Fred Armisen Quotes

Great art is never produced for its own sake. It is too difficult to be worth the effort.

I want a painting to be difficult to do. The more obstacles, obstructions, problems - if they don't overwhelm - the better. I would like to feel that I am involved at any stage of the painting with all its moments, not just this 'now' moment where a superficial grace is so available.

Art is difficult. It's not entertainment.

Great art is never produced for its own sake. It is too difficult to be worth the effort.

Effort and result are never simultaneous. In art, only the result counts.

I think that some works are more accessible than others.

Sometimes, trying to make a work of art can be very difficult and very painful.

I think being creative is incredibly difficult and painful.

For the essential thing about the work of art is that it is work, and very hard work too.

Art is good but it isn't the best.

The best works do not necessarily get to auction. I like to draw, so maybe I give you a little drawing. And then eventually it ends up at auction. And then critics say, 'Oh, that's a bad drawing!' Well, I didn't say it was so wonderful.

Art is competitive.

Is an artist much more than a beggar?

I've been trying to pick up painting but it's hard.

A great painting is a great painting.

Art is the ultimate luxury good, but one that can make you think, give a you a blast of beauty and enhance your life. Even if the work's made of plasticine.

All art is quite useless.

I've had a lot of successes as a songwriter, and I really have nothing to prove in that arena, so I'm just excited about the next challenge of pursuing this artist thing.

When I was in school, they say everybody can do art. And I was, like, a little bit obstinate - not an anarchist, but I was always asking questions. I said, 'Isn't art supposed to be difficult?' If we can all do art, then it's not really art. It's supposed to be difficult.

I'm calling the Cube, it's a piece of art. At the same time, it's an intellectual task as well.

As an artist, I will always give art more importance and preference than pure entertainment.

I'd say 'Codename Baboushka' has been a slightly more difficult process for me, but I think that's precisely because it's quite different to my usual fare. And even then, being difficult doesn't make me prefer it, or not, to anything else. I like a challenge.

Art is a gift and if nobody hears it, that doesn't make it any less of a gift.

I think it was Roger Fry who first coined what he took to be a final definition of a work of art, whether it was a painting, building, poem or Hepplewhite chair. He said that the best works of art are finished products that preserve 'a valuable state of mind'.

So many people say painting is fun. I don't find it fun at all. It's hard work for me.