--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know when you take the paint off an…" description: "\"You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you discover that something's been painted underneath it? That's what I feel like - that part of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/carly-simon-9969_canvas_you-know-when-you-take-the-paint-off-an_1219180.jpg" --- # You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you… ![“You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you discover that something's been painted underneath it? That's what I feel like - that part of the old is coming through the new.” quote by Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/carly-simon-9969_canvas_you-know-when-you-take-the-paint-off-an_1219180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/carly-simon-9969_canvas_you-know-when-you-take-the-paint-off-an_1219180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/carly-simon-9969_canvas_you-know-when-you-take-the-paint-off-an_1219180.jpg) > “You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you discover that something's been painted underneath it? That's what I feel like - that part of the old is coming through the new.” [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes uncovering hidden layers of self, like old paint revealing new art beneath. **In simple terms:** Old layers influence new creations. Key Takeaway Embrace past experiences to enrich current work. Themes self‑discovery artistic evolution memory Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative projects - personal reflection Key Concepts layering transformation identity Questions to Reflect On - What hidden layers shape your present? - How can you integrate past and new? A Different Perspective Risk of being stuck in past narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [I often use an old canvas and I particularly enjoy painting over something I've already done, allowing bits to come jumping through accidentally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myfanwy-pavelic/i-often-use-an-old-canvas-and-i-particularly-enjoy-painting-over/) [Myfanwy Pavelic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myfanwy-pavelic/) > [Originality in literature is only a new coat of paint on an old house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/originality-in-literature-is-only-a-new-coat-of-paint-on-an-old-house/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Too often you see someone fall, break a rib, go in to the doctor and discover a tumor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holmes/too-often-you-see-someone-fall-break-a-rib-go-in-to-the-doctor-and/) [Elizabeth Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-holmes/) > [I don't actually have a one wellspring of inspiration. Though I'm most often inspired while reading - both fiction and nonfiction. I subscribe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rollins/i-don-t-actually-have-a-one-wellspring-of-inspiration-though-i-m-most/) [James Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rollins/) > [“The more you concentrate on what you discover that you will be good for you to pursue, the more experienced you will be while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-more-you-concentrate-on-what-you-discover-that-you-will-be-good/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [There is strength inside of you that you have yet to discover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-santiago/there-is-strength-inside-of-you-that-you-have-yet-to-discover/) Cynthia Santiago > [“Through art we discover that we are not alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-weinstein/through-art-we-discover-that-we-are-not-alone/) Arnold Weinstein > [I'm still trying to discover my position on my own artwork and hopefully at this exhibition someone will come and tell me. I'm open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-coxon/i-m-still-trying-to-discover-my-position-on-my-own-artwork-and/) [Graham Coxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-coxon/) > [There are all these interesting rules about asteroid nomenclature. Once you discover it, you have the right to name it, but there's a catch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-nugent/there-are-all-these-interesting-rules-about-asteroid-nomenclature/) [Carrie Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-nugent/) > [“Columbus was not the first person to discover America, but the last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-domingos/columbus-was-not-the-first-person-to-discover-america-but-the-last/) [Pedro Domingos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-domingos/) > [“The vision of life is not a "discovery"; it's a "work" and whatever position you occupy demands work. Your life may not be built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-vision-of-life-is-not-a-discovery-it-s-a-work-and-whatever/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [In my own case, I'm an artist, and I'm really interested in expanding the vocabulary of human action, and basically empowering people through interactivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/in-my-own-case-i-m-an-artist-and-i-m-really-interested-in-expanding/) [Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/) > [We should all miss bookstores. They let you discover things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/we-should-all-miss-bookstores-they-let-you-discover-things/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [Living in England is fascinating: I discover a new world every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/living-in-england-is-fascinating-i-discover-a-new-world-every-day/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) ## More by Carly Simon > [Sometimes, but the year I lived in France I started to write songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/sometimes-but-the-year-i-lived-in-france-i-started-to-write-songs/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [I remember being onstage once when I didn't have fear: I got so scared I didn't have fear that it brought on an anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/i-remember-being-onstage-once-when-i-didn-t-have-fear-i-got-so-scared/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [I'm still more comfortable with standards than with my own songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/i-m-still-more-comfortable-with-standards-than-with-my-own-songs/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [The advancements that women have made are very threatening to men in the job place. There haven't been that many women in politics. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/the-advancements-that-women-have-made-are-very-threatening-to-men-in/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [As a singer I tried on all these hats, these voices, these clothes, and eventually out came me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/as-a-singer-i-tried-on-all-these-hats-these-voices-these-clothes-and/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [We change our opinions of ourselves so often. What the outside world thinks is only a small part of our image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/we-change-our-opinions-of-ourselves-so-often-what-the-outside-world/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [You usually can't tell what's inspiring until you look back on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/you-usually-can-t-tell-what-s-inspiring-until-you-look-back-on-it/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/i-had-some-dreams-they-were-clouds-in-my-coffee/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [I had this terrible stammer, so I couldn't really speak properly until I was 16 or 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/i-had-this-terrible-stammer-so-i-couldn-t-really-speak-properly-until/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [You know, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997 I realized I had spent too long arranging my attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/you-know-when-i-was-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer-in-1997-i-realized-i/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [Do you know how many concerts I've done in my whole life, in more than 35 years of performing? Sixty-four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/do-you-know-how-many-concerts-i-ve-done-in-my-whole-life-in-more-than/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [Sometimes my boyfriend would write the lyrics and I would write the melody, and other times I would start from scratch. Or sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/sometimes-my-boyfriend-would-write-the-lyrics-and-i-would-write-the/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [Life is a dream even in its most painful moments, it's a dream that we can dance to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/life-is-a-dream-even-in-its-most-painful-moments-it-s-a-dream-that-we/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [But when we listened to the radio, it was Bill Haley and the Comets or the Everly Brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/but-when-we-listened-to-the-radio-it-was-bill-haley-and-the-comets-or/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [It's like The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat, about the discovery of penicillin. Out of these strange accidents come huge discoveries. A certain purple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/it-s-like-the-mold-in-dr-florey-s-coat-about-the-discovery-of/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) [Explore all 69 Carly Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) ## 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": "You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you discover that something's been painted underneath it? 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