--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never really been a great artist…" description: "\"I have never really been a great artist. I have been a human being that has loved art, which is not the same thing. But I have loved and believed in ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/josephine-baker-12508_art_i-have-never-really-been-a-great-artist_2912980.jpg" --- # I have never really been a great artist. I have been a… ![“I have never really been a great artist. I have been a human being that has loved art, which is not the same thing. But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.” quote by Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/josephine-baker-12508_art_i-have-never-really-been-a-great-artist_2912980.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/josephine-baker-12508_art_i-have-never-really-been-a-great-artist_2912980.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/josephine-baker-12508_art_i-have-never-really-been-a-great-artist_2912980.jpg) > “I have never really been a great artist. I have been a human being that has loved art, which is not the same thing. But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.” [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She distinguishes being an artist from simply loving art and humanity, emphasizing devotion to universal brotherhood as her true calling. **In simple terms:** Loving art and humanity is her purpose, not artistic skill. Key Takeaway Prioritize love and shared humanity over personal talent. Themes art humanity brotherhood devotion purpose Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - activism - community building - personal fulfillment - philanthropy Key Concepts universal brotherhood selfless dedication Questions to Reflect On - How does love replace skill in influencing others? - Can devotion alone drive societal change? A Different Perspective Her focus on love may overlook the need for artistic skill in certain contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Great art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-art/) [Great artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artist/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ## Related quotes > [An artist is above all a human being, profoundly human to the core. If the artist can't feel everything that humanity feels, if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-rivera/an-artist-is-above-all-a-human-being-profoundly-human-to-the-core-if/) [Diego Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-rivera/) > [Often much of my work is very optimistic, or solution-based. I have always believed that art is a tool for transformation, and something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-reyes/often-much-of-my-work-is-very-optimistic-or-solution-based-i-have/) [Pedro Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-reyes/) > [I grew up in a family that believed that art should be used as an instrument for social change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/i-grew-up-in-a-family-that-believed-that-art-should-be-used-as-an/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [My mother was a very big inspiration. She loved fashion. I loved art in school, and I was very good at drawing. I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-garcia/my-mother-was-a-very-big-inspiration-she-loved-fashion-i-loved-art-in/) [Nina Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-garcia/) > [“If I had loved her... would that be art?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-reilly/if-i-had-loved-her-would-that-be-art/) Sean O'Reilly > [“I have always loved art and am an aspiring painter, and in early years when I was struggling to find a style, a wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/i-have-always-loved-art-and-am-an-aspiring-painter-and-in-early-years/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [I really wasn't about to get a Ph.D. in art history, you know, which you'd absolutely needed. And that was not something I wanted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-really-wasn-t-about-to-get-a-ph-d-in-art-history-you-know-which-you/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [The thing I loved the most about being art director was picking the photographers and working with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benton/the-thing-i-loved-the-most-about-being-art-director-was-picking-the/) [Robert Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benton/) > [As much as I loved the art and discipline of the dance, it didn't love me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/as-much-as-i-loved-the-art-and-discipline-of-the-dance-it-didn-t-love/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [In school, some of my favorite subjects... I mean, art was my favorite subject. I loved art! 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That's what people forget. That's why I try to make them remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-m-a-rapper-and-an-artist-but-i-m-a-human-that-s-what-people-forget/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [People say that artists come and go but let me tell you I am not an artist. I am first a human being and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/people-say-that-artists-come-and-go-but-let-me-tell-you-i-am-not-an/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) ## More by Josephine Baker > [Americans, the eyes of the world are upon you. How can you expect the world to believe in you and respect your preaching of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/americans-the-eyes-of-the-world-are-upon-you-how-can-you-expect-the/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [Oh, you young people act like old men. You have no fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/oh-you-young-people-act-like-old-men-you-have-no-fun/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I think they must mix blood, otherwise the human race is bound to degenerate. Mixing blood is marvelous. It makes strong and intelligent men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-think-they-must-mix-blood-otherwise-the-human-race-is-bound-to/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [Surely the day will come when color means nothing more than the skin tone, when religion is seen uniquely as a way to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/surely-the-day-will-come-when-color-means-nothing-more-than-the-skin/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I have two loves: my country and Paris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-have-two-loves-my-country-and-paris/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I remember when Lindbergh arrived in Paris, I was one of the first persons to know about his landing, because as the French people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-remember-when-lindbergh-arrived-in-paris-i-was-one-of-the-first/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [One day I realized I was living in a country where I was afraid to be black. It was only a country for white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/one-day-i-realized-i-was-living-in-a-country-where-i-was-afraid-to-be/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I wasn't really naked. I simply didn't have any clothes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-wasn-t-really-naked-i-simply-didn-t-have-any-clothes-on/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I believe in prayer. It's the best way we have to draw strength from heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-believe-in-prayer-it-s-the-best-way-we-have-to-draw-strength-from/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [The hate directed against the colored people here in St. Louis has always given me a sad feeling... How can you expect the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/the-hate-directed-against-the-colored-people-here-in-st-louis-has/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [The hate directed against the colored people here in St. Louis has always given me a sad feeling because when I was a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/the-hate-directed-against-the-colored-people-here-in-st-louis-has-2/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I believe in prayer. It's the best...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-believe-in-prayer-it-s-the-best/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [I was learning the importance of names - having them, making them - but at the same time I sensed the dangers. 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The world is behind you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/you-are-on-the-eve-of-a-complete-victory-you-can-t-go-wrong-the-world/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) [Explore all 54 Josephine Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) ## 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. 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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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