--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Part of what Im about is seeing how I can…" description: "\"Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same thing differently instead of different things the same way.\" — Alex Katz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png" --- # Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same… ![“Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same thing differently instead of different things the same way.” quote by Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png) > “Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same thing differently instead of different things the same way.” [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artistic expression can reinterpret a subject in new ways while maintaining its essence, emphasizing perspective over novelty. **In simple terms:** Seeing the same thing differently, not different things the same way. Key Takeaway Explore fresh perspectives on familiar subjects. Themes creativity perception artistic process Mood inspirational contemplative Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - painting workshops - gallery curation - art education Key Concepts visual art interpretation style Questions to Reflect On - What does “same thing differently” mean to you? - How can reinterpretation deepen understanding? A Different Perspective Focusing only on novelty can neglect depth of insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-things/) [Differently Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differently-instead-3190462/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-thing-2884660/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Seeing Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing-paint-448935/) [Thing Differently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-differently-1092642/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [If there is a conflict in your mind between what you know and what you are seeing, paint what you see because if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/if-there-is-a-conflict-in-your-mind-between-what-you-know-and-what/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Love is saying 'I feel differently' instead of 'You're wrong.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-snyder/love-is-saying-i-feel-differently-instead-of-you-re-wrong/) [Brandi Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-snyder/) > [Paint, not the thing but the effect which it produces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/paint-not-the-thing-but-the-effect-which-it-produces/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [No good to paint in the head - what happens is what happens when you put the paint down - you can only hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-guston/no-good-to-paint-in-the-head-what-happens-is-what-happens-when-you/) [Philip Guston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-guston/) > [Do you ever sit down and wonder how things would be today if you would have done one little thing differently back then??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/do-you-ever-sit-down-and-wonder-how-things-would-be-today-if-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“You see, doing one thing differently is very often the same as doing everything differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/you-see-doing-one-thing-differently-is-very-often-the-same-as-doing/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [But if I could go back in time, I wouldn't do a single thing differently. What if all those things I did were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/but-if-i-could-go-back-in-time-i-wouldn-t-do-a-single-thing/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Two people can look at the same thing and see it differently..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/two-people-can-look-at-the-same-thing-and-see-it-differently/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [Clive Barker is just genius, and he's incredibly gifted in so many different ways. He can write and direct and paint and do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/clive-barker-is-just-genius-and-he-s-incredibly-gifted-in-so-many/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [Everybody has anger or regret in them one way or another. They all try different things to get it out. Some people go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/everybody-has-anger-or-regret-in-them-one-way-or-another-they-all-try/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Drama is the most difficult of all arts. In it two things are to be satisfied - first, the ears, and second, the eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/drama-is-the-most-difficult-of-all-arts-in-it-two-things-are-to-be/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [For a young man to start his career with a love affair with an older woman was quite de rigueur ... Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I hold that religion and faith are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-hold-that-religion-and-faith-are-two-different-things/) [Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/) > [I want to do different things all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-belushi/i-want-to-do-different-things-all-the-time/) [John Belushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-belushi/) ## More by Alex Katz > [You have to find what your temperament is like and live around it. I find I work really well off the top of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/you-have-to-find-what-your-temperament-is-like-and-live-around-it-i/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [If you're going to go for 'it' you have a common thing you share with other artists; that's desperation. You jump out a window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/if-you-re-going-to-go-for-it-you-have-a-common-thing-you-share-with/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [You usually want to get something out of a painting other than the ideas that you had in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/you-usually-want-to-get-something-out-of-a-painting-other-than-the/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [I know people can be a little nervous about swimsuits, but have some fun with it. Believe you can hold it down. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/i-know-people-can-be-a-little-nervous-about-swimsuits-but-have-some/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [I like to make an image that is so simple you can't avoid it, and so complicated you can't figure it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/i-like-to-make-an-image-that-is-so-simple-you-can-t-avoid-it-and-so/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [Paint faster than you can think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/paint-faster-than-you-can-think/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [Make a painting you can work on for a long period, and make it look like it doesn't show any effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/make-a-painting-you-can-work-on-for-a-long-period-and-make-it-look/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [I use the iPhone now for information. But with selfies, I don't know what those people are doing. It's like they believe what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/i-use-the-iphone-now-for-information-but-with-selfies-i-don-t-know/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [Sometimes it takes me days or weeks to get something clear in my head on what I want to do. Everything is in steps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/sometimes-it-takes-me-days-or-weeks-to-get-something-clear-in-my-head/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [What makes everything one is the style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/what-makes-everything-one-is-the-style/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [The abstract expressionists had that thing of, subject matter becomes content, content becomes form. And I always thought there was no room for style.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/the-abstract-expressionists-had-that-thing-of-subject-matter-becomes/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [Picasso and Matisse were the guys I wanted to get away from, and cubism is all still lifes. Their paintings are all closed drawings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/picasso-and-matisse-were-the-guys-i-wanted-to-get-away-from-and/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [My mother thought I would have a hard life as a painter. My father thought the highest thing a person could be was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/my-mother-thought-i-would-have-a-hard-life-as-a-painter-my-father/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [You have to be a little scared of what you're doing. Otherwise, you just paint the same masterpiece a little worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/you-have-to-be-a-little-scared-of-what-you-re-doing-otherwise-you/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) > [If you know what you're doing, you're doing dull stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/if-you-know-what-you-re-doing-you-re-doing-dull-stuff/) [Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) [Explore all 23 Alex Katz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same thing differently instead of different things the same way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Katz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-can-paint-the-same-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-can-paint-the-same-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/alex-katz-25578_artist_part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-ca_1326673.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Part of what Im about is seeing how I can paint the same thing differently instead of different things the…” — Alex Katz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Katz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Part of what Im about is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-can-paint-the-same-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/part-of-what-im-about-is-seeing-how-i-can-paint-the-same-thing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```