Kara Walker Quotes

I felt I was painting with a Popsicle.

For me, drawing is a question of death and life. Every day I draw, I write, I do something.

When you're an artist, all you're trying to do is self-express.

I love to create, and to me, the ultimate freedom of expression is a blank canvas or a block of clay to capture whatever emotions your imagination gives it.

Don't be an art critic. Paint. There lies salvation.

Being creative is my idea of heaven. I'm just incredibly fortunate that I can do it in artwork. Watercolor is what I started out with. What I love about watercolor is that a lot of happy accidents occur.

Artists today think of everything they do as a work of art. It is important to forget about what you are doing - then a work of art may happen.

I don't even think about maintaining a relevance. I just think about what do I want to paint, what am I gonna do now, what am I gonna do later.

I love art so much because of curiosity. At the start of a painting, I know 10 percent of what the painting will be, and then I have to improvise the whole thing.

Some artists can work under one guise, whether it's a name or a band or doing film soundtracks, put all of their ideas in one pot and move on. Me, I need to compartmentalize.

What is important is satiating my creativity as an artiste.

I don't have this obsessive need to do street art all the time because it's already opened doors for me.

If you were to say to me that I couldn't paint, I would write. If I couldn't write, I would be a set designer. As long as I'm creating something, I'm happy.

I am here on Earth to express myself, and the many media of art are my magic carpets that allow me the freedom to do so.

I paint daily with watercolors on 5-by-7-inch pads that are small enough for me to take them everywhere.

Art is not a thing; it is a way.

I'm very interested to see how this new painting will go - I know I want it big and stark, and as I said, I follow the muse, and that's when it always works perfectly for me.

When I work alone, it can be like dabbling with a canvas. Maybe you paint over bits, and it starts to form its own life and lead you off in a direction. It becomes an intuitive, subconscious process.

The first album I started out, I just did everything completely alone. I think it has to do with confidence. The more confidence you develop in your own sound, the more you can open up and alchemize that with other people, just set it free, and not feel challenged by that.

I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.

I will preach with my brush.

The only thing in life that really gives me any peace is just being lost in the process of creating something, whether it's the film or painting and drawing, which has been a big part of my life, for a long time.

Artwork is not like a commercial business; there is no such thing as a schedule for art. You can't hurry art.

Kids are naturally gifted at art from a very young age. The problem is when they get older and become self-conscious. The process should always be fun, though.

When I paint, I definitely live in the present, like someone in a shower whistling or singing.