--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As far as I was concerned, with the early…" description: "\"As far as I was concerned, with the early paintings, I liked them, I thought they were pretty good, but I didn't think it was the end of the world. I a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/frank-stella-17787_artist_as-far-as-i-was-concerned-with-the-early_2876387.jpg" --- # As far as I was concerned, with the early paintings, I… ![“As far as I was concerned, with the early paintings, I liked them, I thought they were pretty good, but I didn't think it was the end of the world. I also thought of it as a kind of structure, a base to build on. So this proves I can do this and that, and they don't collapse, so then what can I do…” quote by Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/frank-stella-17787_artist_as-far-as-i-was-concerned-with-the-early_2876387.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/frank-stella-17787_artist_as-far-as-i-was-concerned-with-the-early_2876387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/frank-stella-17787_artist_as-far-as-i-was-concerned-with-the-early_2876387.jpg) > “As far as I was concerned, with the early paintings, I liked them, I thought they were pretty good, but I didn't think it was the end of the world. I also thought of it as a kind of structure, a base to build on. So this proves I can do this and that, and they don't collapse, so then what can I do from here? How can I build on it?” [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early works are foundations; they are good but not ultimate, prompting further development and new structures. **In simple terms:** Early art is a base for growth. Key Takeaway Build upon foundations to innovate. Themes art progress foundation innovation creativity Mood reflective inquisitive Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - gallery curation - design projects - creative workshops - academic research Key Concepts modernism artistic evolution structural analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tradition and innovation? - What drives you to expand beyond existing forms? A Different Perspective New work may be judged against past standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Collapse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collapse/) [End of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-world/) [I can do this](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can-do-this/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“I went over to the painting and looked closely. It had changed in my absence, something paintings liked to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-heller/i-went-over-to-the-painting-and-looked-closely-it-had-changed-in-my/) [Peter Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-heller/) > [I used to change things in my early paintings to get the nuance or feeling I wanted, but now I plan everything in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cy-twombly/i-used-to-change-things-in-my-early-paintings-to-get-the-nuance-or/) [Cy Twombly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cy-twombly/) > [My early paintings weren't that good - I was very influenced by Francis Bacon. But there was a kind of intensity there. And however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/my-early-paintings-weren-t-that-good-i-was-very-influenced-by-francis/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [“And that date, too, is far off?' 'Far off; when it comes, think your end in this world is at hand!' 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That's not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-torres/i-always-wanted-to-be-liked-and-i-thought-that-if-you-were-nice-to/) [Eve Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-torres/) > [“She liked you.. You thought she was quietly discussing precalc, when she was clearly talking about having hot sex with you. Which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-liked-you-you-thought-she-was-quietly-discussing-precalc-when-she/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“You’re my reward.” Oh God. I liked that he thought that. Like, a lot. So I agreed, “Okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-re-my-reward-oh-god-i-liked-that-he-thought-that-like-a-lot-so-i/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [I would see people on TV, or I'd see bands I really liked, and I thought, 'I want that.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/i-would-see-people-on-tv-or-i-d-see-bands-i-really-liked-and-i/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) ## More by Frank Stella > [Any artist can't get away from the way the world works, which is that it wants to know what you did, and you're only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/any-artist-can-t-get-away-from-the-way-the-world-works-which-is-that/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [I want to make exalted art. A successful image has pictorial lift. I am looking for whatever is up there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-want-to-make-exalted-art-a-successful-image-has-pictorial-lift-i-am/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [The aim of art is to create space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/the-aim-of-art-is-to-create-space/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [What you see is what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/what-you-see-is-what-you-see/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [I always get into arguments with people who want to retain the old values in painting - the humanistic values that they always find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-always-get-into-arguments-with-people-who-want-to-retain-the-old/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [Abstract paintings must be as real as those created by the 16th century Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/abstract-paintings-must-be-as-real-as-those-created-by-the-16th/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [When I'm painting the picture, I'm really painting a picture. I may have a flat-footed technique, or something like that, but still, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/when-i-m-painting-the-picture-i-m-really-painting-a-picture-i-may/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [All I want anyone to get out of my paintings, and all I ever get out of them, is the fact that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/all-i-want-anyone-to-get-out-of-my-paintings-and-all-i-ever-get-out/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [You see what you know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/you-see-what-you-know/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [The integrity of being an artist for Frank Stella means going into the unknown.A great artist is somebody who's not scared to reinvent themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/the-integrity-of-being-an-artist-for-frank-stella-means-going-into/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [You couldn't forget Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro either. And it had to be, you know, at least as good or better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/you-couldn-t-forget-pablo-picasso-henri-matisse-and-joan-miro-either/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [I never noticed competing with other generations. There's competition within your own generation, but that competition is good. Maybe you're annoyed that somebody's getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-never-noticed-competing-with-other-generations-there-s-competition/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [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/) > [I'm more of a house painter.That's the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-m-more-of-a-house-painter-that-s-the-way-i-work/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [I don't like to say I have given my life to art. I prefer to say art has given me my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-don-t-like-to-say-i-have-given-my-life-to-art-i-prefer-to-say-art/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) [Explore all 36 Frank Stella quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) ## 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": "As far as I was concerned, with the early paintings, I liked them, I thought they were pretty good, but I didn't think it was the end of the world. I also thought of it as a kind of structure, a base to build on. So this proves I can do this and that, and they don't collapse, so then what can I do from here? 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