Art Quote by Sheila Heti
![“Sholem [a painter] was saying that freedom, for him, is having the technical facility to be able to execute whatever he wants, just whatever image he has in his mind. But that's not freedom! That's control, or power. Whereas I think Margaux understands freedom to be the freedom to take risks, the…” quote by Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9b5/sheila-heti-2776_art_sholem-a-painter-was-saying-that-freedom_1434124.jpg)
““Sholem [a painter] was saying that freedom, for him, is having the technical facility to be able to execute whatever he wants, just whatever image he has in his mind. But that's not freedom! That's control, or power. Whereas I think Margaux understands freedom to be the freedom to take risks, the freedom to do something bad or appear foolish. To not recognize that difference is a pretty big thing. [...] "It's like with improv," Misha said. "True improv is about surprising yourself--but most people won't improvise truthfully. They're afraid. What they do is pull from their bag of tricks. They take what they already know how to do and apply it to the present situation. But that's cheating! And cheating's bad for an artist. It's bad in life--but it's really bad in art." -p.20-1, How Should A Person Be””
About This Quote
Source Book: How Should A Person Be, p.20‑1
The passage contrasts technical mastery with artistic freedom, arguing true freedom involves risk‑taking and improvisation, not just skillful execution.
In simple terms: Freedom is about risk and improvisation, not just skill.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty to create authentically.
Themes
art
creativity
freedom
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- painting
- performance art
- writing
- teaching
Key Concepts
risk taking
improvisation
authenticity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance skill and risk?
- What does true artistic freedom mean to you?
A Different Perspective
Risk can lead to failure and criticism.
