--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine…" description: "\"To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine label or an old letter or the end of a carton is my way of dealing with those things that do not originate in me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/robert-motherwell-11726_cigarette_to-pick-up-a-cigarette-wrapper-or-wine-l_577634.jpg" --- # To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine label or an old… ![“To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine label or an old letter or the end of a carton is my way of dealing with those things that do not originate in me, in my I.” quote by Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/robert-motherwell-11726_cigarette_to-pick-up-a-cigarette-wrapper-or-wine-l_577634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/robert-motherwell-11726_cigarette_to-pick-up-a-cigarette-wrapper-or-wine-l_577634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/robert-motherwell-11726_cigarette_to-pick-up-a-cigarette-wrapper-or-wine-l_577634.jpg) > “To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine label or an old letter or the end of a carton is my way of dealing with those things that do not originate in me, in my I.” [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. Collecting small objects helps process experiences that feel external to oneself. **In simple terms:** Gathering items processes outside influences. Key Takeaway Use collection as emotional processing. Themes self‑reflection material culture psychology Mood introspective contemplative Type reflective psychological When to use this quote - personal journaling - therapy - creative practice - memory preservation Key Concepts object attachment externalization Questions to Reflect On - How do these objects reflect your inner state? - What alternative methods could you try? A Different Perspective May become a compulsive habit rather than insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Research material can turn up anywhere - in a dusty old letter in an archive, a journal or some old photographs you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/research-material-can-turn-up-anywhere-in-a-dusty-old-letter-in-an/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“Well, take e-mail for example. People don’t write to each other anymore, do they? 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You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack-finding-it/you-re-bruised-and-battered-from-dealing-with-things-you-should-not/) [Cora Carmack Finding It](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack-finding-it/) > [I'm dealing with things as they come along, and I'm talking about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/i-m-dealing-with-things-as-they-come-along-and-i-m-talking-about-it/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) > [Doing what you love means dealing with things you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shore/doing-what-you-love-means-dealing-with-things-you-don-t/) [David Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shore/) > [I do feel I have a hard time dealing with things being OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-do-feel-i-have-a-hard-time-dealing-with-things-being-ok/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [You have to drink when it's hard dealing with things when you're sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/na-hae-ryeong/you-have-to-drink-when-it-s-hard-dealing-with-things-when-you-re-sober/) Na Hae Ryeong ## More by Robert Motherwell > [It is true that every artist has his own religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/it-is-true-that-every-artist-has-his-own-religion/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [The main thing is not to be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/the-main-thing-is-not-to-be-dead/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [I have been continuously aware that in painting, I am always dealing with... a relational structure. 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. My problem now is the opposite; as I get older, I try to make my paintings more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/i-started-with-straight-basic-symbolic-structures-my-problem-now-is/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [An odd contradiction, if the layman were correct in his unconscious assumption that an artist begins with reality and ends with art: the converse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/an-odd-contradiction-if-the-layman-were-correct-in-his-unconscious/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Abstract expressionism was the first American art that was filled with anger as well as beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/abstract-expressionism-was-the-first-american-art-that-was-filled/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [A subject emerges from an interaction between my self, my I, and my medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/a-subject-emerges-from-an-interaction-between-my-self-my-i-and-my/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [A main part of the struggle of art has been to make an art that is direct, simple, humane, unconnected with powers that be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/a-main-part-of-the-struggle-of-art-has-been-to-make-an-art-that-is/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Sometimes images may emerge from some chord in my subconscious, the way a dream might. 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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. But what else can one do if one needs to express one's feeling precisely?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/the-problems-of-inventing-a-new-language-are-staggering-but-what-else/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [For twenty years I read a book a day, from the time I was seven until I was twenty-seven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/for-twenty-years-i-read-a-book-a-day-from-the-time-i-was-seven-until/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) [Explore all 58 Robert Motherwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) ## More Cigarette quotes > [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Books were always important. I have to thank my father, he filled my life with books. He didn't write but he always read. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/books-were-always-important-i-have-to-thank-my-father-he-filled-my/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [We have too many preacherettes preaching too many sermonettes to too many Christianettes smoking cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/we-have-too-many-preacherettes-preaching-too-many-sermonettes-to-too/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. 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You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. 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