--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like painting because it's something I…" description: "\"I like painting because it's something I never come to the end of. Sometimes I paint a picture, then I paint it all out. Sometimes I'm working on fifte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/arshile-gorky-28618_ends_i-like-painting-because-it-s-something-i_1074241.jpg" --- # I like painting because it's something I never come to the… ![“I like painting because it's something I never come to the end of. Sometimes I paint a picture, then I paint it all out. Sometimes I'm working on fifteen or twenty pictures at the same time. I do that because I want to - because I like to change my mind so often. The thing to do is always to keep…” quote by Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/arshile-gorky-28618_ends_i-like-painting-because-it-s-something-i_1074241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/arshile-gorky-28618_ends_i-like-painting-because-it-s-something-i_1074241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/arshile-gorky-28618_ends_i-like-painting-because-it-s-something-i_1074241.jpg) > “I like painting because it's something I never come to the end of. Sometimes I paint a picture, then I paint it all out. Sometimes I'm working on fifteen or twenty pictures at the same time. I do that because I want to - because I like to change my mind so often. The thing to do is always to keep starting to paint, never finishing painting.” [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) ## 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 endless creation over completion, constantly starting new works and abandoning finished ones to keep ideas fresh. **In simple terms:** Art is about continual beginnings, not finishing. Key Takeaway Embrace perpetual experimentation. Themes creativity process impermanence Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studio practice - creative brainstorming - project development - habit of starting new pieces Key Concepts artistic expression flow mindset Questions to Reflect On - How does constant starting affect artistic growth? - Can endless beginnings hinder mastery? A Different Perspective Risk of never delivering a finished product may limit audience impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know what a painting is; who knows what sets off even the desire to paint? 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I say the problem is that the painters' curiosity has come to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guity-novin/some-say-it-appears-that-painting-has-come-to-an-end-i-say-the/) [Guity Novin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guity-novin/) > [I believe that painting should come through the avenues of meditation rather than the canals of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-tobey/i-believe-that-painting-should-come-through-the-avenues-of-meditation/) [Mark Tobey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-tobey/) > [Life is like a painting, you can paint it to look like anything...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-aliyah-edge/life-is-like-a-painting-you-can-paint-it-to-look-like-anything/) Hannah Aliyah Edge > [Sometimes I go to sleep thinking, "I don't like this painting." 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It doesn't look like a painting of something, it looks like the thing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/pop-art-looks-out-into-the-world-it-doesn-t-look-like-a-painting-of/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Cutting is like painting a picture, to show sadness in bright red paint. The art work is so meaningful that it should be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/music-love/cutting-is-like-painting-a-picture-to-show-sadness-in-bright-red/) Music\_love > [“Perception is like painting a scenery - no matter how beautifully you paint, it will still be a painting of the scenery, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/perception-is-like-painting-a-scenery-no-matter-how-beautifully-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Whenever I see a Frans Hals I feel like painting, but when I see a Rembrandt I feel like giving up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-liebermann/whenever-i-see-a-frans-hals-i-feel-like-painting-but-when-i-see-a/) Max Liebermann ## More by Arshile Gorky > [Dreams form the bristles of the artist's brush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/dreams-form-the-bristles-of-the-artist-s-brush/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [If Picasso drips, I drip... For a long while I was with Cezanne, and now I am with Picasso.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/if-picasso-drips-i-drip-for-a-long-while-i-was-with-cezanne-and-now-i/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes... Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/abstraction-allows-man-to-see-with-his-mind-what-he-cannot-physically/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [The stuff of thought is the seed of the artist. Dreams form the bristles of the artist's brush. As the eye functions as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/the-stuff-of-thought-is-the-seed-of-the-artist-dreams-form-the/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [My recollections of Armenia open new visions for me. My art is therefore a growth art where forms, pines, shapes, memories of Armenia germinate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/my-recollections-of-armenia-open-new-visions-for-me-my-art-is/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [Art must always remain earnest... Art must be serious, no sarcasm, comedy. One does not laugh at a loved one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/art-must-always-remain-earnest-art-must-be-serious-no-sarcasm-comedy/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [I seek a form of language which will express my ideas for our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/i-seek-a-form-of-language-which-will-express-my-ideas-for-our-time/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [You know how fussy and particular I am in painting. I am ever removing the paint and repainting the spot until I am completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/you-know-how-fussy-and-particular-i-am-in-painting-i-am-ever-removing/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [When something is finished, that means it's dead, doesn't it? I believe in everlastingness. I never finish a painting - I just stop working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/when-something-is-finished-that-means-it-s-dead-doesn-t-it-i-believe/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [If a painting of mine suits me, it is right. If it does not please me, I care not if all the great masters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/if-a-painting-of-mine-suits-me-it-is-right-if-it-does-not-please-me-i/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [Movement is the translation of life, and if art depicts life, movement should come into art, since we are only aware of living because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/movement-is-the-translation-of-life-and-if-art-depicts-life-movement/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/drawing-is-the-basis-of-art-a-bad-painter-cannot-draw-but-one-who/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [We are part of the world creation, and we ourselves create nothing. Our knowledge allows us to make use of all the forces already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/we-are-part-of-the-world-creation-and-we-ourselves-create-nothing-our/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [I do not paint in front of but from within nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/i-do-not-paint-in-front-of-but-from-within-nature/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/abstraction-allows-man-to-see-with-his-mind-what-he-cannot-see/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) [Explore all 19 Arshile Gorky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) ## 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. 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