--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not particularly interested in…" description: "\"I'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm interested in a painting that has that mysterious life to it. Anything that doesn't partake of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/caio-fonseca-22493_canvas_i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-paint_1055245.jpg" --- # I'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm… ![“I'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm interested in a painting that has that mysterious life to it. Anything that doesn't partake of that magic is halfway dead - it returns to its physical elements, it's just paint and canvas.” quote by Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/caio-fonseca-22493_canvas_i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-paint_1055245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/caio-fonseca-22493_canvas_i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-paint_1055245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/caio-fonseca-22493_canvas_i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-paint_1055245.jpg) > “I'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm interested in a painting that has that mysterious life to it. Anything that doesn't partake of that magic is halfway dead - it returns to its physical elements, it's just paint and canvas.” [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values paintings that feel alive and magical, not just material objects. **In simple terms:** He seeks art that feels alive. Key Takeaway Look for works that evoke mystery. Themes art creativity magic Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery visits - art collecting - studio practice - curation Key Concepts aesthetic experience lifelike presence Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make a painting feel alive? - How do you distinguish magic from technique? A Different Perspective Art may be subjective; what feels magical to one may not to another. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [My room is dominated by the huge painting, which is a copy of 'The Violation' by the Belgian surrealist Paul Delvaux. The original was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/my-room-is-dominated-by-the-huge-painting-which-is-a-copy-of-the/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [When I was 12 years old, I went to Natchitoches, La.; it was summer vacation with my family. We visited a plantation, Melrose. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-went-to-natchitoches-la-it-was-summer/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I'm not at all interested in painting the object just as it is in nature. Certainly I'm much more interested in the mood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wyeth/i-m-not-at-all-interested-in-painting-the-object-just-as-it-is-in/) [Andrew Wyeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wyeth/) > [Painting from life was incredibly important for me because it allowed me to train my eyes to see everything that is there. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/painting-from-life-was-incredibly-important-for-me-because-it-allowed/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) > [I am only interested in painting the actual person, in doing a painting of them, not in using them to some ulterior end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-freud/i-am-only-interested-in-painting-the-actual-person-in-doing-a/) [Lucian Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-freud/) > [I have never seen either angels or goddesses, so I am not interested in painting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-courbet/i-have-never-seen-either-angels-or-goddesses-so-i-am-not-interested/) [Gustave Courbet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-courbet/) > [I'm never interested in the painting being a mirror to culture. I think that's really boring. 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It's a pity if a man can only interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/what-can-be-said-about-a-man-who-is-interested-in-nothing-but-his/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [One learns about painting by looking at and imitating other painters. I can't stress enough how important it is, if you are interested at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/one-learns-about-painting-by-looking-at-and-imitating-other-painters/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [What interested me in film was the image-making aspect of it. So, I went to school in cinematography. I was really convinced that image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babette-mangolte/what-interested-me-in-film-was-the-image-making-aspect-of-it-so-i/) [Babette Mangolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babette-mangolte/) > [“That's initially what got me interested in painting, is that I could create any kind of world that I wanted. No bad stuff here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/that-s-initially-what-got-me-interested-in-painting-is-that-i-could/) [Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/) > [Unlike some of my peers, I haven't really hit a writer's block. When I hit a block I just paint, which is an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/unlike-some-of-my-peers-i-haven-t-really-hit-a-writer-s-block-when-i/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Most people think I do street art, so I do everything for nothing. I'm an urchin who paints walls and does work for nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/most-people-think-i-do-street-art-so-i-do-everything-for-nothing-i-m/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) ## More by Caio Fonseca > [I had a visit from an artist friend who basically said, "Your paintings are wonderful. Now stop." It did resonate with me. It hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/i-had-a-visit-from-an-artist-friend-who-basically-said-your-paintings/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [I've been playing piano my whole life but I'd never tried to understand how compositions are made really. Try to imagine if you'd loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/i-ve-been-playing-piano-my-whole-life-but-i-d-never-tried-to/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [It's not until the very last phase that you know how good the works are going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/it-s-not-until-the-very-last-phase-that-you-know-how-good-the-works/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [One of the most important elements of Caio-ness I wanted to keep was that left to right reading, where one form draws you... this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/one-of-the-most-important-elements-of-caio-ness-i-wanted-to-keep-was/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [Most people draw from the mind, not the eye. They draw the idea of a table or a face, not what's in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/most-people-draw-from-the-mind-not-the-eye-they-draw-the-idea-of-a/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [Most days, I practice piano in the mornings and I spend the rest of the day painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/most-days-i-practice-piano-in-the-mornings-and-i-spend-the-rest-of/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [When I have a creative block, I take walks. I like to see what shapes stick out - so many legs rushing by at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/when-i-have-a-creative-block-i-take-walks-i-like-to-see-what-shapes/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [The world of painting has nothing to do with the art world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/the-world-of-painting-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-art-world/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [Painting is something that requires a lot of time - it's not just one good idea out of art school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/painting-is-something-that-requires-a-lot-of-time-it-s-not-just-one/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [Everyone accepts the abstraction of Bach. My work aspires to the same kind of abstraction, which is so engaging that you're distracted from asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/everyone-accepts-the-abstraction-of-bach-my-work-aspires-to-the-same/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [For me becoming a painter was an Everest, in terms of what I thought a painter was. There are many roads to becoming an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/for-me-becoming-a-painter-was-an-everest-in-terms-of-what-i-thought-a/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [My 20s were spent in a room, alone, mixing paints and figuring it all out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/my-20s-were-spent-in-a-room-alone-mixing-paints-and-figuring-it-all/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [If you come every day or every month to my studio, you won't see that much change, but if you come once a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/if-you-come-every-day-or-every-month-to-my-studio-you-won-t-see-that/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [All my siblings became artists. One's a novelist, my brother is a painter, my sister was a costume designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/all-my-siblings-became-artists-one-s-a-novelist-my-brother-is-a/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [I was never exposed to art school. I grew up in an artist's studio. I was exposed a lot of studio time between of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/i-was-never-exposed-to-art-school-i-grew-up-in-an-artist-s-studio-i/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) [Explore all 27 Caio Fonseca quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) ## 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'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm interested in a painting that has that mysterious life to it. 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