John Baldessari Quotes

If I had a place with a studio where I could paint I'd be happy.

The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.

My imagination can picture no fairer happiness than to continue living for art.

I need art around me always.

As an artist, you find at different times you want to do different things.

I feel mushy these days when I think about art and artists and the work that lies ahead for us. There's good work to be done and there's joy to be found in it, I think.

So is fighting incompleteness the source of artistic neurosis? I doubt it. At most, this would apply to artists who deal with particular kinds of problems. I don't think we should think of Haydn or Mozart or Dickens or George Eliot in these terms.

I think the mystery of art lies in this, that artists’ relationship is essentially with their work — not with power, not with profit, not with themselves, not even with their audience.

Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.

Art is a little bit larger than life - it's an exhalation of life and I think you probably need a little touch of madness.

Art is not the spiritual side of business.

In a lot of the art world, you have to present yourself as you know what you're doing at a young age. Music gave me another outlet. The 'no wave' bands were such an inspiration; it felt so free - once you start doing it, it's hard to stop. But I can't get away from art. It comes back around. I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't pursue it.

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.

My life is in the art that I make, and I'm very happy with it.

Making art, good art, is always a struggle. It can make you happy when you pull it off. There's no better feeling. It's beauteous. But it's always about hard work and inspiration and sweat and good ideas.

Modern art is what happens when painters stop looking at girls and persuade themselves that they have a better idea.

The job of art is to chase ugliness away.

I think you always, as an artist, feel like you would like to be more and more specific about your intent and your interests.

I don't like to say I have given my life to art. I prefer to say art has given me my life.

Space is the breath of art.

Wonder and awe are the diet of the artist and without them the world would be far less meaningful to us than it is.

My art completes my life.

My lens and my personality, it's just fluid. The art isn't just in one place.

Leave to the masters of art trained by a lifetime of devotion the wonderful process of picture-building and picture creation. Go out into the sunlight and be happy with what you see.

That's what art is. You don't make up stories. You live your life.