--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just happen to like ordinary things…" description: "\"I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I don't try to make them extraordinary. I just try to paint them ordinary-ordina ry.\" — Andy ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/andy-warhol-746_artist_i-just-happen-to-like-ordinary-things-wh_140325.jpg" --- # I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them… ![“I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I don't try to make them extraordinary. I just try to paint them ordinary-ordina ry.” quote by Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/andy-warhol-746_artist_i-just-happen-to-like-ordinary-things-wh_140325.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/andy-warhol-746_artist_i-just-happen-to-like-ordinary-things-wh_140325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/andy-warhol-746_artist_i-just-happen-to-like-ordinary-things-wh_140325.jpg) > “I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I don't try to make them extraordinary. I just try to paint them ordinary-ordina ry.” [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist values ordinary subjects, aiming to depict them plainly rather than glorify, emphasizing authenticity over sensationalism. **In simple terms:** Paint ordinary things as they are. Key Takeaway Focus on realism and simplicity. Themes art authenticity everyday life Mood calm thoughtful Type artistic reflective When to use this quote - gallery curation - art education - personal projects - media - public installations Key Concepts visual arts philosophy culture Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity affect audience engagement? - When is ordinary subject matter powerful? A Different Perspective Ordinary focus may be perceived as lacking innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ## Related quotes > [I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I don't try to make them extraordinary. I just try to paint them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-just-happen-to-like-ordinary-things-when-i-paint-them-i-don-t-try-2/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-don-t-paint-things-i-only-paint-the-difference-between-things/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I do house things. I paint. I do portraits. I also paint my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-ford/i-do-house-things-i-paint-i-do-portraits-i-also-paint-my-house/) [Willa Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-ford/) > [When I was a kid, I suppose I got more praise for being able to draw things and paint things than I did for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-kooser/when-i-was-a-kid-i-suppose-i-got-more-praise-for-being-able-to-draw/) [Ted Kooser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-kooser/) > [It's not what you paint. It's how you paint it. You don't have to paint elaborate things. Paint simple things as beautifully as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-van-wyk/it-s-not-what-you-paint-it-s-how-you-paint-it-you-don-t-have-to-paint/) [Helen Van Wyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-van-wyk/) > [One of the hardest things to do is to paint darkness which nonetheless has light in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-of-the-hardest-things-to-do-is-to-paint-darkness-which/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The young artist... will discover out of ordinary things the meaning of ordinariness. He will not try to make them extraordinary. Only their real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-kaprow/the-young-artist-will-discover-out-of-ordinary-things-the-meaning-of/) [Allan Kaprow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-kaprow/) > [The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-call-of-a-christian-is-not-to-do-extraordinary-things-but-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It seemed like an ordinary day, but little did I know that this wasn’t going to be a normal ballet class.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-todd-hammer/it-seemed-like-an-ordinary-day-but-little-did-i-know-that-this-wasn-t/) [Sarah Todd Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-todd-hammer/) > [Well, honestly I feel like an ordinary woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/well-honestly-i-feel-like-an-ordinary-woman/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [I feel like I'm an ordinary person, but I've had extraordinary opportunities in my later life, and I never saw any of it coming.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-smith/i-feel-like-i-m-an-ordinary-person-but-i-ve-had-extraordinary/) [Phyllis Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-smith/) > [Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/never-love-anyone-who-treats-you-like-you-re-ordinary/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I just want to be treated like an ordinary legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/i-just-want-to-be-treated-like-an-ordinary-legend/) [Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/) > [“Never love anybody who treats you like you're ordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/never-love-anybody-who-treats-you-like-you-re-ordinary/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Never love you anybody who treat you like ' ordinary'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/never-love-you-anybody-who-treat-you-like-ordinary/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) ## More by Andy Warhol > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I wonder if it's possible to have a love affair that lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-wonder-if-it-s-possible-to-have-a-love-affair-that-lasts-forever/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Kiss me with your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/kiss-me-with-your-eyes/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I used to cut out paper dolls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-used-to-cut-out-paper-dolls/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Years later, I figured out why he (Ivan Karp) was such a successful art dealer-this may sound strange, but I believe it was because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/years-later-i-figured-out-why-he-ivan-karp-was-such-a-successful-art/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I always thought I'd like my own tombstone to be blank. No epitaph, and no name. Well, actually, I'd like it to say 'figment.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-always-thought-i-d-like-my-own-tombstone-to-be-blank-no-epitaph-and/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [“I think everybody should be nice to everybody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-think-everybody-should-be-nice-to-everybody/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I don't believe people die. They just go uptown. To Bloomingdales. They just take longer to get back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-don-t-believe-people-die-they-just-go-uptown-to-bloomingdales-they/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [So today if you see a person who looks like your teenage fantasy walking down the street, it's probably not your fantasy, but someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/so-today-if-you-see-a-person-who-looks-like-your-teenage-fantasy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I can't give parties. It's so hard. When I want to call somebody up for dinner they think I'm using them or something. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-can-t-give-parties-it-s-so-hard-when-i-want-to-call-somebody-up-for/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Sometimes the little times you don't think are anything while they're happening turn out to be what marks a whole period of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/sometimes-the-little-times-you-don-t-think-are-anything-while-they-re/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I never fall apart, because I never fall together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-never-fall-apart-because-i-never-fall-together/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I believe in low lights and trick mirrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-believe-in-low-lights-and-trick-mirrors/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Human beings are born solitary, but everywhere they are in chains - daisy chains - of interactivity. Social actions are makeshift forms, often courageous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/human-beings-are-born-solitary-but-everywhere-they-are-in-chains/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [So many people seem to prefer my silver-screenings of movie stars to the rest of my work. It must be the subject matter that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/so-many-people-seem-to-prefer-my-silver-screenings-of-movie-stars-to/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) [Explore all 380 Andy Warhol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) ## 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 > [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": "I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I don't try to make them extraordinary. 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