Many people turn to the works of famous artists and creatives in search of artistic inspiration.
In addition to their impressive work, however, it is also worth listening to the words spoken, written and shared by these influential individuals. Many creatives have not only created art, but have also taken a very unique stand on their art.
If you want to understand the art of the best artists of all time, it’s worth internalizing the following art quotes.
Looking at some of the wisest narratives of well-known artists – from Claude Monet to Vincent van Gogh to Bob Ross to Banksy – reveals how knowledgeable they are and how they process their life experiences and the world around them in their work.
The following quotes on art relate in part to the individual meaning of art to the artist, and in part to experiences they have had along their artistic journey of discovery. Either way, the following art quotes provide you with some food for thought for you and your creative path.
Quotes on the importance of art
"Being an artist means believing in life." Henry Moore, English sculptor and draftsman
"Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist." Rene Magritte, Belgian painter
"Art is a boundary around your thoughts." Gustav Klimt, Austrian painter
"Great art begins where nature ends." Marc Chagall, French painter
"The true benefit of art is primarily to enhance the artist’s own spiritual nature." George Inness, American landscape painter
"The principles of true art are not to depict, but to awaken." Jerzy Kosinski, American writer
Quotes on how to find inspiration
"If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint." Edward Hopper, American painter
"I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality." Frida Kahlo, Mexican painter
"The abundance I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration." Claude Monet, French painter
Quotes on creating great works
"You don’t snap a photo, you take it."Ansel Adams, American photographer
"Works must be conceived with fire in the soul, but executed with clinical serenity." Joan Miro, Spanish painter
"I close my eyes to see." Paul Gauguin, French painter
"The most important thing is to be excited, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live." Auguste Rodin, French sculptor
Quotes for your creative inspiration
"Creativity takes courage." Henri Matisse, French artist
"If you hear an inner voice saying, "You can’t paint," then by all means paint so that voice is silenced." Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter
"Every artist was first an amateur." Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher and writer
"Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there’s no such thing as that. Making the hidden public is the most important thing." Georgia O’Keeffe, American painter
"Don’t be afraid of perfection, you’ll never achieve it." Salvador DalI, Spanish artist
"We don’t make mistakes, just happy little mishaps." Bob Ross, American painter
Reasons why you should stay creative
"Every child is an artist. The problem is staying an artist when you grow up." Pablo Picasso, Spanish artist
"Don’t think about creating art, just do it. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, if they love it or hate it. While they’re deciding about it, create some more art."Andy Warhol, American artist
"No great artist sees things as they really are. If he did, he would no longer be an artist." Oscar Wilde, Irish writer
"There are no rules. This is how art is born, this is how breakthroughs are made. Break the rules or ignore them. This is what actual innovation is all about." Helen Frankenthaler, American painter
"Painting is easy if you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do it."Edgar Degas, French painter