Every artist has a handful of books they return to—not just for reference, but for grounding, inspiration, and sometimes even for ritual. These are the art books I keep close. They've changed the way I create, teach, and even how I move through the world. We have a collection in the residency of over 100 art books and countless exhibit catalogues but these are the four I consistently go back to for words or images of inspiration.
1. The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
This book is less about making things and more about being someone who makes. It’s meditative, open-hearted, and surprisingly sacred. I’m an ordained minister, and twice now, I’ve stood in front of two people in love and married them—not with a Bible in hand, but holding this very book. That’s how much reverence I have for it. Rubin’s words remind me that creativity is not a pursuit, it’s a state. A way of listening.
2. The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich
This one is a classic for a reason. Gombrich manages to make art history feel human and alive, not dry or distant. It’s one of the first books that made me feel like I was part of something massive and beautiful—an ongoing visual conversation that started long before me and will continue long after. If you want to understand how art evolved, and why we keep making it, this is a must.
3. Disrupted Realism: Paintings for a Distracted World by John Seed
This book hit home. It explores how contemporary painters are reshaping realism to reflect the fragmented, overstimulated lives we live today. These artists distort, abstract, and interrupt what we think we know—and in doing so, they tell deeper truths. It’s a reminder that painting doesn’t need to be polished to be powerful. Sometimes, a crack in the image lets more light in. Also, a few of our artists are in it and my wife is in the sequel, which just makes me proud and happy.
4. Gerhard Richter: Forty Years of Painting by Robert Storr
This book is personal. I bought it after experiencing what is still, to this day, the most impactful art exhibition of my life. Seeing Richter’s work in person cracked something open in me—his ability to move fluidly between abstraction and photorealism, between chaos and control, felt like a permission slip. Storr’s writing in this book gives context to that evolution, and helps me revisit that feeling every time I open it.
There are many more art books on my shelves, but these four have left the deepest marks. They’ve helped me shape a life around looking closely, feeling deeply, and making meaning with my hands.
Have a favorite art book that changed the way you see the world? I’d love to know. We will be hosting a book themed show next year and I'm excited to see what other artists choose for their inspiration.
—Robert
