--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who are artists professionally are…" description: "\"People who are artists professionally are not artists because they want to be artists; they have to be artists. They're compelled to get that creativit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_art_people-who-are-artists-professionally-ar_2527810.jpg" --- # People who are artists professionally are not artists… ![“People who are artists professionally are not artists because they want to be artists; they have to be artists. They're compelled to get that creativity out and to share that with others.” quote by Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_art_people-who-are-artists-professionally-ar_2527810.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_art_people-who-are-artists-professionally-ar_2527810.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_art_people-who-are-artists-professionally-ar_2527810.jpg) > “People who are artists professionally are not artists because they want to be artists; they have to be artists. They're compelled to get that creativity out and to share that with others.” [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional artists create out of compulsion, not desire; they must express creativity and share it. **In simple terms:** Artists are compelled to create. Key Takeaway Honor your creative drive. Themes creativity profession compulsion sharing Mood passionate determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - studio work - public performances - collaborations - teaching Key Concepts artistic expression career motivation Questions to Reflect On - What drives your creative urge? - How do you balance art and livelihood? A Different Perspective Commercial pressures can stifle authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists Professionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-professionally-1313520/) [Artists Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-want/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-artists-490157/) [Professionally Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professionally-artists-1313519/) [Want Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-artists-409199/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [People who are artists, they want their music, their art, their acting craft to get out. And once it's appreciated, that seems to be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wright/people-who-are-artists-they-want-their-music-their-art-their-acting/) [Michael Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wright/) > [The more freedom artists have to do what they want to do, the more they do what other artists are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-darby-bannard/the-more-freedom-artists-have-to-do-what-they-want-to-do-the-more/) [Walter Darby Bannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-darby-bannard/) > [There are millions of people around the world that want to be artists and want to make stuff to entertain people, but nobody cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/there-are-millions-of-people-around-the-world-that-want-to-be-artists/) [Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/) > [I've been fortunate to work with Alfre Woodard and Jeffrey Wright; people who are artists, have careers, longevity and full lives. That looks good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-beharie/i-ve-been-fortunate-to-work-with-alfre-woodard-and-jeffrey-wright/) [Nicole Beharie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-beharie/) > [I've noticed in my life that as you work on more things with more people, you spend less time hanging out with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-ve-noticed-in-my-life-that-as-you-work-on-more-things-with-more/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [You learned people and artists have, no doubt, all sorts of superior things in your heads; but you're human beings like the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/you-learned-people-and-artists-have-no-doubt-all-sorts-of-superior/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [People become artists out of despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-ludwig-kirchner/people-become-artists-out-of-despair/) [Ernst Ludwig Kirchner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-ludwig-kirchner/) > [There are no teachers, saints, prophets, good people, but the artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/there-are-no-teachers-saints-prophets-good-people-but-the-artists/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [One difference between artists and ordinary people is that artists have big egos. In some cases, it's the only difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-atlas/one-difference-between-artists-and-ordinary-people-is-that-artists/) [Charles Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-atlas/) > [I think that what most artists are trying to do is trying to understand. I think what distinguishes creative people and/or artists from another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/i-think-that-what-most-artists-are-trying-to-do-is-trying-to/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [No work of art ever puts forward views. Views belong to people who are not artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-work-of-art-ever-puts-forward-views-views-belong-to-people-who-are/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I’m always in awe of people who are artists in their fields – people who understand that simply by taking ideas and translating them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-systrom/i-m-always-in-awe-of-people-who-are-artists-in-their-fields-people/) [Kevin Systrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-systrom/) > [These people are artists. These people are musicians. They're taking it out and trying to express it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/these-people-are-artists-these-people-are-musicians-they-re-taking-it/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [I definitely want to work with people who are artists and who are interested in being their best version of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/i-definitely-want-to-work-with-people-who-are-artists-and-who-are/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [The artists who have inspired me the most in my life are the ones who have really had something to say and stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/the-artists-who-have-inspired-me-the-most-in-my-life-are-the-ones-who/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) ## More by Brian Stokes Mitchell > [Stay as connected as you can. Sometimes that means you're going to do a job that may not pay you much but may give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/stay-as-connected-as-you-can-sometimes-that-means-you-re-going-to-do/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Cabaret presents different challenges, as it is all on me. I love having the freedom to say anything you want - do anything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/cabaret-presents-different-challenges-as-it-is-all-on-me-i-love/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love doing theater. It's what I grew up in and is my roots. I get a huge fulfillment from it. But if my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-doing-theater-it-s-what-i-grew-up-in-and-is-my-roots-i-get-a/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > ['Kiss Me, Kate' was my 'Ragtime' Tony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/kiss-me-kate-was-my-ragtime-tony/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I've always felt that my career was in wiser hands than mine. Whatever, in its good time, is supposed to happen will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-ve-always-felt-that-my-career-was-in-wiser-hands-than-mine-whatever/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a-great-career-in-television/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [My favorite music is jazz, actually. It's what I listen to, it's what I was raised on, and it's what I prefer to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/my-favorite-music-is-jazz-actually-it-s-what-i-listen-to-it-s-what-i/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love the theater, and I just don't love television like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-the-theater-and-i-just-don-t-love-television-like-that/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [You need raw talent to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/you-need-raw-talent-to-be-successful/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Oddly enough, I almost never listen to show tunes. But there are some shows I love, like Adam Guettel's 'Floyd Collins.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/oddly-enough-i-almost-never-listen-to-show-tunes-but-there-are-some/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I like being different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-like-being-different-people/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I kind of feel the career chose me. My motto has always been, 'Go where I'm wanted.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-kind-of-feel-the-career-chose-me-my-motto-has-always-been-go-where/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I'm one of the few lucky actors in the world. I've never waited tables. I never pumped gas. I've always earned a living. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-m-one-of-the-few-lucky-actors-in-the-world-i-ve-never-waited-tables/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Through most of my life, music has been like a radio that plays and plays in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/through-most-of-my-life-music-has-been-like-a-radio-that-plays-and/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) [Explore all 100 Brian Stokes Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People who are artists professionally are not artists because they want to be artists; they have to be artists. 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