--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Artists were always referred to as great…" description: "\"Artists were always referred to as great artists. I thought that's what the profession was. One word: great-artist. There wasn't one moment in my life ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/hedda-sterne-54440_always_artists-were-always-referred-to-as-great_2208599.jpg" --- # Artists were always referred to as great artists. I… ![“Artists were always referred to as great artists. I thought that's what the profession was. One word: great-artist. There wasn't one moment in my life when I thought I wanted to be anything else.” quote by Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/hedda-sterne-54440_always_artists-were-always-referred-to-as-great_2208599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/hedda-sterne-54440_always_artists-were-always-referred-to-as-great_2208599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/hedda-sterne-54440_always_artists-were-always-referred-to-as-great_2208599.jpg) > “Artists were always referred to as great artists. I thought that's what the profession was. One word: great-artist. There wasn't one moment in my life when I thought I wanted to be anything else.” [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the pressure of being labeled a “great artist” and the desire to pursue that identity. **In simple terms:** Pressure of artistic expectations and personal ambition. Key Takeaway Embrace your artistic identity despite labels. Themes art identity ambition self‑perception Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - art school - career decisions - self‑reflection Key Concepts greatness career creative calling Questions to Reflect On - Do labels help or hinder you? - How do you define greatness? A Different Perspective Labels can limit personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Great artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artist/) [Great Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artists/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Referred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referred/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [I think the great artists (..) have always thought with the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-sirk/i-think-the-great-artists-have-always-thought-with-the-heart/) [Douglas Sirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-sirk/) > [At the 'L.A. Times,' I always wanted to write about artists I thought were meaningful. So I interviewed Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hilburn/at-the-l-a-times-i-always-wanted-to-write-about-artists-i-thought/) [Robert Hilburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hilburn/) > [It used to be that artists thought of nature as their environment. Now media is our environment. It has been for the past 50,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/it-used-to-be-that-artists-thought-of-nature-as-their-environment-now/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [I'm guilty of being perceived as having narrow taste. I went after the artists that I thought were important - Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bruce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hilburn/i-m-guilty-of-being-perceived-as-having-narrow-taste-i-went-after-the/) [Robert Hilburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hilburn/) > [I didn't want to just work within Hollywood when I started a production company. I wanted to be able to collaborate with great artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-didn-t-want-to-just-work-within-hollywood-when-i-started-a/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [Austrian public-opinion pollsters recently reported that those held in highest esteem by most of the people interviewed are neither the great artists nor the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/austrian-public-opinion-pollsters-recently-reported-that-those-held/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think we need great artists making great work - women, men, whoever. I think what's great about TV now is there are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-think-we-need-great-artists-making-great-work-women-men-whoever-i/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [All great artists and thinkers are great workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-great-artists-and-thinkers-are-great-workers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great artists are those who impose their personal vision upon humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/the-great-artists-are-those-who-impose-their-personal-vision-upon/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [The bad artists imitate, the great artists steal,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-bad-artists-imitate-the-great-artists-steal/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [I've never been able to understand where great artists come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-ve-never-been-able-to-understand-where-great-artists-come-from/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I really tried to work out hard to emulate the look and feel of the character, and did my best to represent the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cudmore/i-really-tried-to-work-out-hard-to-emulate-the-look-and-feel-of-the/) [Daniel Cudmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cudmore/) > [The lives great artists live and the books they write are two very different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/the-lives-great-artists-live-and-the-books-they-write-are-two-very/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) ## More by Hedda Sterne > [I was not an Abstract Expressionist. Nor was I an Irascible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedda-sterne/i-was-not-an-abstract-expressionist-nor-was-i-an-irascible/) [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) > [My idea being that for the sublime and the beautiful and the interesting, you do not have to look far away. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedda-sterne/my-idea-being-that-for-the-sublime-and-the-beautiful-and-the/) [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) > [For me, cooking is an extension of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedda-sterne/for-me-cooking-is-an-extension-of-love/) [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) > [I have a feeling that in art the need to understand and the need to communicate are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedda-sterne/i-have-a-feeling-that-in-art-the-need-to-understand-and-the-need-to/) [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) > [I knew I wanted to be an artist at age 5 or 6. I always drew. At 8, I was permitted to study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedda-sterne/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-at-age-5-or-6-i-always-drew-at-8-i/) [Hedda Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) [Explore all 6 Hedda Sterne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedda-sterne/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Artists were always referred to as great artists. I thought that's what the profession was. 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