--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I carry themes in my mind for years…" description: "\"I carry themes in my mind for years before I will try to compose them. I've got themes that will last me now 'til I die.\" — R. B. Kitaj" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/r-b-kitaj-69489_dies_i-carry-themes-in-my-mind-for-years-befo_960530.jpg" --- # I carry themes in my mind for years before I will try to… ![“I carry themes in my mind for years before I will try to compose them. I've got themes that will last me now 'til I die.” quote by R. B. Kitaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/r-b-kitaj-69489_dies_i-carry-themes-in-my-mind-for-years-befo_960530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/r-b-kitaj-69489_dies_i-carry-themes-in-my-mind-for-years-befo_960530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/r-b-kitaj-69489_dies_i-carry-themes-in-my-mind-for-years-befo_960530.jpg) > “I carry themes in my mind for years before I will try to compose them. I've got themes that will last me now 'til I die.” R. B. Kitaj ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He carries lifelong themes into his work, creating pieces that span his entire life. **In simple terms:** He uses long‑standing ideas for his art. Key Takeaway Let deep, lasting ideas guide creative output. Themes art legacy thematic continuity Mood reflective inspirational Type artistic philosophy process insight When to use this quote - exhibition planning - artistic reflection - career retrospectives Key Concepts painting conceptual development Questions to Reflect On - What themes define your creative identity? - How do you keep long‑term ideas fresh? A Different Perspective May become repetitive over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Is it good, bad, or neutral to recognize thematic patterns in your own work? When it comes to recurring themes, I'm of the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/is-it-good-bad-or-neutral-to-recognize-thematic-patterns-in-your-own/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/straight-away-the-ideas-flow-in-upon-me-directly-from-god-and-not/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [I've never written a book with an outline or a predetermined theme. It's only in retrospect that themes or subjects become identifiable. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-choi/i-ve-never-written-a-book-with-an-outline-or-a-predetermined-theme-it/) [Susan Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-choi/) > [I don't really do themes. I might accidentally, but themes are an emergent phenomena of the writing of the book, of just trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-don-t-really-do-themes-i-might-accidentally-but-themes-are-an/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [Transformation, liberation and celebration are the themes of all my novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/transformation-liberation-and-celebration-are-the-themes-of-all-my/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [You can access that on many levels and the human spirit and the human mind responds to those themes because they recognise the veracity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/you-can-access-that-on-many-levels-and-the-human-spirit-and-the-human/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [The AIDS epidemic has rolled back a big rotting log and revealed all the squirming life underneath it, since it involves, all at once,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-aids-epidemic-has-rolled-back-a-big-rotting-log-and-revealed-all/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [When I write I'm never really thinking about themes or the universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/when-i-write-i-m-never-really-thinking-about-themes-or-the-universal/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Like Rodgers and Hammerstein, I'm not afraid to deal with themes about the ups and downs of life, yet which are still entertaining, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-weinstein/like-rodgers-and-hammerstein-i-m-not-afraid-to-deal-with-themes-about/) [Harvey Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-weinstein/) > [Different themes inevitably require different methods of expression. This does not imply either evolution or progress; it is a matter of following the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/different-themes-inevitably-require-different-methods-of-expression/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I've firmly come to the conclusion that there are no 'themes' for me anymore. I can't be told who to hate, who to fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/i-ve-firmly-come-to-the-conclusion-that-there-are-no-themes-for-me/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [You don't choose your themes; they choose you. The meaning of your stories will rise out of your deepest longings, often out of longings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-dane-bauer/you-don-t-choose-your-themes-they-choose-you-the-meaning-of-your/) [Marion Dane Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-dane-bauer/) > [What can I but enumerate old themes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/what-can-i-but-enumerate-old-themes/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [When I was 20, Shostakovich was my favorite composer. I still find his Fifth Symphony wonderful, with its outstanding themes and rhythms. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brubeck/when-i-was-20-shostakovich-was-my-favorite-composer-i-still-find-his/) [Dave Brubeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brubeck/) > [You never know when some small thing will lead to a big idea. Travel is very inspirational - but it's in the ordinary that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/you-never-know-when-some-small-thing-will-lead-to-a-big-idea-travel/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) ## More by R. B. Kitaj > [A lot of good and regular art gets made because of who you talk to. No one is immune to human contact and art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-kitaj/a-lot-of-good-and-regular-art-gets-made-because-of-who-you-talk-to-no/) R. B. Kitaj > [My pictures had and have secret lives, and so there were things I did not tell, a lot of stuff I did not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-kitaj/my-pictures-had-and-have-secret-lives-and-so-there-were-things-i-did/) R. B. Kitaj > [Don't listen to the fools who say that pictures of people can be of no consequence, or that painting is dead. There is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-kitaj/don-t-listen-to-the-fools-who-say-that-pictures-of-people-can-be-of/) R. B. Kitaj Explore all 4 R. B. Kitaj quotes ## More Compose quotes > [I follow a simple formula when I compose. I ask myself, 'What would the audience want to hear?' and 'Why would they buy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-follow-a-simple-formula-when-i-compose-i-ask-myself-what-would-the/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [Every song that I compose has to satisfy the music director in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gopi-sundar/every-song-that-i-compose-has-to-satisfy-the-music-director-in-me/) [Gopi Sundar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gopi-sundar/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) Steve Swallow > [Even in front of nature one must compose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-degas/even-in-front-of-nature-one-must-compose/) [Edgar Degas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-degas/) > [One of the challenges is creating characters. I am trying to compose my sentences to express epic events happening to ordinary people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hirata/one-of-the-challenges-is-creating-characters-i-am-trying-to-compose/) [Andrea Hirata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hirata/) > [I know a famous violinist who told me he can't compose because he knows too many pieces. So, when he starts thinking of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-know-a-famous-violinist-who-told-me-he-can-t-compose-because-he/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I got to compose for a full symphony orchestra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-got-to-compose-for-a-full-symphony-orchestra/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [To compose is to remember music that has never been written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schumann/to-compose-is-to-remember-music-that-has-never-been-written/) [Robert Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schumann/) > [If I pick up a fiddle, I don't compose on it, so much as I just play whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-amidon/if-i-pick-up-a-fiddle-i-don-t-compose-on-it-so-much-as-i-just-play/) [Sam Amidon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-amidon/) > [I've been a full-time composer for many years, and I'm still learning all the time. There is always more than one musical "solution" to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keltonic/i-ve-been-a-full-time-composer-for-many-years-and-i-m-still-learning/) [John Keltonic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keltonic/) > [Works of art inspire me to compose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/works-of-art-inspire-me-to-compose/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [I am not just a singer, I am a composer as well. Because I'm balancing both, it takes me longer to compose a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/i-am-not-just-a-singer-i-am-a-composer-as-well-because-i-m-balancing/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [I am talented enough to compose internationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/i-am-talented-enough-to-compose-internationally/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [Only when I experience do I compose - only when I compose do I experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-mahler/only-when-i-experience-do-i-compose-only-when-i-compose-do-i/) [Gustav Mahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-mahler/) > [“we compose our life in stories we tell ourselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-geddes/we-compose-our-life-in-stories-we-tell-ourselves/) [john j geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-geddes/) Browse all 103 Compose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I carry themes in my mind for years before I will try to compose them. 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