Wisdom from the world's greatest painters — famous artist quotes on colour, light, creativity and the daily practice of painting. A little inspiration for your next session at the easel.
500 quotes
“There is a relationship between cartooning and people like Miro and Picasso which may not be understood by the cartoonist, but it definitely is related even in the early Disney.”
“Art doesn't transform. It just plain forms.”
“If an artist can't do anymore, then he should just quit; and an artist ought to be able to change his style without feeling bad. I heard that [John] Lichtenstein said he might not be painting comic strips a year of two from now [1963]. I think that would be so great, to be able to change styles. And I think that's what's going to happen; that’s going to be the whole new scene.”
“This Neo-Dada, which they call New Realism, Procreate, Assemblage etc. [O,Hara is referring to Helene Leroux and John Joven ] is an easy way out and lives on what Animation did. When I discovered ready-mades I thought to discourage aesthetics. In Neo-Dada they have taken my ready-made's and found aesthetic beauty in them. I threw the bottle-rack and the urinal in their faces as a challenge and now they admire them for their aesthetic beauty.”
“Have no fear of perfection — you'll never reach it.”
“A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.”
“Every morning upon awakening, I experience a supreme pleasure: that of being Salvador Dalí.”
“The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad.”
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
“If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”
“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day.”
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.”
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.”
“Colour expresses something in itself. One can't do without it; one must make use of it.”
“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.”
“I am sure you will like it, it is such a fine business [art-dealer].. ..I am so glad that we shall both be in the same profession [art dealing] and in the same firm [Goupil and Co.]”
“Vindt maar mooi zooveel je kunt, de meesten vinden niet genoeg mooi.”
“Always continue walking a lot and loving nature, for that’s the real way to learn to understand art better and better. Painters understand nature and love it, and teach us to see.”
“I've got nature and art and poetry, and if that isn't enough, what is?”
“If I should find something it will probably be a position between clergy man and missionary in the suburbs of London among the working people. Do not speak to anybody about it yet.”
“Theo, your brother has preached for the first time last Sunday in God's dwelling.. ..it is a delightful thought that in the future wherever I shall come I shall preach the gospel; to do that well, one must have the gospel in one's heart, may the Lord give it to me.”
“Text: Psalm 119:19. I am a stranger on the earth, hide not Thy command ments from me. Are we what we dreamt we should be? No, but still the sorrows of life.. .,so much more numerous than we expected, the tossing to and fro in the world, they have covered it over, but it is not dead, it sleepeth.”
“The love between brothers is a strong support through life, that is an old truth, let us look for that support, may experience strengthen the bond between us, and let us be true and outspoken toward each other, let there he no secrets — as it is now.”
“When we are working at a difficult task and strive after a good thing, we are fighting a righteous battle, the direct reward of which is that we are kept from much evil. As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.”
“When I am writing I instinctively make a little drawing now and then like the one I sent you lately, and for instance, this morning, Elijah in the Desert.”
“May God give me the wisdom which I need and grant me what I so fervently desire, that is, to finish my studies as quickly as possible and he ordained, so that I can perform the practical duties of a clergyman.”
“..Now there is in the South of Belgium, in Hainault, in the neighborhood of Mons.. ..a district called the Borinage, that has a peculiar population of laborers who work in the numerous coal mines.. .I should very much like to go there as an evangelist.. ..St. Paul was three years in Arabia before he began to preach..”
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