NPR : Intersections: Artists and Their Inspirations

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Intersections
NPR Series Looks at Artists and Their Inspirations

Building the Soul of New York City
	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

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E.L. Doctorow on Rhythm and Writing
	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

Hip-Hop Producer Timbaland
	Influential music producer discusses his varied sources of inspirations and his successful collaboration with superstar Missy Elliott. June 21, 2004

The Indefatigable John Lithgow
	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

The Many Faces of Billy Crystal
	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

In the Footsteps of Charles Dickens
	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

'Bumpin' into a Guitar Legend
	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

Stephen Schwartz's Musical Ghosts
	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

When Languages Collide
	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

Crafting a Voice for Black Culture
	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

Reviving the Art of the Witty Lyric
	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

Patti Smith, Poet Laureate of Punk
	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

Hellboy Meets Dracula
	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

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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.

More Features

Inside the Mind of Lili Taylor: Actress known for memorable roles in films such as Say Anything creates her characters using Jungian psychology.

Billy Ray, Probing Media Ethics on Film: The director of Shattered Glass turned to another cinematic exploration of journalism ethics: All the President's Men.

Fred Hersch, Setting Whitman to Music: Acclaimed jazz pianist and composer finds inspiration from the works of poet Walt Whitman.

Author T.C. Boyle's Rock 'n' Roll Muse: National Book Award-nominee credits his biting satire and verbal pyrotechnics to the rhythm and lyrics of rock.

August Wilson, Writing to the Blues: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright says he first heard the language of the black experience in Bessie Smith's blues.

Ve Neill, Hollywood Makeup Magician: How monster movies inspired an Oscar-winning career transforming Hollywood's face.

Of 'Maus' and Spiegelman: Pulitzer Prize-winner Art Spiegelman on how MAD taught him to use comics for tragedy.

Nick Carbó, 'Secret Asian Man': Filipino poet says too much time with American pop-culture icons shaped his witty, subversive point of view.

The Education of Rickie Lee Jones: Bohemian singer with plaintive voice, penchant for storytelling credits her style to West Side Story, The Beatles and Laura Nyro.

Jamaica Kincaid and the Literature of Defiance: Lessons in rebellion from British classics Jane Eyre, Paradise Lost.

John Adams and the Poetry of Music: Acclaimed composer finds lyricism in the written word.

Allegra Kent, Balanchine's Ballerina: One of George Balanchine's greatest dancers talks about her relationship with "Mr. B."

Inspiration and Creativity: An overview of famous artists -- such as Van Gogh -- who have publicly acknowledged a debt to others.