--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People expect artists to be too normal, I…" description: "\"People expect artists to be too normal, I think. I've been around enough of them now to see that they're very extraordinary human beings who behave dif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_art_people-expect-artists-to-be-too-normal-i_283717.jpg" --- # People expect artists to be too normal, I think. I've been… ![“People expect artists to be too normal, I think. I've been around enough of them now to see that they're very extraordinary human beings who behave differently than ordinary human beings. If they weren't as sensitive as they are, they wouldn't be great artists. They are not the same as us. People…” quote by Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_art_people-expect-artists-to-be-too-normal-i_283717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_art_people-expect-artists-to-be-too-normal-i_283717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/thelma-schoonmaker-8192_art_people-expect-artists-to-be-too-normal-i_283717.jpg) > “People expect artists to be too normal, I think. I've been around enough of them now to see that they're very extraordinary human beings who behave differently than ordinary human beings. If they weren't as sensitive as they are, they wouldn't be great artists. They are not the same as us. People should just learn to accept that.” [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists are often perceived as ordinary, but their heightened sensitivity makes them extraordinary and essential for great art. **In simple terms:** Artists are sensitive and unique. Key Takeaway Embrace and accept artistic differences. Themes art sensitivity individuality acceptance Mood reflective appreciative Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - gallery openings - art education - mental health support - community outreach Key Concepts creativity emotional depth perception Questions to Reflect On - How does sensitivity fuel creativity? - What can society do to support sensitive artists? A Different Perspective Sensitivity can lead to emotional vulnerability and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Great Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artists/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Learn To Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-to-accept/) ## Related quotes > [“Some artists are normal people who just happen to make things because we can't figure out how in the hell to communicate with people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-nicholson/some-artists-are-normal-people-who-just-happen-to-make-things-because/) [Scott Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-nicholson/) > [We wouldn't be artists, writers, painters, musicians, if we weren't sensitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/we-wouldn-t-be-artists-writers-painters-musicians-if-we-weren-t/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [In this day and age, people have come to expect that artists are going to give everybody information on Twitter about what they're doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-trank/in-this-day-and-age-people-have-come-to-expect-that-artists-are-going/) [Josh Trank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-trank/) > [Great artists are people who find the way to be themselves in their art. Any sort of pretension induces mediocrity in art and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-fonteyn/great-artists-are-people-who-find-the-way-to-be-themselves-in-their/) [Margot Fonteyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-fonteyn/) > [I love being around great artists, and I've been around a few of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/i-love-being-around-great-artists-and-i-ve-been-around-a-few-of-them/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Artists are the people among us who realize creation didn't stop on the sixth day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-peter-witkin/artists-are-the-people-among-us-who-realize-creation-didn-t-stop-on/) [Joel-Peter Witkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-peter-witkin/) > [Artists are people with a genius for finding a new answer, a new connection, or a new way of getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/artists-are-people-with-a-genius-for-finding-a-new-answer-a-new/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Artists are people who create beauty. That's the bottom line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/artists-are-people-who-create-beauty-that-s-the-bottom-line/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [What happens with artists, or people who start off doing things for the right reasons, is that you slowly start to paint yourself into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/what-happens-with-artists-or-people-who-start-off-doing-things-for/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [Artists are people who are subject to irrational convictions of the sacred. Baudelaire said that an artist is a child who has acquired adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schjeldahl/artists-are-people-who-are-subject-to-irrational-convictions-of-the/) [Peter Schjeldahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schjeldahl/) > [I grew up around a lot of artists and people passing through. I learned so much from them. I felt the safest with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domino-kirke/i-grew-up-around-a-lot-of-artists-and-people-passing-through-i/) [Domino Kirke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domino-kirke/) > [When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/when-you-re-not-as-accessible-you-get-in-a-tent-and-get-in-your-own/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Artists are the people for whom the world is not enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/artists-are-the-people-for-whom-the-world-is-not-enough/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [Artists are those people who sit at the intersection between the known and unknown, the rational and irrational, coming to terms with some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/artists-are-those-people-who-sit-at-the-intersection-between-the/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I don't know if I actually respect other artists as people as much as I should. I look at their work as excellent data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-don-t-know-if-i-actually-respect-other-artists-as-people-as-much-as/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) ## More by Thelma Schoonmaker > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > ['Raging Bull' was just a dream to work on, but it took a lot of work to get all those fights to work right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/raging-bull-was-just-a-dream-to-work-on-but-it-took-a-lot-of-work-to/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Film, if properly cared for, will last almost 100 years, but digital will not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/film-if-properly-cared-for-will-last-almost-100-years-but-digital/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [My family goes way back in New York. So I am a New Yorker; I feel like a New Yorker. It's in my bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/my-family-goes-way-back-in-new-york-so-i-am-a-new-yorker-i-feel-like/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Throwing things out is one of the most difficult and important things you ever have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/throwing-things-out-is-one-of-the-most-difficult-and-important-things/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [That's the great thing about filmmaking: Things happen you don't know are going to happen at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/that-s-the-great-thing-about-filmmaking-things-happen-you-don-t-know/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [One day, I read an extremely vague ad looking for someone interested in working in film. Seeing as I loved watching films, I replied,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/one-day-i-read-an-extremely-vague-ad-looking-for-someone-interested/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Even though my parents are American, I spent my whole childhood and adolescence abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/even-though-my-parents-are-american-i-spent-my-whole-childhood-and/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [When you're in a movie with an audience, you can feel where a film is dragging. People start to move. They fidget. You need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/when-you-re-in-a-movie-with-an-audience-you-can-feel-where-a-film-is/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [In the very beginning, women were editors because they were the people in the lab rolling the film before there was editing. Then when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/in-the-very-beginning-women-were-editors-because-they-were-the-people/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Michael's Powell art director was a painter and they had a wonderful friendship and artistic understanding. Michael himself, in the way he designed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/michael-s-powell-art-director-was-a-painter-and-they-had-a-wonderful/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Boxing is insane and, in my opinion, should be banned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/boxing-is-insane-and-in-my-opinion-should-be-banned/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I love improvisation. I mean, it's hard to edit, because things don't necessarily fall together - you have to find ways to give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/i-love-improvisation-i-mean-it-s-hard-to-edit-because-things-don-t/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Even in 'The Red Shoes,' a film that nobody ever has complaints about, there are enormous continuity bumps, and it doesn't matter. You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/even-in-the-red-shoes-a-film-that-nobody-ever-has-complaints-about/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > ['Raging Bull' was badly received at first. It took 10 years for it to be recognised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/raging-bull-was-badly-received-at-first-it-took-10-years-for-it-to-be/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) [Explore all 83 Thelma Schoonmaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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 > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People expect artists to be too normal, I think. 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