Chasing 'The Muse': A novel searching for the heart of art

Jessie Burton's new novel spins between the art world of 1960s London and the revolutionary fervor of 1930s Spain. At the center of it is a stunning painting, by an artist whose death is shrouded in mystery.

Burton joined MPR News host Kerri Miller to talk about "The Muse," the drive to create and the allure of art.

Creativity, she said, is always a leap — whether it's writing or painting or another medium: "A lot of it remains elusive, I think, even to the creator, even to the artist. They don't quite know where the impulse comes from or how it's going to work out. They just have to take this blind leap of faith into the darkness and hope that something good comes out of it."

For the full discussion with Jessie Burton on "The Muse," use the audio player above.