As artists, we often search for sparks of inspiration—from the colors of a New Mexico sunset to the quiet resilience in someone’s eyes. But one of my favorite and most personal sources of creative fuel (besides music) comes from movies—specifically films about artists.
There’s something powerful about watching the artistic process unfold onscreen. These stories, whether based on real artists or fictionalized ones, offer a glimpse into the emotional highs and lows of creative life. They remind us of our shared struggles: self-doubt, passion, conflict, vision. They connect us across generations and mediums.
While I paint, I often stream biographical or art-centered films—ones I’ve watched so many times, I don’t need to look up from my canvas to know what’s happening. Their dialogue, pacing, and emotional arcs play in the background like a familiar rhythm, keeping me grounded in the creative zone.
Here are some of the films I return to again and again, each offering something different, whether it's visual beauty, emotional depth, or artistic defiance:
Frida – A powerful, visually stunning portrayal of Frida Kahlo’s fierce spirit, pain, and passion.
Modigliani – (one of my favorites) A film that captures the chaos and brilliance of a tortured soul obsessed with love and art.
Surviving Picasso – A complicated look at genius and ego, told through the eyes of the women around Picasso.
Basquiat – Raw, poetic, and full of heart. This film pulls no punches in portraying the rise and fall of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Girl with a Pearl Earring – Quiet and painterly, this film is almost like watching a canvas come to life in light and shadow.
Big Eyes – A haunting reminder of artistic voice and ownership, wrapped in 1960s kitsch and truth.
Exit Through the Gift Shop – Banksy’s wild, layered documentary that questions what art even is anymore.
Great Expectations – While not directly about art, the lush visuals and strong character designs always fuel my creativity.
Slaves of New York – A quirky, cult-classic view of NYC's 1980s art scene and the struggle to be taken seriously as a woman artist.
Goya's Ghosts – A darker, historical exploration of power, censorship, and the artist’s role in times of upheaval.
Heartbreakers (1984) – Not to be confused with more recent films, this one with Peter Coyote and Nick Mancuso is hard to find, but worth the effort. It’s moody, romantic, and captures that raw, existential search for meaning that’s so familiar to many artists.
If you haven’t seen some of these, I recommend watching them once with full attention—let them sink in. Later, they can become companions in your studio, feeding your process without distraction.
There’s a unique comfort in creating while these stories play in the background. It’s like working alongside a lineage of artists who’ve faced the same questions you might be facing now. Why do we keep painting? Who are we painting for? What does it mean to create something real in a world full of noise?
Art, like film, is about storytelling—and when the two collide, the results can be deeply inspiring. Whether you’re sketching in silence or dancing your brush across the canvas, these films remind us that we’re never alone in the creative struggle.
What movies inspire you while you work?
