--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I…" description: "\"I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it.\" — Jenny Holzer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png" --- # I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it. ![“I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it.” quote by Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png) > “I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it.” [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) ## 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 admits a lack of skill in a desired art form, highlighting the gap between aspiration and ability. **In simple terms:** I wanted to paint abstractly but wasn’t good at it. Key Takeaway Accept limits and explore other strengths. Themes self-awareness humility creativity Mood reflective honest Type personal artistic When to use this quote - career planning - art education - personal growth - skill development Key Concepts artistic ambition skill mismatch Questions to Reflect On - What alternative paths can fulfill your creative drive? - How can you leverage your strengths in other areas? A Different Perspective Talent alone doesn’t guarantee success; practice and mentorship matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Abstract Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract-painter-1141311/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Rotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-rotten-4846336/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Rotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rotten/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-abstract-4846337/) ## Related quotes > [I'm an abstract painter not just for myself, but because I really believe in abstraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brice-marden/i-m-an-abstract-painter-not-just-for-myself-but-because-i-really/) [Brice Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brice-marden/) > [I thought, enough of this, I'm not an abstract painter, what the hell am I going to do? Should I get a job in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-goings/i-thought-enough-of-this-i-m-not-an-abstract-painter-what-the-hell-am/) [Ralph Goings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-goings/) > [I paint like an abstract painter everything is inside nothing is meant to be, I take tattoos off a people I take anything that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-shawn-alexander/i-paint-like-an-abstract-painter-everything-is-inside-nothing-is/) [Jason Shawn Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-shawn-alexander/) > [Whoever thought the immediate alternates with the immediate action is not an abstract painter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-alechinsky/whoever-thought-the-immediate-alternates-with-the-immediate-action-is/) [Pierre Alechinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-alechinsky/) > [I am biased towards the belief that every painter must be grounded in strong and faultless drawing skills, and until one has not experimented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guity-novin/i-am-biased-towards-the-belief-that-every-painter-must-be-grounded-in/) [Guity Novin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guity-novin/) > [Nothing in these abstract economic models actually works in the real world. It doesn't matter how many footnotes they put in, or how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/nothing-in-these-abstract-economic-models-actually-works-in-the-real/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Nature or, that which I see, inspires me, puts me, as with any painter, in an emotional state so that an urge comes about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-mondrian/nature-or-that-which-i-see-inspires-me-puts-me-as-with-any-painter-in/) [Piet Mondrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-mondrian/) > [We speak of concrete and not abstract painting because nothing is more concrete, more real than a line, a color, a surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-van-doesburg/we-speak-of-concrete-and-not-abstract-painting-because-nothing-is/) [Theo van Doesburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-van-doesburg/) > [“They threw rotten fruit at me and told me next time it would be acid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/they-threw-rotten-fruit-at-me-and-told-me-next-time-it-would-be-acid/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [As I write, Johnny Rotten's first moments in "Anarchy in the U.K." - a rolling earthquake of a laugh, a buried shout, then hoary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/as-i-write-johnny-rotten-s-first-moments-in-anarchy-in-the-u-k-a/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [Between the covers of the books that no one had ever read again, in the old parchments damaged by dampness, a livid flower had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/between-the-covers-of-the-books-that-no-one-had-ever-read-again-in/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [“An apple with a rotten core can only last so long,” he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/an-apple-with-a-rotten-core-can-only-last-so-long-he/) [Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/) > [“I've always been after the trappings of great luxury. But all I've got hold of are the trappings of great poverty. I've got hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cook/i-ve-always-been-after-the-trappings-of-great-luxury-but-all-i-ve-got/) [Peter Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cook/) ## More by Jenny Holzer > [How do you resign yourself to something that will never be? You stop wanting just that thing. You go numb. Or you kill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/how-do-you-resign-yourself-to-something-that-will-never-be-you-stop/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“Alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/alienation-produces-eccentrics-or-revolutionary/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“MORE THAN ONCE I'VE AWAKENED WITH TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS. I HAVE HAD TO THINK WHETHER I WAS CRYING OR WHETHER IT IS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/more-than-once-i-ve-awakened-with-tears-running-down-my-cheeks-i-have/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Going with the flow is soothing but risky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/going-with-the-flow-is-soothing-but-risky/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Abuse of power comes as no surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/abuse-of-power-comes-as-no-surprise/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Killing is unavoidable but is nothing to be proud of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/killing-is-unavoidable-but-is-nothing-to-be-proud-of/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“Food won't go down when you know your mother didn't want you, never liked to feed you, always hated you in her rooms. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/food-won-t-go-down-when-you-know-your-mother-didn-t-want-you-never/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [SPIT ALL OVER SOMEONE WITH A MOUTHFUL OF MILK IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITY FAST.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/spit-all-over-someone-with-a-mouthful-of-milk-if-you-want-to-find-out/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Use what is dominant in a culture to change it quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/use-what-is-dominant-in-a-culture-to-change-it-quickly/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [I seldom have my stuff up unless I'm testing it. If I'm worrying about a painting, I put it up and see if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-seldom-have-my-stuff-up-unless-i-m-testing-it-if-i-m-worrying-about/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND IT DOES ME NO GOOD AT ALL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-know-who-you-are-and-it-does-me-no-good-at-all/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [It can be kind of gruesome at times, making things alone. I don't want to be too dramatic, but it's hard. It's necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-can-be-kind-of-gruesome-at-times-making-things-alone-i-don-t-want/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“IT'S NO FUN WATCHING PEOPLE WOUND THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN HOLE UP, NURSE THEMSELVES BACK TO HEALTH, AND REPEAT THE CYCLE. THEY DON'T…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-s-no-fun-watching-people-wound-themselves-so-that-they-can-hole-up/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [I wasn't sure I was an artist, so I thought maybe I just was throwing ideas out for people to consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wasn-t-sure-i-was-an-artist-so-i-thought-maybe-i-just-was-throwing/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) [Explore all 133 Jenny Holzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) [Anthony W. Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-w-ivins/) > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jenny Holzer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i-was-rotten-at-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abstract" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i-was-rotten-at-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-holzer-3328_abstract_i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i_592390.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to be an abstract painter, but I was rotten at it.” — Jenny Holzer", "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": "Jenny Holzer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wanted to be an abstract...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i-was-rotten-at-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wanted-to-be-an-abstract-painter-but-i-was-rotten-at-it/#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 } } ] } ```