--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While I can hire out the portrait, I…" description: "\"While I can hire out the portrait, I don't, because it's just - that's where I shine. You know, that's my blood sport.\" — Kehinde Wiley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/kehinde-wiley-1194_blood_while-i-can-hire-out-the-portrait-i-don_2903492.jpg" --- # While I can hire out the portrait, I don't, because it's… ![“While I can hire out the portrait, I don't, because it's just - that's where I shine. You know, that's my blood sport.” quote by Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/kehinde-wiley-1194_blood_while-i-can-hire-out-the-portrait-i-don_2903492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/kehinde-wiley-1194_blood_while-i-can-hire-out-the-portrait-i-don_2903492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/kehinde-wiley-1194_blood_while-i-can-hire-out-the-portrait-i-don_2903492.jpg) > “While I can hire out the portrait, I don't, because it's just - that's where I shine. You know, that's my blood sport.” [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist refuses commercial portrait work, preferring personal, intense artistic expression. **In simple terms:** I don’t hire out portraits; I create my own intense art. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic creative expression. Themes art authenticity personal vision Mood passionate defiant Type artistic personal When to use this quote - gallery shows - personal projects - commission negotiations Key Concepts commercialism self‑expression identity Questions to Reflect On - Why choose art over profit? - What does “blood sport” mean to you? A Different Perspective Financial stability may suffer without commissions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [“Why just shine when you can Sparkle?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-belle/why-just-shine-when-you-can-sparkle/) Ayn Belle > [Never Dim Anyone Else's Light So That You Can Shine. Just Shine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-sharma/never-dim-anyone-else-s-light-so-that-you-can-shine-just-shine/) [Sushan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-sharma/) > [We don't just shine, we illuminate the whole show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-soul/we-don-t-just-shine-we-illuminate-the-whole-show/) [Ab-Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-soul/) > [Everyone is a star(: There's enough of the sky for all of us.Just shine bright^.^](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/everyone-is-a-star-there-s-enough-of-the-sky-for-all-of-us-just-shine/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [Imitate the sun. Don't worry if people understand you. Just shine shine shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lee/imitate-the-sun-don-t-worry-if-people-understand-you-just-shine-shine/) [Ben Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lee/) > [People just see the shine. They don't see the grind, the bags under my eyes. It was a lot of grinding, setbacks... I ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodak-black/people-just-see-the-shine-they-don-t-see-the-grind-the-bags-under-my/) [Kodak Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodak-black/) > [Wake up today and shine like never before, remember no one is perfect,so don't let mean people defeat you,just shine like a diamond you're.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noxolo-zulu/wake-up-today-and-shine-like-never-before-remember-no-one-is-perfect/) [Noxolo Zulu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noxolo-zulu/) > [“Women can be kind of a blood sport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/women-can-be-kind-of-a-blood-sport/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [The reality of producing the Oscars is that it's a blood sport. With social media, everyone has a chance to voice their opinions. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-zadan/the-reality-of-producing-the-oscars-is-that-it-s-a-blood-sport-with/) [Craig Zadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-zadan/) > [Politics is a blood sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/politics-is-a-blood-sport/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [Blood sport is brought to its ultimate refinement in the gossip columns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ingham/blood-sport-is-brought-to-its-ultimate-refinement-in-the-gossip/) [Bernard Ingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ingham/) > [Public shaming is a blood sport that has to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-lewinsky/public-shaming-is-a-blood-sport-that-has-to-stop/) [Monica Lewinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-lewinsky/) > [Beating up on public schools is not just our nation's favorite blood sport, but also a favorite conversational entertainment of the well-off - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-tsing-loh/beating-up-on-public-schools-is-not-just-our-nation-s-favorite-blood/) [Sandra Tsing Loh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-tsing-loh/) > [“Writing a book is a blood sport. If it doesn't hurt when you're done, you're probably doing something wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevis-hendrickson/writing-a-book-is-a-blood-sport-if-it-doesn-t-hurt-when-you-re-done/) [Kevis Hendrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevis-hendrickson/) > [“You can't fight a dirty person with clean hands and expect to win. Sometimes the playing field is muddy and you got to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-wrice-sr/you-can-t-fight-a-dirty-person-with-clean-hands-and-expect-to-win/) J. Wrice Sr ## More by Kehinde Wiley > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The erotic and the art historical imagination is something that gets very little play when people talk about my work, and when they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-erotic-and-the-art-historical-imagination-is-something-that-gets/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [At its best, what art does is, it points to who we as human beings and what we as human beings value. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/at-its-best-what-art-does-is-it-points-to-who-we-as-human-beings-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My style is in the 21st century. If you look at the process, it goes from photography through Photoshop, where certain features are heightened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-style-is-in-the-21st-century-if-you-look-at-the-process-it-goes/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think the world that I grew up in was like being in this sort of magical artistic garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-the-world-that-i-grew-up-in-was-like-being-in-this-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It was something that came sort of matter-of-factually. Because there - it's like really - real honest engagement with the people around me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/it-was-something-that-came-sort-of-matter-of-factually-because-there/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [We're wired to be empathetic and to care about the needs of others, but also to be curious about others. And I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/we-re-wired-to-be-empathetic-and-to-care-about-the-needs-of-others/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Painting is situational. And my particular situation exists within gender, race, class, sexuality, nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/painting-is-situational-and-my-particular-situation-exists-within/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think, something that you might be able to locate in the work that I'm creating today: the ability to look at a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-something-that-you-might-be-able-to-locate-in-the-work-that-i/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I remember the first time I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and saw a Kerry James Marshall painting with black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-remember-the-first-time-i-went-to-the-los-angeles-county-museum-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I believe that artists should be part of the culture. I think that my work clearly bears that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-believe-that-artists-should-be-part-of-the-culture-i-think-that-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-guess-art-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Just physically, if you looked at the house that I grew up in, my mother created this greenhouse. And surrounded the entire property. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/just-physically-if-you-looked-at-the-house-that-i-grew-up-in-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Explore all 275 Kehinde Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## More Blood quotes > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [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/) > [Don't trust everyone, because one day you will shed tears of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/don-t-trust-everyone-because-one-day-you-will-shed-tears-of-blood/) [SunShine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...I wore his blood for clothing, on my legs and thighs and hands: a dry, stiff, brown garment with no warmth in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-wore-his-blood-for-clothing-on-my-legs-and-thighs-and-hands-a-dry/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) Browse all 6,234 Blood quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While I can hire out the portrait, I don't, because it's just - that's where I shine. 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