If you have the guts to be yourself, other people'll pay your price.
John UpdikeRead
We don't really want to think that the artist is only very skilled, that he has merely devoted his life to perfecting a certain set of intelligible skills.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that an artist's value goes beyond technical skills; it involves deeper emotional and conceptual engagement.
John Updike’s quote suggests that the perception of an artist should extend beyond just their technical proficiency and dedication to honing certain skills. It implies that true artistry encompasses a deeper emotional and intellectual commitment that resonates with audiences on multiple levels, inviting a richer understanding of the artist's work and intentions.
Themes
ArtistSkillsArtistryCreativityEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during an art exhibition to encourage viewers to appreciate the deeper emotions behind the artwork.
More from John Updike
All quotes →Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of. _x000D_ _x000D_ Suspect each moment, for it is a thief, tiptoeing away with more than it brings.
John UpdikeRead
Museums and bookstores should feel, I think, like vacant lots - places where the demands on us are our own demands, where the spirit can find exercise in unsupervised play.
John UpdikeRead
But it is just two lovers, holding hands and in a hurry to reach their car, their locked hands a starfish leaping through the dark.
John UpdikeRead
The reader knows the writer better than he knows himself; but the writer's physical presence is light from a star that has moved on.
John UpdikeRead
To guarantee the individual maximum freedom within a social frame of minimal laws ensures - if not happiness - its hopeful pursuit.
John UpdikeRead
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