--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If one were to ask a painter what he felt…" description: "\"If one were to ask a painter what he felt about anything, his just response - though he seldom makes it - would be to paint it, and in painting, to fin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/robert-motherwell-11726_artist_if-one-were-to-ask-a-painter-what-he-fel_2831135.png" --- # If one were to ask a painter what he felt about anything… ![“If one were to ask a painter what he felt about anything, his just response - though he seldom makes it - would be to paint it, and in painting, to find out...” quote by Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/robert-motherwell-11726_artist_if-one-were-to-ask-a-painter-what-he-fel_2831135.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/robert-motherwell-11726_artist_if-one-were-to-ask-a-painter-what-he-fel_2831135.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/robert-motherwell-11726_artist_if-one-were-to-ask-a-painter-what-he-fel_2831135.png) > “If one were to ask a painter what he felt about anything, his just response - though he seldom makes it - would be to paint it, and in painting, to find out...” [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An artist expresses understanding through creating, using painting as a way to explore and reveal feelings about any subject. **In simple terms:** Artists discover meaning by painting. Key Takeaway Use art to explore emotions. Themes creativity expression exploration Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - studio practice - art therapy Key Concepts existentialism artistic process Questions to Reflect On - How does creating visual art change your perception of a topic? - What emotions surface when you paint something you cannot name? A Different Perspective Painting may not capture all nuances of feeling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Ask Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-painter-3658673/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-felt-1336108/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Response Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response-seldom-3658674/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [If anyone ever asks who I be, tell 'em a painter with a felt pen who drew Ali.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-electronica/if-anyone-ever-asks-who-i-be-tell-em-a-painter-with-a-felt-pen-who/) [Jay Electronica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-electronica/) > [Who's going to ask a painter to see a diploma? 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Which in turn makes permission 'to be abstract'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/i-have-been-continuously-aware-that-in-painting-i-am-always-dealing/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [I started with straight, basic, symbolic structures. 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Even in those paintings where an image unconsciously develops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/sometimes-images-may-emerge-from-some-chord-in-my-subconscious-the/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [The public's appetite for famous people is a mouth as big as a mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/the-public-s-appetite-for-famous-people-is-a-mouth-as-big-as-a/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Every picture one paints involves not painting others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/every-picture-one-paints-involves-not-painting-others/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Art is an experience, not an object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/art-is-an-experience-not-an-object/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it. Robert Motherwell Every man becomes, to a certain degree, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/art-is-much-less-important-than-life-but-what-a-poor-life-without-it/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [The problems of inventing a new language are staggering. 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Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. 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