--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do express our emotions, our reactions…" description: "\"We do express our emotions, our reactions to events, breakups and infatuations, but the way we do that - the art of it - is in putting them into prescr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/david-byrne-1206_art_we-do-express-our-emotions-our-reactions_2581815.jpg" --- # We do express our emotions, our reactions to events… ![“We do express our emotions, our reactions to events, breakups and infatuations, but the way we do that - the art of it - is in putting them into prescribed forms or squeezing them into new forms that perfectly fit some emerging context. That’s part of the creative process, and we do it…” quote by David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/david-byrne-1206_art_we-do-express-our-emotions-our-reactions_2581815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/david-byrne-1206_art_we-do-express-our-emotions-our-reactions_2581815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/david-byrne-1206_art_we-do-express-our-emotions-our-reactions_2581815.jpg) > “We do express our emotions, our reactions to events, breakups and infatuations, but the way we do that - the art of it - is in putting them into prescribed forms or squeezing them into new forms that perfectly fit some emerging context. That’s part of the creative process, and we do it instinctively; we internalize it, like birds do. And it’s a joy to sing, like the birds do.” [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative expression transforms raw emotion into structured forms, allowing us to communicate and reshape experiences. **In simple terms:** Turning feelings into art helps us understand them. Key Takeaway Embrace the process of shaping emotions. Themes creativity emotion expression Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - songwriting - visual art - writing therapy - design thinking Key Concepts Artistic transmutation psychological processing Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance structure and spontaneity? - What form best captures your current emotions? A Different Perspective Structured forms may constrain spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Breakup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Infatuation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infatuation/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) ## Related quotes > [We are like the birds. We adapt. We sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/we-are-like-the-birds-we-adapt-we-sing/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Love can only give you the reason to express your emotions, while hate gives you the courage to stand firm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandi-tanko/love-can-only-give-you-the-reason-to-express-your-emotions-while-hate/) [Vandi Tanko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandi-tanko/) > [Sometimes it's hard for me to express my emotions on a conscious level, to directly say my emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selah-louise-marley/sometimes-it-s-hard-for-me-to-express-my-emotions-on-a-conscious/) [Selah Louise Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selah-louise-marley/) > [“respond rather than react to situations, people or environment. Let go of limiting emotions such as fear, frustration and anger and start to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-williams/respond-rather-than-react-to-situations-people-or-environment-let-go/) [Avis Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avis-williams/) > [“Poets and poetry help us express our emotions and experiences, making us feel less alone in our struggles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wajid-shaikh/poets-and-poetry-help-us-express-our-emotions-and-experiences-making/) [Wajid Shaikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wajid-shaikh/) > [“Most journals are repositories of great swatches of abstraction and generalization and self-analysis and interpretation and all that bad stuff. Don’t do that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-olen-butler/most-journals-are-repositories-of-great-swatches-of-abstraction-and/) [Robert Olen Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-olen-butler/) > [To express the emotions of life is to live. To express the life of emotions is to make art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-heap/to-express-the-emotions-of-life-is-to-live-to-express-the-life-of/) Jane Heap > [Sometimes I want to express to you those emotions that words can't do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-want-to-express-to-you-those-emotions-that-words-can-t-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Express your emotions in a multidimensional manner. Don’t just speak; act! Don’t just say; show!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/express-your-emotions-in-a-multidimensional-manner-don-t-just-speak/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [ We may express them \[emotions\] physically slightly differently, and it's of course graded depending on the circumstance, but the essence of the process is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/we-may-express-them-emotions-physically-slightly-differently-and-it-s/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [“Its beautiful when we express our emotions with words, and art. Rather than allowing our ego to destroy it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-koukol/its-beautiful-when-we-express-our-emotions-with-words-and-art-rather/) [Zachary Koukol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-koukol/) > [I love music because of the emotions behind it. music allows people to connect with one another. listening to people express their emotions with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa/i-love-music-because-of-the-emotions-behind-it-music-allows-people-to/) [Alyssa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa/) > [Sometimes I get a little confused because with dancing I can express my emotions with my body. With acting you have to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-stoner/sometimes-i-get-a-little-confused-because-with-dancing-i-can-express/) [Alyson Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-stoner/) > [Smart women express their emotions in actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/smart-women-express-their-emotions-in-actions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Color was not given to us in order that we should imitate Nature. It was given to us so that we can express our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/color-was-not-given-to-us-in-order-that-we-should-imitate-nature-it/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) ## More by David Byrne > [The voting booth joint is a great leveler; the whole neighborhood - rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky - they all turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/the-voting-booth-joint-is-a-great-leveler-the-whole-neighborhood-rich/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacity-for-denial-i-think-they-do/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I remember talking with Arcade Fire after their first record, when they were getting all kinds of offers from major labels, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-remember-talking-with-arcade-fire-after-their-first-record-when/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ride-my-bike-almost-every-day-here-in-new-york-it-s-getting-safer/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I've been asking myself: 'Why put together these things - CDs, albums?' 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Why? Am I not an attraction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-wave-to-the-double-decker-buses-from-my-bike-but-the-passengers/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Technology has altered the way music sounds, how it’s composed and how we experience it. It has also flooded the world with music. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/technology-has-altered-the-way-music-sounds-how-it-s-composed-and-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A lot of that worked itself out in the recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/a-lot-of-that-worked-itself-out-in-the-recording/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I came to New York to be a fine artist - that was my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-came-to-new-york-to-be-a-fine-artist-that-was-my-ambition/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Sometimes the European and North American public like some things to be exotic and kept at arm's length. They don't want sometimes to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/sometimes-the-european-and-north-american-public-like-some-things-to/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Why not invest in the future of music, instead of building fortresses to preserve its past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/why-not-invest-in-the-future-of-music-instead-of-building-fortresses/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) [Explore all 274 David Byrne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) ## 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 > [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. 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