--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People don't paint for the hell of it…" description: "\"People don't paint for the hell of it. It's a deeply seated thing - a preoccupation - the whole of one's life.\" — Roger de Grey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/roger-de-grey-83136_artist_people-don-t-paint-for-the-hell-of-it-it_417926.jpg" --- # People don't paint for the hell of it. It's a deeply… ![“People don't paint for the hell of it. It's a deeply seated thing - a preoccupation - the whole of one's life.” quote by Roger de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/roger-de-grey-83136_artist_people-don-t-paint-for-the-hell-of-it-it_417926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/roger-de-grey-83136_artist_people-don-t-paint-for-the-hell-of-it-it_417926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/roger-de-grey-83136_artist_people-don-t-paint-for-the-hell-of-it-it_417926.jpg) > “People don't paint for the hell of it. It's a deeply seated thing - a preoccupation - the whole of one's life.” Roger de Grey ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art is driven by deep, lifelong passion rather than mere hobby. **In simple terms:** Art comes from deep passion. Key Takeaway Cultivate deep commitment to creative work. Themes art passion purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - personal projects - education - therapy Key Concepts motivation identity lifelong pursuit Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your creative drive? - How to balance passion with rest? A Different Perspective Passion can become obsession. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“Death is the only serious preoccupation in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/death-is-the-only-serious-preoccupation-in-life/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, Your health before your sickness, Your wealth before your poverty, Your free-time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prophet-muhammad-pbuh/take-benefit-of-five-before-five-your-youth-before-your-old-age-your/) [Prophet Muhammad (PBUH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prophet-muhammad-pbuh/) > [The rapid, sweeping deterioration of values is characterized by a preoccupation-even an obsession-with the procreative act. Abstinence before marriage and fidelity within it are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/the-rapid-sweeping-deterioration-of-values-is-characterized-by-a/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [I have a very simple mantra and it's this: I want to make black cinema with the power, beauty, and alienation of black music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jafa/i-have-a-very-simple-mantra-and-it-s-this-i-want-to-make-black-cinema/) [Arthur Jafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jafa/) > [To wait for hours to buy a train ticket or to see a doctor is accepted as a normal way of doing things. Privacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-travis/to-wait-for-hours-to-buy-a-train-ticket-or-to-see-a-doctor-is/) [Nancy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-travis/) > [A priest is a man vowed, trained, and consecrated, a man belonging to a special corps, and necessarily with an intense esprit de corps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/a-priest-is-a-man-vowed-trained-and-consecrated-a-man-belonging-to-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [Buddhism resonated very powerfully with a lot of my preoccupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/buddhism-resonated-very-powerfully-with-a-lot-of-my-preoccupations/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [This constant, unproductive preoccupation with all the things we have to do is the single largest consumer of time and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-gleeson/this-constant-unproductive-preoccupation-with-all-the-things-we-have/) Kerry Gleeson > [There's a preoccupation with memory and the operation of memory and a rather rapacious interest in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/there-s-a-preoccupation-with-memory-and-the-operation-of-memory-and-a/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Notions of chance and fate are the preoccupations of men engaged in rash undertakings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/notions-of-chance-and-fate-are-the-preoccupations-of-men-engaged-in/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [If you have an over-preoccupation with perception and trying to please people's expectations, then you can go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/if-you-have-an-over-preoccupation-with-perception-and-trying-to/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Go to the pine if you want to learn about the pine, or to the bamboo if you want to learn about the bamboo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/go-to-the-pine-if-you-want-to-learn-about-the-pine-or-to-the-bamboo/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I'm simply saying that our deepest thoughts, desires and preoccupations manifest themselves in art, whether we intend them to or not. That's what art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/i-m-simply-saying-that-our-deepest-thoughts-desires-and/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) ## More by Roger de Grey > [You have to live in a state of thinking your painting is good, or you couldn't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-de-grey/you-have-to-live-in-a-state-of-thinking-your-painting-is-good-or-you/) Roger de Grey > [It's difficult to paint every day, and people who say they do, probably don't; it's a very demanding thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-de-grey/it-s-difficult-to-paint-every-day-and-people-who-say-they-do-probably/) Roger de Grey Explore all 3 Roger de Grey quotes ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. 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 > [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. 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 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/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People don't paint for the hell of it. 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