John Waters Quotes

I don't even consider myself an impressionist, really.

I was always an artist. I was a broker to earn a living, but I was always thinking about my art.

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.

I'd actually really love to review books and films and plays, but you can't be an artist and a critic. I would love it if I could.

I could develop a picture by the time I was 12.

By the time I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was a born draftsman and liked all forms of art, so I just knew that's what I wanted to do.

I've never said, 'I live for art.'

I decided on the spot that I would be an artist, and I assure you, it was no ordinary artist I had in mind.

I consider myself an artist, which is, like, the most played term, but I believe it.

I don't see myself as a photographer. I still see the photographs and collages as a resource for the painting.

I didn't have any real idea that I was going to be an artist; I had no idea what that meant.

I like to think of myself as a true artist.

It's easier and sociabler to talk technique than it is to make art.

I haven't the slightest idea what art is, but to be a painter is something of which you have to prove.

Art was always my thing. I had an art scholarship before I had a football scholarship. I'm a left-handed, right-brained, painting-drawing guy. That was always my skill.

The problem with art is, it's not like the game of golf where you put the ball in the hole. There's no umpire; there's no judge. There are no rules. It's one of its problems. But it's also one of the great things about art. It becomes a question of what lasts.

An amateur may not be an artist, though an artist should be an amateur.

I have no wish to be remembered as a painter, for I never was a painter; my idea of that profession was perhaps too exalted; I may say, is too exalted. I leave it to others more worthy to fill the niches of art.

I paint for myself. I don't know how to do anything else, anyway. Also I have to earn my living, and occupy myself.

In my vocabulary there are two bad words: art and good taste.

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

Beauty, which I admit to being in pursuit of, is an extremely suspect word among many in the art world. But I don't think you can get along without it. It's the confirmation of meaning in life.

A work of art is an act of love. Critics are crab lice.

There's no such thing as sculpture or art or anything, it's just a bit of - it's just words, you know, and actually saying everything is art. We're all art, art is just a tag, like a journalists' tag, but artists believe it.

In terms of art, the only real answer that I know of is to do it. If you don't do it, you don't know what might happen.