Sam Taylor-Johnson Quotes

I think it started since I was born, I always had a need to express myself, you know, as a human being, and I found that it felt right when I expressed myself through art, dance, through acting, so it kind of happened naturally.

I was taught to draw very well when I was in school at Boston. And I grew to enjoy drawing so much that I never stopped.

Through my films I'm eventually trying to one day tell the truth. I don't know if I'm ever going to get there, but I'm slowly letting pieces of myself out there and then maybe by the time I'm 85, I'll look back and say, 'All right, that about sums it up.'

I began observing, making paintings of my surroundings, taking a vow of silence, listening, composing music, writing, and making time for formal education. Then I started telling stories.

I think I have allowed my voice to experiment with the different genres. And I think that I have just really enjoyed the journey of getting to know my voice and seeing what it's capable of, what it's not capable of.

I grew up with art from the innocent age of ten - with art, but with no sense of identity.

I have been taking every step toward the future every day through making many paintings and sculptures with my deep emotion hidden in my life.

I think all any artist or person wants to do is grow spiritually, emotionally, professionally and mentally.

In life we try to grow and better ourselves. As an artist, I feel like I've grown tremendously.

I went to art school, I think it helped me a great deal because it taught me who I am.

I think it's natural for an artist to explore as they evolve.

It's a great challenge and a wonderful journey how to figure out how to be an artist and to carve my way.

Writing changed my life. It has an existential dimension, and that's the same for every writer. Every artist has a moment of awakening, of happening upon an idea that grabs hold of you, regardless of whether you are a painter or a writer.

I feel like I became an artist by default. I went to art college, but my interest was always more towards film than painting or sculpture.

I'm not a very good painter, but I'm learning a lot.

'Swimming Pool' was a very important moment for me because the character was written for me.

I love writing and directing because it's great therapy. Every project I've done, there's been a personal connection.

I went to school at the San Francisco Art Institute, thinking I was going to become an art teacher. Within the first six months I was there, I was told that I couldn't be an art teacher unless I became an artist first.

'Wild Hope' just felt like such a selfish venture to me. It was a way for me to get out of my head, get some clarity on certain situations, and finally be a part of something that I was completely behind creatively and proud of.

I went to film school at UT Austin. I learned a lot, and that school's good for puking up all your bad movies early and quick. But ultimately, no one can teach you to be an artist.

Before I discovered moviemaking, I hadn't found anything where I could kind of galvanize or meld all of the things that I wanted to do.

I always wanted to be an artist, writer and poet since I was seven, and one has to live long enough to evolve as an artist and do one's finest work.

I still haven't made a film that defines who I am.

I went to Catholic school, and there was this teacher, a Brother, who saw I could go either way, good or bad. He took an interest in me and got me to do a play. I got hooked on acting, and it gave me something constructive to do. I had a lot of energy.

If you ever have a kid who doesn't know what to do, stick him in art school. It's amazing what evolves.