I can't live where I want to, I can't go where I want to go, I can't do what I want to, I can't even say what I want to. I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to.
Georgia O'KeeffeRead
My first memory is of the brightness of light — light all around.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the profound impact of light on perception and creativity.
Georgia O'Keeffe emphasizes the significance of light in shaping our memories and experiences, particularly in the realm of art. The brightness of light serves as a metaphor for inspiration and clarity, suggesting that the way we perceive the world, particularly through artistic expression, can be deeply influenced by the illumination surrounding us.
In practice
Using this quote in an art class to discuss the importance of lighting in painting.
I can't live where I want to, I can't go where I want to go, I can't do what I want to, I can't even say what I want to. I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to.
I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.
You are one of my nicest thoughts.
It was in the 1920s, when nobody had time to reflect, that I saw a still-life painting with a flower that was perfectly exquisite, but so small you really could not appreciate it.
Singing has always seemed to me the most perfect means of expression.
Objective painting is not good painting unless it is good in the abstract sense. A hill or tree cannot make a good painting just because it is a hill or tree. It is lines and colors put together so that they may say something.
Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.
Sometimes you stumble across a few chords that put you in a reflective place.
I knew that you couldn't make a living simply writing about the outdoors, so I made an effort from the beginning of my freelance career to write about other subjects.
My partner sometimes liked to go into the studio and improvise voice things just for fun. When I returned from England I transcribed one of her melodies, and had some of the hospice participants sing it, because they said they liked to sing. Their singing is very raw, but I'm going to use it for the final work.
Designing renders visible our hopes and dreams. It is the first signal of human intentions.
Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.
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