---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being an artist is not exactly the most…"
description: "\"Being an artist is not exactly the most universally respected, or secure thing to do with your life. It can be frightening and you can feel that you're..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg"
---

#  Being an artist is not exactly the most universally…

![“Being an artist is not exactly the most universally respected, or secure thing to do with your life. It can be frightening and you can feel that you're taking a lot of risks just with your own life, and your family's security. But the rewards outweigh those things.” quote by Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg)

> “Being an artist is not exactly the most universally respected, or secure thing to do with your life. It can be frightening and you can feel that you're taking a lot of risks just with your own life, and your family's security. But the rewards outweigh those things.”

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pursuing art is risky and often misunderstood, yet its personal fulfillment outweighs insecurity.

**In simple terms:** Art is risky but rewarding.

Key Takeaway

Embrace creative risk for fulfillment.

Themes

risk creativity fulfillment security family

Mood

anxious hopeful

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- career choice
- family planning
- personal projects
- financial budgeting

Key Concepts

self‑actualization value of art risk tolerance

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance artistic passion with family needs?
- What support systems help mitigate risk?

A Different Perspective

Rewards may not be immediate and can strain relationships.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Being an artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-an-artist/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/)

## Related quotes

> [“Sometimes the right thing to do will cost us our greatest sacrifices, but the rewards will always outweigh our losses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-m-bertram/sometimes-the-right-thing-to-do-will-cost-us-our-greatest-sacrifices/)

[Robin M. Bertram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-m-bertram/)

> [ The artist has to be exactly the opposite \[of people singing the song, I've gotta be Me,\] and transcend himself as he makes judgements. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-artist-has-to-be-exactly-the-opposite-of-people-singing-the-song/)

[Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/)

> [The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-role-of-the-artist-is-exactly-the-same-as-the-role-of-the-lover/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Steroids can seem necessary to compete at the highest levels, and the quick rewards can outweigh the long term consequences to the user's health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-berman/steroids-can-seem-necessary-to-compete-at-the-highest-levels-and-the/)

[Howard Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-berman/)

> [You don't suffer, kill yourself and take the risks I take just for money. I love bike racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/you-don-t-suffer-kill-yourself-and-take-the-risks-i-take-just-for/)

[Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/)

> [I don't think about risks much. I just do what I want to do. If you gotta go, you gotta go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-think-about-risks-much-i-just-do-what-i-want-to-do-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Life is full of risks, and often, you have to take them. Just don't be scared of taking one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/life-is-full-of-risks-and-often-you-have-to-take-them-just-don-t-be/)

[Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/)

> [Never stop taking risks. Just keep reaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-eggold/never-stop-taking-risks-just-keep-reaching/)

[Ryan Eggold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-eggold/)

> [Rihanna takes risks, and I love a woman who takes risks. It just goes to show you have your own mind and your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayvadius-cash/rihanna-takes-risks-and-i-love-a-woman-who-takes-risks-it-just-goes/)

[Nayvadius Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayvadius-cash/)

> [Graphic novels let you take risks that just wouldn't fly in the conventional book form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/graphic-novels-let-you-take-risks-that-just-wouldn-t-fly-in-the/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Being an artist is a totally godlike thing to do - and I have a god complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/being-an-artist-is-a-totally-godlike-thing-to-do-and-i-have-a-god/)

[Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/)

> [The unique essence of being an artist is dying. Eveything looks the same. Now there’s a formula. And it works. - But it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usher/the-unique-essence-of-being-an-artist-is-dying-eveything-looks-the/)

[Usher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usher/)

> [I hadn't known anything else, other than being an artist, and I needed to be a person for a while, really get to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-styrke/i-hadn-t-known-anything-else-other-than-being-an-artist-and-i-needed/)

[Tove Styrke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-styrke/)

> [Having people around you that are honest with you, and having a team around you that can actually track and communicate where things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muneshine/having-people-around-you-that-are-honest-with-you-and-having-a-team/)

[Muneshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muneshine/)

> [The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-teacher-is-of-course-an-artist-but-being-an-artist-does-not-mean/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

## More by Joan Osborne

> [Singing is a f\*\*\*ing blast. When it’s really good, it’s as good as the best sex. I get nipple erections all the time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/singing-is-a-f-ing-blast-when-it-s-really-good-it-s-as-good-as-the/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [Music has always felt very real to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/music-has-always-felt-very-real-to-me/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [We've been together so long, I hope it just wasn't the drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/we-ve-been-together-so-long-i-hope-it-just-wasn-t-the-drugs/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I try to bear pain and not panic. I try to remember that it's got an expiration date, even if I don't know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-try-to-bear-pain-and-not-panic-i-try-to-remember-that-it-s-got-an/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [Through music I've discovered other philosophies. Buddhism in particular is one that has always - whenever I've studied it and read about it, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/through-music-i-ve-discovered-other-philosophies-buddhism-in/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I create because it makes me connected to something larger than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-create-because-it-makes-me-connected-to-something-larger-than-myself/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I make myself suffer with a lot of self doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-make-myself-suffer-with-a-lot-of-self-doubt/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [Even if I'm doing a show and there's five people in the audience and the sound system is terrible - I mean, it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/even-if-i-m-doing-a-show-and-there-s-five-people-in-the-audience-and/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [It's not just something that you do intellectually when you do music. You do it with your body, and you do it with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/it-s-not-just-something-that-you-do-intellectually-when-you-do-music/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I feel like I'm getting better as a writer and as a singer and that there is more to discover there, so hopefully other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-feel-like-i-m-getting-better-as-a-writer-and-as-a-singer-and-that/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [This is something I think that blues music, or folk music, and all those particular genres that have a perspective about life deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/this-is-something-i-think-that-blues-music-or-folk-music-and-all/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [It's very reassuring and spiritual to be connected with something larger than yourself and the inside of your own head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/it-s-very-reassuring-and-spiritual-to-be-connected-with-something/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [You are connected to something very much larger than yourself. And that's a beautiful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/you-are-connected-to-something-very-much-larger-than-yourself-and/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I do feel a connection to the divine and to the infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-do-feel-a-connection-to-the-divine-and-to-the-infinite/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

> [I try to stay in gratitude as much as I can. You know, we all get to the point where we're frazzled, or tired,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/i-try-to-stay-in-gratitude-as-much-as-i-can-you-know-we-all-get-to/)

[Joan Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

[Explore all 28 Joan Osborne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/)

## 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. 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": "Being an artist is not exactly the most universally respected, or secure thing to do with your life. It can be frightening and you can feel that you're taking a lot of risks just with your own life, and your family's security. But the rewards outweigh those things.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joan Osborne"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most-universally-respected-or/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most-universally-respected-or/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/joan-osborne-22020_art_being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most_582004.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Being an artist is not exactly the most universally respected, or secure thing to do with your life. It can…” — Joan Osborne",
                "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": "Joan Osborne",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-osborne/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Being an artist is not exactly...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most-universally-respected-or/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-osborne/being-an-artist-is-not-exactly-the-most-universally-respected-or/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
