhelming information. He credits his style to lessons in storytelling from Victorian master Charles Dickens.
May 24, 2004
In 1967, a school band director's song suggestion for the school talent show led multi-talented musician Bill Frisell to discover what would become a driving passion: the music of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.
May 17, 2004
Composer Stephen Schwartz has provided the music and lyrics for Broadway
hits from Godspell to his latest, Wicked. He discusses the
patchwork of artistic influences, from Beethoven to Sting, that have
inspired his style.
May 10, 2004
As a child, writer Sandra Cisneros turned to fairy tales to escape from her run down surroundings. Their highly stylized language inspired her own distinct literary voice, which tells stories of a cross-cultural world.
May 3, 2004
In the 1970s, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker helped lift from
obscurity Harlem Renaissance star Zora Neale Hurston. Walker discusses Hurston's guiding role in helping her find her own voice as a black writer. April 26, 2004
For five decades, Dave Frishberg has crafted deftly worded, wry songs that harken back to the golden age of the musical. The jazz composer says he learned the art of musical wit from Broadway legend Frank Loesser. April 19, 2004
Smith's ecstatic blend of poetry and rock made her a punk icon. She says Bob Dylan and 19th-century poet Arthur Rimbaud were key influences on her signature sound. Hear music from her new album. April 12, 2004
The new movie Hellboy is based on a comic book about a monster-fighting hero with a twist: he's also a demon, working for the U.S. government. Creator Mike Mignola says he drew inspiration from another famous creature of the dark -- Dracula. April 5, 2004
About the Series
Intersections, a six-month-long series from Morning Edition, looks at artists and their artistic sources of inspiration. Each week, we talk to a different musician, writer, filmmaker or performer about the works of art that made a significant impact on his or her career.
Intersections is produced with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
