Art has a magic that speaks to the soul. It lifts our spirits, stirs our emotions, and paints our world with vibrant colors. Through centuries, artists have shared their wisdom and insight, capturing the essence of creativity in a few thought-provoking words.
In this article, we gather some of the best quotes from famous artists, writers, and thinkers. These words remind us of the beauty, power, and impact of art in our lives. Let’s step into the minds of those who have inspired generations with their creativity and vision.
Famous Art Quotes
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
“Creativity takes courage.”
“Every artist was first an amateur.”
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“To draw you must close your eyes and sing.”
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
“Art must be an integral part of life, as it is the essence of life.”
“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.”
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
“Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment.”
“A blank canvas has unlimited possibilities.”
“Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.”
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.”
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.”
“Art is the stored honey of the human soul, gathered on wings of misery and travel.”
“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.”
“Art is the unceasing effort to compete with the beauty of flowers – and never succeeding.”
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
“Art resides in the quality of doing; process is not magic.”
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
“Art transcends its limitations only by staying within them.”
“The true use of art is, first, to cultivate the artist’s own spiritual nature.”
“Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one.”
“Art is a journey that never ends.”
“Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.”
Inspirational Art Quotes
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
“Every artist was first an amateur.”
“Creativity takes courage.”
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.”
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.”
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.”
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
“To draw, you must close your eyes and sing.”
“Art must be an integral part of life. It must exist for the people.”
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Art speaks where words are unable to explain.”
“Every canvas is a journey all its own.”
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
“The artist’s world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.”
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”
“Art is a line around your thoughts.”
“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.”
“Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.”
“Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.”
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
“Art is not freedom from discipline, but disciplined freedom.”
“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.”
“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.”
“Art is the journey of a free soul.”
“Art is the only way to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time.”
“The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.”
“Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.”
Quotes from Artists
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
“Creativity takes courage.”
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.”
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.”
“A picture is a poem without words.”
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Art is not a thing, it is a way.”
“The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.”
“Art is the stored honey of the human soul.”
“An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.”
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
“Every artist was first an amateur.”
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.”
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
“Art is the journey of a free soul.”
“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.”
“Art is freedom. Being able to bend things most people see as a straight line.”
“The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.”
“Art is the Queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.”
“Art does not reproduce what is visible, it makes things visible.”
“Art is a line around your thoughts.”
“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”
“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.”
“Art speaks where words are unable to explain.”
Modern Art Quotes
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Every artist was first an amateur.”
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.”
“Creativity takes courage.”
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.”
“Art speaks where words are unable to explain.”
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
“The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.”
“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.”
“You are the artist of your own life. Don’t hand the paintbrush to anyone else.”
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
“To create one’s own world takes courage.”
“Art is the journey of a free soul.”
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
“To draw you must close your eyes and sing.”
“Art is not a thing; it is a way.”
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
“Works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.”
“The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.”
“Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.”
“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.”
“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.”
“The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.”
“The artist’s world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.”
Classical Art Quotes
“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”
“Art must be an integral part of life; it must be an economic, spiritual, moral, and philosophical necessity.”
“Every artist was first an amateur.”
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
“The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.”
“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.”
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
“To be an artist is to believe in life.”
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”
“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.”
“A picture is a poem without words.”
“Art is the stored honey of the human soul.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.”
“Creativity takes courage.”
“Art is the proper task of life.”
“Art is freedom. Being able to bend things most people see as a straight line.”
“Art transcends cultural boundaries and speaks the language of the soul.”
“An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.”
“Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth at least the truth that is given us to understand.”
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.”
“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.”
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.”
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
“Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination, and encourages people to go further.”
“To create one’s own world takes courage.”
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.”
“The beauty of art is that it knows no bounds, free like the horizon over the sea.”
To Sum Up
Art has the power to inspire, challenge, and transform us. These quotes offer insights into the creative process, the importance of expression, and the beauty in everyday life. Whether you’re an artist, a fan, or someone looking for a bit of inspiration, these quotes can provide a fresh perspective.
Next time you need a spark of creativity or a reminder of the value of art, revisit these quotes. They may just give you the encouragement you need to pick up a brush, write a story, or simply see the world in a new light.