--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me that's what art is about - when you…" description: "\"To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.\" — Noah Taylor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg" --- # To me that's what art is about - when you don't really… ![“To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.” quote by Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg) > “To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.” [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art emerges when creators are driven by uncontrollable desires, making the work a spontaneous expression beyond rational control. **In simple terms:** Art is driven by uncontrollable desire. Key Takeaway Embrace the impulse, don’t over‑plan. Themes creativity desire spontaneity authenticity Mood reflective passionate Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Personal projects - improvisational performance - collaborative workshops Key Concepts Flow state intrinsic motivation artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - What desires push you to create? - How do you balance impulse with structure? A Different Perspective Risk of losing direction or coherence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) ## Related quotes > [“As for him who envies or even fears us (and envied and feared great powers must always be), and who on this account wishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/as-for-him-who-envies-or-even-fears-us-and-envied-and-feared-great/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [When I was younger, I thought you had to be in control of your own life. That takes a lot of discipline, hard work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/when-i-was-younger-i-thought-you-had-to-be-in-control-of-your-own/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“What I’m talking about is free will. Do we have it, or does God dictate and script everything we do and say and want?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/what-i-m-talking-about-is-free-will-do-we-have-it-or-does-god-dictate/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“As Greg Boyd states: Why should we assume that God desires to do everything he has the raw power to do? . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/as-greg-boyd-states-why-should-we-assume-that-god-desires-to-do/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“Sometimes what we desire the most can change who we are, and it’s up to us to decide if that’s for better or worse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannika-dark/sometimes-what-we-desire-the-most-can-change-who-we-are-and-it-s-up/) [Dannika Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannika-dark/) > [Through return to simple living comes control of desires. In control of desires stillness is attained. In stillness the world is restored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/through-return-to-simple-living-comes-control-of-desires-in-control/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“One is a careful distinction between things which are in our power and things which are not. Desire and dislike, opinion and affection, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/one-is-a-careful-distinction-between-things-which-are-in-our-power/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The one who has no control over his desires has no control over his mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-one-who-has-no-control-over-his-desires-has-no-control-over-his/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Freedom in Christ allows you to control the desires that once controlled you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/freedom-in-christ-allows-you-to-control-the-desires-that-once/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [Everyone have desires, not everyone can control desires from doing it in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/everyone-have-desires-not-everyone-can-control-desires-from-doing-it/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [Do we have free will, or do the mass media and our culture control us, our desires and actions, from the moment we’re born?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-we-have-free-will-or-do-the-mass-media-and-our-culture-control-us/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“If organisms indeed lack free will, it implies that we can manipulate and even control their desires using drugs, genetic engineering or direct brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/if-organisms-indeed-lack-free-will-it-implies-that-we-can-manipulate/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“For twenty-one years, I have been paralyzed by the fear of what this society will do with me if they ever were to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/for-twenty-one-years-i-have-been-paralyzed-by-the-fear-of-what-this/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [When it comes to power as it functions between humans, it all comes down to desire. If you know what someone wants, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-a-kemp/when-it-comes-to-power-as-it-functions-between-humans-it-all-comes/) [Courtney A. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-a-kemp/) > [When people can't control their desires... we have to pass laws to stop their desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/when-people-can-t-control-their-desires-we-have-to-pass-laws-to-stop/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) ## More by Noah Taylor > [I've always held to the belief, though, that people who do too much acting training always look like they're acting, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/i-ve-always-held-to-the-belief-though-that-people-who-do-too-much/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) > [Italy is definitely where I feel most at home, or alternatively, living in total wilderness, in the bush in Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/italy-is-definitely-where-i-feel-most-at-home-or-alternatively-living/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) > [But, I'm a big Johnny Cash and a big Lou Reed fan and a Fellini fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/but-i-m-a-big-johnny-cash-and-a-big-lou-reed-fan-and-a-fellini-fan/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) > [I think spirituality is a good thing but I dislike any sort of dogmatic organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/i-think-spirituality-is-a-good-thing-but-i-dislike-any-sort-of/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) > [It seems essential to try to find some meaning to life and I guess Jungian philosophy is the one that's helped me understand myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/it-seems-essential-to-try-to-find-some-meaning-to-life-and-i-guess/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) [Explore all 6 Noah Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) ## 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": "To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Taylor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you-don-t-really-have-any-control/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you-don-t-really-have-any-control/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/noah-taylor-57268_art_to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you_572979.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.” — Noah Taylor", "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": "Noah Taylor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To me that's what art is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you-don-t-really-have-any-control/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you-don-t-really-have-any-control/#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 } } ] } ```