--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Batty as it sounds, subject and style may…" description: "\"Batty as it sounds, subject and style may choose artists, through some unfathomable cosmic means. How else to explain that even artists who enjoy what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_batty-as-it-sounds-subject-and-style-may_2271265.png" --- # Batty as it sounds, subject and style may choose artists… ![“Batty as it sounds, subject and style may choose artists, through some unfathomable cosmic means. How else to explain that even artists who enjoy what they do can be perplexed or even horrified that they're doing it?” quote by Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_batty-as-it-sounds-subject-and-style-may_2271265.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_batty-as-it-sounds-subject-and-style-may_2271265.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_batty-as-it-sounds-subject-and-style-may_2271265.png) > “Batty as it sounds, subject and style may choose artists, through some unfathomable cosmic means. How else to explain that even artists who enjoy what they do can be perplexed or even horrified that they're doing it?” [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists often feel compelled by forces beyond conscious control, leading to both fascination and dread about their work. **In simple terms:** Artists can be both drawn to and shocked by their own creations. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and explore it. Themes creativity identity paradox Mood conflicted reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery openings - personal projects - creative blocks - career decisions Key Concepts existentialism artistic intuition Questions to Reflect On - What drives your artistic choices? - Can discomfort fuel growth? A Different Perspective The feeling may stem from external pressures rather than true inspiration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) ## Related quotes > [Many artists I enjoy have a large body of work, and eventually the message is derived out from the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/many-artists-i-enjoy-have-a-large-body-of-work-and-eventually-the/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [I'm often a little perplexed, when I read a review of a book, by the quotes that are pulled out as evidence of excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kitamura/i-m-often-a-little-perplexed-when-i-read-a-review-of-a-book-by-the/) [Katie Kitamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kitamura/) > [A transition from an author's book to his conversation is too often like an entrance into a large city, after a distant prospect. Remotely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-transition-from-an-author-s-book-to-his-conversation-is-too-often/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [What are your thoughts?' 'My thoughts?' I replied, before I even realized what I was saying. 'My thoughts created my world.' Mac sat up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/what-are-your-thoughts-my-thoughts-i-replied-before-i-even-realized/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [He who has realized the Self in the Heart has transcended the dualities and is never perplexed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/he-who-has-realized-the-self-in-the-heart-has-transcended-the/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [I'm an amateur at music and an amateur at most things. I like the idea of offering some music and some records and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-an-amateur-at-music-and-an-amateur-at-most-things-i-like-the-idea/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [Being a resident of the city and spending most of my time in the city, I've always been perplexed with how people could say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-boyle/being-a-resident-of-the-city-and-spending-most-of-my-time-in-the-city/) Brian Boyle > [Perplexed and troubled at his bad success The Tempter stood, nor had what to reply, Discovered in his fraud, thrown from his hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/perplexed-and-troubled-at-his-bad-success-the-tempter-stood-nor-had/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Finding this, she was much perplexed as to Henchard's motives in opening the matter at all; for in such cases we attribute to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/finding-this-she-was-much-perplexed-as-to-henchard-s-motives-in/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [I must still look perplexed because Gale delivers the next line very slowly. “Katniss…he’s still trying to keep you alive.” To keep me alive?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-must-still-look-perplexed-because-gale-delivers-the-next-line-very/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [It is said that Windham, when he came to the end of a speech, often found himself so perplexed by his own subtlety that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/it-is-said-that-windham-when-he-came-to-the-end-of-a-speech-often/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [Men and women with freed minds may often be mistaken, but they are seldom fooled. They may be influenced, but they cannot be intimidated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/men-and-women-with-freed-minds-may-often-be-mistaken-but-they-are/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [He was so excited by this little bit of intelligence that he might have gone off, perplexed, pondering for a long time. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/he-was-so-excited-by-this-little-bit-of-intelligence-that-he-might/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [The cars of the migrant people crawled out of the side roads onto the great cross-country highway, and they took the migrant way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-cars-of-the-migrant-people-crawled-out-of-the-side-roads-onto-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I'm very excited about my new Spotify account, which gives me access to twenty gazillion songs any time, all the time. The day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-very-excited-about-my-new-spotify-account-which-gives-me-access/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## More by Jerry Saltz > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Kinkade estimated that one of his paintings hung in every twenty homes in America. Yet the art world unanimously ignores or reviles him. Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/kinkade-estimated-that-one-of-his-paintings-hung-in-every-twenty/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [The German ueber-photographer Andreas Gursky was the perfect pre-9/11 artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-german-ueber-photographer-andreas-gursky-was-the-perfect-pre-9-11/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [The debut show, “Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary,” is supposed to be about how artists reuse humble or unusual materials. There’s good work here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-debut-show-second-lives-remixing-the-ordinary-is-supposed-to-be/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [While the space for artists and curators has increased enormously, maybe, just maybe, that's left room for too many people calling themselves artists and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/while-the-space-for-artists-and-curators-has-increased-enormously/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Those who love him love that he sells the most art; they take it as a point of faith that this proves Kinkade is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/those-who-love-him-love-that-he-sells-the-most-art-they-take-it-as-a/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [I love art dealers. In some ways, they're my favorite people in the art world. Really. I love that they put their money where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/i-love-art-dealers-in-some-ways-they-re-my-favorite-people-in-the-art/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [My nominee for Best Picture of the year - maybe the best picture ever, because it's essentially made up of and is an ecstatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/my-nominee-for-best-picture-of-the-year-maybe-the-best-picture-ever/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Many things happened in the sixties, but the period is no more significant, better, or more 'political' than today. It's time to turn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/many-things-happened-in-the-sixties-but-the-period-is-no-more/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [When people in stadiums do the Wave, it's the group-mind collective organism spontaneously organizing itself to express an emotion, pass time, and reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/when-people-in-stadiums-do-the-wave-it-s-the-group-mind-collective/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Few contemporary artists mined the space between the ordinary and the strange better than Orozco did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/few-contemporary-artists-mined-the-space-between-the-ordinary-and-the/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [The giant white cube is now impeding rather than enhancing the rhythms of art. It preprograms a viewer's journey, shifts the emphasis from process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-giant-white-cube-is-now-impeding-rather-than-enhancing-the/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Art schools are partly the villain here. (Never mind that I teach in them.) This generation of artists is the first to have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/art-schools-are-partly-the-villain-here-never-mind-that-i-teach-in/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [There's one Baldessari work I genuinely love and would like to own, maybe because of my Midwestern roots and love of driving alone. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/there-s-one-baldessari-work-i-genuinely-love-and-would-like-to-own/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) [Explore all 213 Jerry Saltz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) ## 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 > [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. 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