Artist Quotes · Page 264

The arrogance of the artist is a very profound thing, and it fortifies you.

— James A. Michener

“What distinguishes art from such undertaker's business is that life's closeness to death is its theme, not its addiction.”

— W.G. Sebald

We don't sell technical drawings except when they are incorporated into a drawing or a collage.

— Christo

Art is about communication. Art that lasts through the ages works symbolically. It triggers feelings and experiences that we've all had.

— Gary Holland

I've always been an artist who's about being real and about telling the truth and making music with integrity and talking about…

— Santigold

It's good to be employable, but I hope to show the truth. The paintings seem true because nobody wants me to do…

— Jenny Holzer

It is the treating of the commonplace with the feeling of the sublime that gives to art its true power.

— Jean-Francois Millet

“A great magician is as divine as God and his stage is as majestic as the paradise.”

— Amit Kalantri

But I do nothing that I don't like, such as "inventing" up to the arty or "down" to the corny. I happen…

— Fred Astaire

Videos have to go hand in hand with your music, so that's why, ultimately, they should be created by the artist. And…

— Marilyn Manson

Art is an affirmation of life, a rebuttal of death. And here we blunder into paradox again, for during the creation of…

— Madeleine L'Engle

I love being an illustrator because I get to read really great stories, work with amazing people, travel and see places I…

— Brian Selznick

The artist dreams of works of real breadth; but, limited by his personality and the nature of his medium, limited by inner…

— Eric Maisel

Sometimes just to paint a head you have to give up the whole figure. To paint a leaf, you have to sacrifice…

— Nicole Krauss

If I, as a human being and artist represent anything in the world, it is my Jewish people, and therefore Israel is…

— Evgeny Kissin

The duty of the artist is not to be calculating in any sense, so that he may be free himself of human…

— Karel Appel

He is the greatest artist who has embodied, in the sum of his works, the greatest number of the greatest ideas.

— John Ruskin

Time and memory are true artists; they remould reality nearer to the heart's desire.

— John Dewey

Art is the child of Nature; yes, her darling child, in whom we trace the features of the mother's face, her aspect…

— Beck

If you're a persistent soul artistically, you'll find the truth of your art.

— Ken Jeong

I have improved the way in which I paint. The colours are cleaner and there is more energy in the brush work.

— John Dyer

Paint is a very sensual material. It's lovely to work with and lovely to look at.

— Glenn Ligon

I can't understand why most people believe in medicine and don't believe in art, without questioning either.

— Damien Hirst

I come from more of a sculptural background so I think of the form before anything else.

— Richard McGuire

I want an exhibition one day, so I am doing portraits of rock stars. I paint from pictures in magazines.

— Fearne Cotton

My big thing is that nobody is involved in my artistic creations and not putting their hands and their ideas into that.

— Justin Nozuka

I often see only my mistakes. I always feel I could have done better. Every artist goes through it.

— Fahadh Faasil

As an artist, I've always wanted to participate in the dialogue of art with other artists.

— Jeff Koons

Malcolm X is a person who has inspired - he has been the muse of several generations of black cultural workers, artists,…

— Manning Marable

I'm someone who admires artists like Madonna and David Bowie, who really change their sound drastically between each record.

— Charli XCX

To rebel or revolt against the status quo is in the very nature of an artist.

— Uta Hagen

I believe art is utterly important. It is one of the things that could save us.

— Mary Oliver

A lot of good and regular art gets made because of who you talk to. No one is immune to human contact…

— R. B. Kitaj

Artists tend to get this thing called demo-itis, and I'm extremely guilty of that.

— Ari Lennox

The most irritating experience for an artist is to have his work criticized before it is finished.

— Andrew Wyeth

All art intuitively apprehends coming changes in the collective unconsciousness.

— Carl Jung

“Let us remark, by the way, that the hatred of luxury is not an intelligent hatred. This hatred would involve the hatred…

— Victor Hugo

The artist is not a reporter, but a Great Teacher. It is not his business to depict the world as it is,…

— H. L. Mencken

I don't do commissions and I like the freedom to create what my heart or mind tells me to.

— Richard MacDonald

If Graffiti is art and art is a crime then how come piccaso never done time?

— Melvin Glover