Memoir of an Artist: The Reading Room

“Reading Room” 11” x 14” Acrylic on Panel by K.S. Anderson

I grew up with a family of readers, and I remember that each room in the house had at least one bookcase full of books. My family calls this particular room from my childhood home, as depicted in my painting, The Reading Room, the "study"; however, it once was the schoolroom where my mom taught my brothers and me. I remember lessons covering topics like the Greek Myths, the founding of our country, Plato’s Cave, and classic composers within these walls. We made a large timeline that wrapped around the entire wall where the bookshelves now stand. 

Though those times are in the distant past, and even the room itself bears no resemblance of what it used to be, I carry the knowledge, stories, and the memories in who I am. I read many of the books that are on those shelves, and I still love to read. I recently developed a routine of reading each day. Reading is a skill, which I realize that after some time away from reading books, when my eyes had grown used to the constant flashing of the phone screen, I needed to re-adjust and reclaim the amount of patience required to be present through each page. 

I am glad I returned to reading. My desire to encounter truth is infinite and cannot be quenched in this lifetime. Not one book can really satisfy the desires of my human heart, but they can illuminate reality from shadows, truth from illusions, virtues from vices. Not every book is a good book, and what we consume matters. We all have ascribed to a meaning script whether we are attuned to it or not. What we read can influence how we think. Books can sharpen our inner-compass or create a smokescreen that adds confusion if we are not critical of what we consume. Without an inner compass, we are like travelers without a guide, sailors without a captain, powerful beings without direction; we are lost. 

As a teacher overseeing many students, a common factor I see in those who are reluctant to read is a lack of direction. They are curious enough–the new viral TikTok sensations are proof of their curious findings. However, they do not know how to discipline their curiosity towards higher meaning. They find enjoyment in playing video games or catching the recent celeb gossip, but, to them, reading is not captivating. Education has shifted its focus to teach students what things are without a look into why they are, why we are.  Education has stifled the very inspiration required to engage in a story or embark on a journey, back in time. 

Reading is the action of a seeker, but if there is nothing to be “found”, if there is no truth to grasp, if there is no great love to fight for, or lasting beauty to encounter, why would we begin the quest? In “The Reading Room'' there is a reading chair waiting for a visitor. Beside it are books needing to be dusted off. The room that once gave birth to a few seekers now looks for a new passerby.