Patti Smith Quotes

Of course, every artist has 'minor works' that they do, but I don't think I have any 'minor disciplines.' Each discipline I approach as a major undertaking that I put my whole self into.

I've spent my life pursing excellence as an artist, which is what I always wanted to do anyhow.

In art the best is good enough.

A diva is someone who is a perfectionist, who does her best in her craft.

I just want to continue to produce good work. I don't want to do junk.

You stand your ground and you perform your art. That's what the artist does. The artist is about perfection.

I think any artist is a perfectionist by their nature.

Some people have been kind enough to call me a fine artist. I've always called myself an illustrator. I'm not sure what the difference is. All I know is that whatever type of work I do, I try to give it my very best. Art has been my life.

There is no room in the world, as you say, for second rate work.

You don't know how much artists go through to make it look so easy. It's all in the practice.

Commit yourself to quality from day one... it's better to do nothing at all than to do something badly.

An artist cannot do anything slovenly.

Painting and music were the only things I worked at industriously and faithfully.

You realize you can get good at something, even though ballet almost felt like you could never be good enough. No matter how hard you worked, it was so hard to be a great dancer.

When I work on a movie, I never aim for records, collections or the number one position. I always concentrate on my work and look for ways to improve my acting abilities. I also advise my co-stars not to concentrate on these pretty issues and just focus on acting.

I don't know if people realize how hard I work, because sometimes people ask me for my secret. The truth is that I don't have any secrets apart from the fact that I've been directing theater and film for twenty years and trying at every stage to make my work better.

We put everything we had into this record, just like we do with every other record that we make.

Michael Jackson was the biggest star the world has ever seen - he put so much into everything; a lot of attention to detail. I want to do that. I want to pay that kind of attention to detail in everything - in music, visually - all of that.

I sometimes make pictures which are not up to my standard, but then it can only be said of a mediocrity that all his work is up to his standard.

Most artists work all the time, they do actually, especially good artists, they work all the time, what else is there to do? I mean you do.

I've always been one to do the work and just hone my craft.

All of those art-based fields are similar in that they're all hard to make a living in and they all require an intense amount of training and discipline.

Fred Astaire is my hero. I love him because he was willing to kill himself to make his art look effortless. And because he proved it's possible to be an artist and a good person.

I do admit to being challenging, but it's always for the work, it's never personal. I will walk out on a scene if it's all lit and ready to go but it's not happening.

If you want to just make a good movie, if you don't enjoy every step and become a master of each little moment, then you shouldn't be doing it.