--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never paint dreams or nightmares. I…" description: "\"I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.\" — Frida Kahlo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-never-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_3148070.jpg" --- # I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality. ![“I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.” quote by Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-never-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_3148070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-never-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_3148070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-never-paint-dreams-or-nightmares-i-pai_3148070.jpg) > “I never 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. She creates works that depict her personal reality rather than imagined dreams or fears. **In simple terms:** She paints her own reality, not dreams. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic self‑expression. Themes Art authenticity reality Mood introspective empowering Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - Therapeutic art - personal storytelling - visual journaling Key Concepts Self‑portraiture personal narrative creative honesty Questions to Reflect On - What does your personal reality look like? - How can you translate inner truth into art? A Different Perspective May limit imaginative exploration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Dreams Nightmares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams-nightmares-551569/) [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/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-don-t-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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“Dare I say I miss him? I do. I miss him. I still see him in my dreams. They are nightmares mostly, but nightmares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/dare-i-say-i-miss-him-i-do-i-miss-him-i-still-see-him-in-my-dreams/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I don't have dreams, I have nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-have-dreams-i-have-nightmares/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One of the critical factors that make people’s dreams become nightmares is that they don’t know there is a cost to be paid!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/one-of-the-critical-factors-that-make-people-s-dreams-become/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## 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 never paint dreams or nightmares. 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