--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I…" description: "\"“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”\" — Frida Kahlo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg" --- # I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality. ![“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.” quote by Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg) > ““I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”” [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art reflects personal truth, not imagined fantasies; authenticity over escapism. **In simple terms:** Create art from your own life. Key Takeaway Embrace personal reality in creation. Themes art authenticity self‑expression Mood introspective empowering Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - painting - writing - performance - design - therapy Key Concepts personal narrative creative honesty Questions to Reflect On - What truths are you avoiding? - How does personal authenticity affect your work? A Different Perspective Dreams may inspire but can distract from lived experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Nightmares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmares/) [Nightmares Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmares-paint-1237366/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-dreams-1237364/) [Paint Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-reality-1237365/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-never-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-paint-my-own-reality/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-my-own-reality-the-only-thing-i-know-is-that-i-paint-because/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I paint my own reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-my-own-reality/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Some people would say my paintings show a future world and maybe they do, but I paint from reality. I put several things and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-giger/some-people-would-say-my-paintings-show-a-future-world-and-maybe-they/) [H. R. Giger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-giger/) > [“Why did you paint a couch in the middle of the jungle?" Rousseau: "Because one has a right to paint one's dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/why-did-you-paint-a-couch-in-the-middle-of-the-jungle-rousseau/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [All art is exorcism. I paint dreams and visions too; the dreams and visions of my time. Painting is the effort to produce order;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-dix/all-art-is-exorcism-i-paint-dreams-and-visions-too-the-dreams-and/) [Otto Dix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-dix/) > [Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas on which women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-valentino/women-are-not-in-love-with-me-but-with-the-picture-of-me-on-the-2/) [Rudolph Valentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-valentino/) > [“I paint my dreams on a canvas of life with a smile of hope, An attempt to make my destiny a bit colorful!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mysticald-faiqa/i-paint-my-dreams-on-a-canvas-of-life-with-a-smile-of-hope-an-attempt/) [Mysticald/Faiqa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mysticald-faiqa/) > [The imagination is a palette of bright colors. You can use it to touch up memories — or you can use it to paint dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-imagination-is-a-palette-of-bright-colors-you-can-use-it-to-touch/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Space is a canvas, as large and blank as any ever created, for it is indeed creation itself, and it calls to us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-tumlinson/space-is-a-canvas-as-large-and-blank-as-any-ever-created-for-it-is/) [Rick Tumlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-tumlinson/) > [Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas upon which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-valentino/women-are-not-in-love-with-me-but-with-the-picture-of-me-on-the/) [Rudolph Valentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-valentino/) > [Van Gogh was asked how he created such beautiful paintings. He said I dream my paintings and then I paint my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/van-gogh-was-asked-how-he-created-such-beautiful-paintings-he-said-i/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [I paint flowers so they will not die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-flowers-so-they-will-not-die/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“We were poor, but we were happy. We didn’t have much, but we were painting. (Interview in Washington Mag)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-arreguin/we-were-poor-but-we-were-happy-we-didn-t-have-much-but-we-were/) [Alfredo Arreguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-arreguin/) > [I do Taekwondo and sometimes I paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-foy/i-do-taekwondo-and-sometimes-i-paint/) [Mackenzie Foy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-foy/) ## More by Frida Kahlo > [Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/nothing-is-absolute-everything-changes-everything-moves-everything/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“Que todo termina en un instante Planatera doloroso”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/que-todo-termina-en-un-instante-planatera-doloroso/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/tragedy-is-the-most-ridiculous-thing/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Surrealism is the magical surprise of finding a lion in a wardrobe, where you were 'sure' of finding shirts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/surrealism-is-the-magical-surprise-of-finding-a-lion-in-a-wardrobe/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [To trap one's self-suffering is to risk being devoured from the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/to-trap-one-s-self-suffering-is-to-risk-being-devoured-from-the-inside/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I love you more than my own skin and even though you don’t love me the same way, you love me anyways, don’t you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-love-you-more-than-my-own-skin-and-even-though-you-don-t-love-me/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/nothing-is-worth-more-than-laughter-it-is-strength-to-laugh-and-to/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [People in general are scared to death of the war and all the exhibition have been a failure, because the rich - don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/people-in-general-are-scared-to-death-of-the-war-and-all-the/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-tried-to-drown-my-sorrows-but-the-bastards-learned-how-to-swim-and/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“I have not forgotten you — the nights are long and difficult. You too know that all my eyes see, all touch with myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-have-not-forgotten-you-the-nights-are-long-and-difficult-you-too/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Mankind owns its destiny, and its destiny is the earth. We are destroying it until we have no destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/mankind-owns-its-destiny-and-its-destiny-is-the-earth-we-are/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are a bourbon biscuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/take-a-lover-who-looks-at-you-like-maybe-you-are-a-bourbon-biscuit/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I paint flowers so they will not die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-flowers-so-they-will-not-die/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/feet-what-do-i-need-you-for-when-i-have-wings-to-fly/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I leave you my portrait so that you will have my presence all the days and nights that I am away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-leave-you-my-portrait-so-that-you-will-have-my-presence-all-the/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) [Explore all 83 Frida Kahlo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) ## 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": "“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frida Kahlo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-paint-my-own-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-paint-my-own-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_2519571.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.” — Frida Kahlo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frida Kahlo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I don't paint dreams or nightmares,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-paint-my-own-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-don-t-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-paint-my-own-reality/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```