Quotes by Artist | Beyond Motive 24/59

top of page

Quotes by Artist

"The Crows are very handsome and gentlemanly Indians in their personal appearance: and have been always reputed, since the first acquaintance made with them, very civil and friendly."

"The Crows are very handsome and gentlemanly Indians in their personal appearance: and have been always reputed, since the first acquaintance made with them, very civil and friendly."

George Catlin, American Artist

Appearance, Acquaintance, Crows, First

38

"What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest."

"What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest."

Andy Warhol, American Artist

Society, America, Country, Tradition

38

"If you look at the game and everything, it's not quite like looking at an animated film, because that's total character. This, this is really movement, but it's got funny little things if you look for the humor. They're actually getting to the character."

"If you look at the game and everything, it's not quite like looking at an animated film, because that's total character. This, this is really movement, but it's got funny little things if you look for the humor. They're actually getting to the character."

Don Bluth, American Artist

Fun, Funny, Humor, Character, Film

38

"Maybe I don't believe things myself, as well. Truth is such a transient thing."

"Maybe I don't believe things myself, as well. Truth is such a transient thing."

Tracey Emin, English Artist

38

"It's to paint directly on the canvas without any funny business, as it were, and I use almost pure turpentine to start with, adding oil as I go along until the medium becomes pure oil. I use as little oil as I can possibly help, and that's my method."

"It's to paint directly on the canvas without any funny business, as it were, and I use almost pure turpentine to start with, adding oil as I go along until the medium becomes pure oil. I use as little oil as I can possibly help, and that's my method."

Edward Hopper, American Artist

Fun, Funny, Business, Help, Oil

38

"Occasionally I have come across a last patch of snow on top of a mountain in late May or June. There's something very powerful about finding snow in summer."

"Occasionally I have come across a last patch of snow on top of a mountain in late May or June. There's something very powerful about finding snow in summer."

Andy Goldsworthy, British Artist

Appreciation, June, May, Snow, Summer

38

"When I'm painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a get acquainted period that I see what I've been about. I've no fears about making changes for the painting has a life of its own."

"When I'm painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a get acquainted period that I see what I've been about. I've no fears about making changes for the painting has a life of its own."

Jackson Pollock, American Artist

38

"We must not fear daylight just because it almost always illuminates a miserable world."

"We must not fear daylight just because it almost always illuminates a miserable world."

Rene Magritte, Belgian Artist

38

"What the Beatles did was something incredible, it was more than what a band could do. We have to give them respect."

"What the Beatles did was something incredible, it was more than what a band could do. We have to give them respect."

Yoko Ono, American Artist

38

"When I got my first television set, I stopped caring so much about having close relationships."

"When I got my first television set, I stopped caring so much about having close relationships."

Andy Warhol, American Artist

Care, Caring, First, Relationships, Television

38

"There is only one true thing: instantly paint what you see. When you've got it, you've got it. When you haven't, you begin again. All the rest is humbug."

"There is only one true thing: instantly paint what you see. When you've got it, you've got it. When you haven't, you begin again. All the rest is humbug."

Edouard Manet, French Artist

Authenticity, Rest

38

"I've never had an easy relationship with critics. I hold a lot of homicide in my heart. If this was another time, I'd be packing a piece."

"I've never had an easy relationship with critics. I hold a lot of homicide in my heart. If this was another time, I'd be packing a piece."

Jim Dine, American Artist

38

"There have been a number of us working very, very hard to bring myth and fairy tales into public consciousness, through fantasy literature and other media. I hope we're succeeding in some small way."

"There have been a number of us working very, very hard to bring myth and fairy tales into public consciousness, through fantasy literature and other media. I hope we're succeeding in some small way."

Terri Windling, American Artist

Hope, Consciousness, Fantasy, Literature

38

"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music."

"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music."

Joan Miro, Spanish Artist

Music, Colors, Poems, Words

38

"To have all your life's work and to have them along the wall, it's like walking in with no clothes on. It's terrible."

"To have all your life's work and to have them along the wall, it's like walking in with no clothes on. It's terrible."

Andrew Wyeth, American Artist

Life, Work, Clothes, Walking

38

"Artists don't make objects. Artists make mythologies."

"Artists don't make objects. Artists make mythologies."

Anish Kapoor, Indian Artist

38

"Growing up, my ideals were Barbra Streisand, Cher, and my mom."

"Growing up, my ideals were Barbra Streisand, Cher, and my mom."

Kevyn Aucoin, American Artist

Family, Mom, Growingup, Ideals

38

"Flowers grow out of dark moments."

"Flowers grow out of dark moments."

Corita Kent, American Artist

Flowers, Moments

38

"There is hope and a kind of beauty in there somewhere, if you look for it."

"There is hope and a kind of beauty in there somewhere, if you look for it."

H. R. Giger, Swiss Artist

38

"In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope."

"In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope."

Henri Matisse, French Artist

Nature, Beginning, Influence, Walking

38

"We've always lived in dark times. There has always been a range of human experience from the sublime to the brutal, and stories reflect it. It's no less brutal now; each age has its horrors."

"We've always lived in dark times. There has always been a range of human experience from the sublime to the brutal, and stories reflect it. It's no less brutal now; each age has its horrors."

Terri Windling, American Artist

Age, Experience, Now

38

"I am too old for an eyebrow piercing but too young for an eyebrow lift."

"I am too old for an eyebrow piercing but too young for an eyebrow lift."

Max Cannon, American Artist

38

"There is a whole generation of people who are going to see movies or watch TV who don't want to work."

"There is a whole generation of people who are going to see movies or watch TV who don't want to work."

Bill Sienkiewicz, American Artist

Movies, Work, People, Want

37

"Work alone will efface the footsteps of work."

"Work alone will efface the footsteps of work."

James Whistler, American Artist

Work, Footsteps, Will

37

"As far as I'm concerned, I want to remain the mean little man I always was."

"As far as I'm concerned, I want to remain the mean little man I always was."

Jack Levine, American Artist

37

"It's whatever sells; it's the business of it."

"It's whatever sells; it's the business of it."

Don Bluth, American Artist

37

"Sometimes I really want to paint somebody and I don't get a photograph that I want to work from."

"Sometimes I really want to paint somebody and I don't get a photograph that I want to work from."

Chuck Close, American Artist

37

"There's that old adage about how there's only seven plots in the world and Shakespeare's done them all before."

"There's that old adage about how there's only seven plots in the world and Shakespeare's done them all before."

Terri Windling, American Artist

Old, Shakespeare, World

37

"My first show sold within the first 3 minutes, and I came back to the studio and spent the next two and a half years making almost nothing."

"My first show sold within the first 3 minutes, and I came back to the studio and spent the next two and a half years making almost nothing."

Anish Kapoor, Indian Artist

Art, First, Nothing, Years

37

"In America, the only truly popular art form is the movies. Most people consider painting a hobby and literature, schoolwork."

"In America, the only truly popular art form is the movies. Most people consider painting a hobby and literature, schoolwork."

Brad Holland, American Artist

Art, Movies, People, America

37

"Every time you work, you have to do it all over again, to rid yourself of this dross. I suppose for a person who is not an artist or not attempting art, it is not dross, because it is the common exchange of everyday life."

"Every time you work, you have to do it all over again, to rid yourself of this dross. I suppose for a person who is not an artist or not attempting art, it is not dross, because it is the common exchange of everyday life."

Carl Andre, American Artist

Life, Time, Art, Work

37

"Even in China. Children there, next to the Great Wall, who had never seen Mickey Mouse responded. So the studio did have that skill to communicate with images."

"Even in China. Children there, next to the Great Wall, who had never seen Mickey Mouse responded. So the studio did have that skill to communicate with images."

John Hench, American Artist

Family, Children, Mouse, Skill

37

"The 1960s were about releasing ourselves from conventional society and freeing ourselves."

"The 1960s were about releasing ourselves from conventional society and freeing ourselves."

Yoko Ono, American Artist

37

"I don't even know what sound is, much less what it's for. It isn't to make money that's for sure. I've never made any."

"I don't even know what sound is, much less what it's for. It isn't to make money that's for sure. I've never made any."

Don Van Vliet, American Artist

37

"The value and rank of every art is in proportion to the mental labor employed in it, or the mental pleasure in producing it."

"The value and rank of every art is in proportion to the mental labor employed in it, or the mental pleasure in producing it."

Joshua Reynolds, English Artist

Art, Labor, Pleasure, Rank

37

"Modern thought has transferred the spectral character of Death to the notion of time itself. Time has become Death triumphant over all."

"Modern thought has transferred the spectral character of Death to the notion of time itself. Time has become Death triumphant over all."

John Berger, English Artist

Death, Time, Thought, Character

37

"In the United States there has been a kind of a structure in the Modern art world. The New York School was nearly a coherent thing-for a minute."

"In the United States there has been a kind of a structure in the Modern art world. The New York School was nearly a coherent thing-for a minute."

Howard Hodgkin, British Artist

Art, School, States, United

37

"But it has, in addition, an even more precious quality - a consciousness of the human intelligence, the human spirit and that man is a social creature."

"But it has, in addition, an even more precious quality - a consciousness of the human intelligence, the human spirit and that man is a social creature."

Norman McLaren, Scottish Artist

Intelligence, Quality, Consciousness, Man

37

"There's tons of people with talent; it's the system that's all screwed up."

"There's tons of people with talent; it's the system that's all screwed up."

John Kricfalusi, Canadian Artist

37

"Collecting has been my great extravagance. It's a way of being. I collect for the same reason that I eat too much-I'm one of nature's shoppers."

"Collecting has been my great extravagance. It's a way of being. I collect for the same reason that I eat too much-I'm one of nature's shoppers."

Howard Hodgkin, British Artist

Nature, Being, Extravagance, Reason

37

"If your life changes, we can change the world, too."

"If your life changes, we can change the world, too."

Yoko Ono, American Artist

Change, Life, World

37

"The expression of beauty is in direct ratio to the power of conception the artist has acquired."

"The expression of beauty is in direct ratio to the power of conception the artist has acquired."

Gustave Courbet, French Artist

Beauty, Power, Expression

37

"The good moral work of art should have all the qualities that a good amoral work of art should have, such as formal unity, balance, contrast, and a sensitivity to the material out of which it is made."

"The good moral work of art should have all the qualities that a good amoral work of art should have, such as formal unity, balance, contrast, and a sensitivity to the material out of which it is made."

Norman McLaren, Scottish Artist

Art, Work, Balance, Contrast

37

"Since people are going to be living longer and getting older, they'll just have to learn how to be babies longer."

"Since people are going to be living longer and getting older, they'll just have to learn how to be babies longer."

Andy Warhol, American Artist

People, Babies, Living

37

"So there's kind of a simultaneous aspect to pushing the boundaries, and being very safe."

"So there's kind of a simultaneous aspect to pushing the boundaries, and being very safe."

Bill Sienkiewicz, American Artist

37

"I have never had trouble with any actor being able to visualise things. They are amazing. As long as you have your monster head on a long stick, so you can hold it up there and you can wave it around and let them see it and explain it to them, they are just great."

"I have never had trouble with any actor being able to visualise things. They are amazing. As long as you have your monster head on a long stick, so you can hold it up there and you can wave it around and let them see it and explain it to them, they are just great."

Dennis Muren, American Artist

Actor, Being, Trouble

37

"The awareness of our own strength makes us modest."

"The awareness of our own strength makes us modest."

Paul Cezanne, French Artist

Strength, Awareness

37

"Painting will have to deal more fully and less obliquely with life and nature's phenomena before it can again become great."

"Painting will have to deal more fully and less obliquely with life and nature's phenomena before it can again become great."

Edward Hopper, American Artist

Life, Nature, Painting, Will

37

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination."

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination."

Edward Hopper, American Artist

Imagination, Invention

37

"To me, sex is sex and I don't think it is or should be a problem. Maybe my presenting it that way will unscrew up a few heads out there, including my own."

"To me, sex is sex and I don't think it is or should be a problem. Maybe my presenting it that way will unscrew up a few heads out there, including my own."

Jaime Hernandez, American Artist

37

bottom of page