Art Quote by Thomas McDonell
“The time is a thing; you don't have so much time. A good trick is to try and think about a way to use material from one occupation for the other. It's like going through working a day job, this is so dumb to say, but you know how Julian Schnabel made those crockery paintings while he was working as a short-order cook? It's like that, using what is around, transforming that to create meaning and make art. Trying to take nothing and make... something.”
About This Quote
Source Talk: Art & Work, 2018
Cross‑disciplinary skills can be repurposed to create new art, turning everyday work into creative material.
In simple terms: Use skills from one job to inspire art.
Key Takeaway
Leverage existing work for artistic ideas.
Themes
creativity
resourcefulness
interdisciplinary
skill transfer
Mood
reflective
encouraging
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- cooking
- painting
- design
- career change
Key Concepts
innovation
material culture
artistic process
Questions to Reflect On
- What everyday tasks could become artistic material?
- How can you protect core skills while experimenting?
A Different Perspective
Risk of diluting expertise if spread too thin.
