--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never wanted to be a professional…" description: "\"I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's limiting.\" — Yoko Ono" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png" --- # I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's… ![“I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's limiting.” quote by Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png) > “I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's limiting.” [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She rejects the label of “professional artist,” seeing it as a limiting constraint on creative identity. **In simple terms:** She refuses to be boxed in as a professional artist. Key Takeaway Define yourself beyond imposed titles. Themes identity creativity labels Mood introspective inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - career transitions - artistic collaborations - personal branding - education Key Concepts art theory self‑definition career flexibility Questions to Reflect On - What labels have you outgrown? - How does rejecting a label affect your creative output? A Different Perspective Labels can both protect and restrict artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I recognize limitations in the sense that I've read Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky and Shakespeare . . . Aside from that I don't think of limiting myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/i-recognize-limitations-in-the-sense-that-i-ve-read-tolstoy-and/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [I think I'd been limiting myself in some ways just writing in first person all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/i-think-i-d-been-limiting-myself-in-some-ways-just-writing-in-first/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) > [As an actor, if I just did sci-fi, I think it would get limiting, like if you just play lawyers or doctors, over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-helfer/as-an-actor-if-i-just-did-sci-fi-i-think-it-would-get-limiting-like/) [Tricia Helfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-helfer/) > [“The thing that you think to be limiting you right now, could be the thing that will liberate you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-louise-birmingham/the-thing-that-you-think-to-be-limiting-you-right-now-could-be-the/) [Catherine Louise Birmingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-louise-birmingham/) > [I'm a professional artist, that's how I make my living. So I watch the market. There is, it seems to me, a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brice-marden/i-m-a-professional-artist-that-s-how-i-make-my-living-so-i-watch-the/) [Brice Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brice-marden/) > [I never thought, "I'm going to be an artist". When I actually began to become successful in the art world I made it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-never-thought-i-m-going-to-be-an-artist-when-i-actually-began-to/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [One of the things I've tried to do with my life is redefine the boundaries that I think are very limiting. I'm not suggesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/one-of-the-things-i-ve-tried-to-do-with-my-life-is-redefine-the/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [Clearly there are individuals who don't understand what the church teaches, or they think it's so limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-leahy/clearly-there-are-individuals-who-don-t-understand-what-the-church/) [William P. Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-leahy/) > [If you have a good product, like football, you should also think about limiting it to keep the quality high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-low/if-you-have-a-good-product-like-football-you-should-also-think-about/) [Joachim Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-low/) > [When I land in a country and they ask for 'occupation,' I always just put 'artist.' I think that covers all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-land-in-a-country-and-they-ask-for-occupation-i-always-just/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [There is no such thing as an amateur artist as different from a professional artist. There is only good art and bad art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-amateur-artist-as-different-from-a/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [“You finally show your professional artist friend the self-portrait you painted. At this stage of your development, what you need is a little encouragement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-stone/you-finally-show-your-professional-artist-friend-the-self-portrait/) [Douglas Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-stone/) > [Becoming a professional artist takes talent and perseverance, even more so when the field is photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-butcher/becoming-a-professional-artist-takes-talent-and-perseverance-even/) Clyde Butcher > [I didn't really think about becoming a professional artist until high school, when I realized that everything else required too much math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-foglio/i-didn-t-really-think-about-becoming-a-professional-artist-until-high/) [Phil Foglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-foglio/) > [I'd rather be somewhere building a house, if I knew how. The whole idea of being a professional artist is like a demeaning kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-earl-beal/i-d-rather-be-somewhere-building-a-house-if-i-knew-how-the-whole-idea/) [Willis Earl Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-earl-beal/) ## More by Yoko Ono > [Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/our-public-officials-have-forgotten-that-they-are-ultimately/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/smile-in-the-mirror-do-that-every-morning-and-you-ll-start-to-see-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Think of the Earth as a turning point in eternity. Think of the Earth as a meeting point in infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/think-of-the-earth-as-a-turning-point-in-eternity-think-of-the-earth/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [If your life changes, we can change the world, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/if-your-life-changes-we-can-change-the-world-too/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [ When people get cynical about love, they should look at us \[Yoko and John Lennon\] and see it is possible ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-people-get-cynical-about-love-they-should-look-at-us-yoko-and/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/true-artists-are-prophets-i-don-t-want-to-be-that-prophetic-in-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [The first idea, the first art piece I ever did, was when I was four. I cut the seed of a pear in half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-first-idea-the-first-art-piece-i-ever-did-was-when-i-was-four-i/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [John wrote with a very deep love for the human race and a concern for its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/john-wrote-with-a-very-deep-love-for-the-human-race-and-a-concern-for/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/losing-my-daughter-was-a-very-serious-pain-there-was-always-some/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [People don't remember each tree in a park but all of us benefit from the trees. And in a way, artists are like trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/people-don-t-remember-each-tree-in-a-park-but-all-of-us-benefit-from/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/marriage-is-a-gamble-let-s-be-honest/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [It's difficult to explain love. You want to explain water? You need a book for it. There are many different ways to explain what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/it-s-difficult-to-explain-love-you-want-to-explain-water-you-need-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Being alone is very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/being-alone-is-very-difficult/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Many people do remember their births, but they deny it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/many-people-do-remember-their-births-but-they-deny-it/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) [Explore all 391 Yoko Ono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## 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": "I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's limiting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yoko Ono" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-artist-i-think-that-s-limiting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-artist-i-think-that-s-limiting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/yoko-ono-726_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-arti_1372919.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never wanted to be a professional artist; I think that's limiting.” — Yoko Ono", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Yoko Ono", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never wanted to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-artist-i-think-that-s-limiting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-professional-artist-i-think-that-s-limiting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```