Sometimes artists, seeking inspiration, find it in the very thing that challenges and haunts them most.  WNYC’s Sara Fishko talked with visual artist Frank Stella, about some very productive pain.  Listen above to the next Fishko Files.  

Despite his early struggles with piano lessons and music appreciation classes, Frank Stella found his way back to music, and later named many of his iconic works after favorite musical pieces.  To view some of the pictures, click on the titles below.

• Turkish Mambo : Named for a tune by Lennie Tristano
• Line Up : Also named for a Tristano piece
• Les Indes Galantes: Named for the opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau
• Hyena Stomp: From a title by Jelly Roll Morton
  

This summer eight new Stella works will be on display at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. Stella's K Series is named for Ralph Kirkpatrick, who cataloged the 555 sonatas of the Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti. Stella picked eight of his favorite Scarlatti Sonatas and used their K numbers for his titles. See below for the works and the music. 

Frank Stella, K.54, 2008.

Frank Stella, K.3 (2nd version), 2006.

Frank Stella, K.51, 2008.

Frank Stella, K.454, 2010.

Frank Stella, K.94 (3rd version), 2006.

Frank Stella, K.17 (lattice variation), 2008.

WNYC Production Credits...

Mix Engineer: Wayne Shulmister and Paul Schneider

Assistant Producer: Laura Mayer

Managing Editor, WNYC News: Karen Frillmann