--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the years I have learned that…" description: "\"Over the years I have learned that creating art has made me happy. I used to be a lawyer and I'm much happier being an artist.\" — Nathan Sawaya" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg" --- # Over the years I have learned that creating art has made… ![“Over the years I have learned that creating art has made me happy. I used to be a lawyer and I'm much happier being an artist.” quote by Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg) > “Over the years I have learned that creating art has made me happy. I used to be a lawyer and I'm much happier being an artist.” [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Switching careers to creative work can bring greater personal fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Art made him happier than law. Key Takeaway Pursue work that sparks joy. Themes career change creativity happiness Mood hopeful inspired Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - career transition - hobby development - mental health improvement Key Concepts self‑actualization identity work satisfaction Questions to Reflect On - What does joy look like in your work? - Can you balance creativity with practicality? A Different Perspective Financial stability may be harder to achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-happy-393372/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Being an artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-an-artist/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Creating art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating-art/) [Happier Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier-artist-3929468/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [I have learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-have-learned/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lawyer Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer-happier-3929469/) [Learned Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-creating-2043966/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [It is better to create than to be learned, creating is the true essence of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barthold-georg-niebuhr/it-is-better-to-create-than-to-be-learned-creating-is-the-true/) [Barthold Georg Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barthold-georg-niebuhr/) > [“One of the most important things I've learned is that creating a vision of what you want to be is the beginning of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-eyre/one-of-the-most-important-things-i-ve-learned-is-that-creating-a/) [Linda Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-eyre/) > [There are lives lived for love, and lives lived for art. We, happy band, have chosen the later persuasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/there-are-lives-lived-for-love-and-lives-lived-for-art-we-happy-band/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“The supreme art is the art of being happy with the simplest things and the greatest artist is the person who performs this art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-supreme-art-is-the-art-of-being-happy-with-the-simplest-things/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Science strives for answers, but art is happy with a good question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-turrell/science-strives-for-answers-but-art-is-happy-with-a-good-question/) [James Turrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-turrell/) > [Doing art that has a happy ending, that doesn't seem really corny, is extremely difficult to pull off convincingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/doing-art-that-has-a-happy-ending-that-doesn-t-seem-really-corny-is/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-art-of-being-happy-lies-in-the-power-of-extracting-happiness-from/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In theatre, the main objective is to make the art happy, not the audience!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-theatre-the-main-objective-is-to-make-the-art-happy-not-the-2/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I would be willing to do almost anything to make Art happy. I care about our friendship. The only thing I won't do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-would-be-willing-to-do-almost-anything-to-make-art-happy-i-care/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [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/) > [It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-art-that-makes-life-makes-interest-makes-importance/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“Creating art is a lonely task, which is why we introverts revel in it,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/creating-art-is-a-lonely-task-which-is-why-we-introverts-revel-in-it/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [...start thinking of yourself as an artist and your life as a work-in-progress. Works-in-progress are never perfect. But changes can be made...Art evolves. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/start-thinking-of-yourself-as-an-artist-and-your-life-as-a-work-in/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [When I'm creating art or music, when something is resonating or a scene is going well, that almost feels religious to me... there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/when-i-m-creating-art-or-music-when-something-is-resonating-or-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## More by Nathan Sawaya > [LEGO is universal. So many people enjoy it, from all different walks of life, all different ages, all different cultures. When I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/lego-is-universal-so-many-people-enjoy-it-from-all-different-walks-of/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [I like using LEGO bricks as a medium because I enjoy seeing people’s reaction to artwork created from something with which they are familiar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/i-like-using-lego-bricks-as-a-medium-because-i-enjoy-seeing-people-s/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [Inspiration is tough to define, it comes from so many different places. I have multiple exhibitions touring the globe, so I do travel quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/inspiration-is-tough-to-define-it-comes-from-so-many-different-places/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [Art makes better humans, art is necessary in understanding the world and art makes people happy. Undeniably, art is not optional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/art-makes-better-humans-art-is-necessary-in-understanding-the-world/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [The fact that you can take LEGO bricks from thirty years ago and they still snap together with the same new LEGO brick that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/the-fact-that-you-can-take-lego-bricks-from-thirty-years-ago-and-they/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [’The Art of the Brick’ exhibition is accessible because it engages the child in all of us while simultaneously illuminating sophisticated and complex concepts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/the-art-of-the-brick-exhibition-is-accessible-because-it-engages-the/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [One of the reasons I love using LEGO bricks is because it makes the art very relatable and accessible; folks can connect with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/one-of-the-reasons-i-love-using-lego-bricks-is-because-it-makes-the/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [I have realised that my worst day as an artist is still better than my best day as a lawyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/i-have-realised-that-my-worst-day-as-an-artist-is-still-better-than/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [I'm trying to inspire as many people as I can. I want the viewer to enjoy the art and I want the whole family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/i-m-trying-to-inspire-as-many-people-as-i-can-i-want-the-viewer-to/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [When people go to museums and see a sculpture made out of marble, they appreciate it but it's very doubtful that they will go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/when-people-go-to-museums-and-see-a-sculpture-made-out-of-marble-they/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) [Explore all 11 Nathan Sawaya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Over the years I have learned that creating art has made me happy. I used to be a lawyer and I'm much happier being an artist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Sawaya" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creating-art-has-made-me-happy-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creating-art-has-made-me-happy-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/nathan-sawaya-38703_art_over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creat_2060639.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Over the years I have learned that creating art has made me happy. I used to be a lawyer and I'm much…” — Nathan Sawaya", "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": "Nathan Sawaya", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Over the years I have learned...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creating-art-has-made-me-happy-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/over-the-years-i-have-learned-that-creating-art-has-made-me-happy-i/#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 } } ] } ```