Edward Ruscha Quotes

I just really feel so grateful to Sundance because I've always been an artist and I've never been able to make a living at being an artist until Sundance.

I remind myself Vincent van Gogh died without having sold a single painting. Like, art is not measured by the trappings that people attached to it. It's the thing itself, and so, as you know, it's been a dream of mine to write songs for Disney, and so, it's really exciting to finally hear. It's two and a half years.

Somebody said us artists have trouble with success because art is derived from struggle. I disagree with that, because truely doing your art is success, whether you make money from it or not.

I started writing my own plays, and I would sell out, but after everything was said and done, I'd break even. That's being successful.

When I started painting 17 years ago, I never imagined that anyone would look at my work or buy my pieces. But now I do about 14 exhibitions each year.

My parents did not discourage me but could not understand how I could make a living by art. Their idea of an artist was a person who was condemned to starvation.

The chance to be both artistically appreciated and commercially appreciated... That's what you hope for.

Which, of course, isn't the point of writing - but it would be nice if, along with the creative satisfaction of writing and seeing my work in print, I could do more than merely scrape a living. Okay, moaning over.

I never wanted to be someone who's asking someone to put my work in their gallery. I wanted to be asked.

I think most of the people involved in any art always secretly wonder whether they are really there because they're good or there because they're lucky.

I've had so much success. I had something to say, I got to say it, people heard it, and they agreed. That's every artist's dream. That's the brass ring.

At art college, I started to do music and then painting and drawing - and that would have been my ideal life, to be an artist and be paid for it, to be able to create stuff. I realized it was difficult, but I don't know if I had the application for it.

I always wanted to be an acclaimed artist and to be at the top of my game.

The art industry is a totally different world, and to be appreciated in that different world is what matters to me.

I'm fully aware had I stayed with my art, I would be well known, respected and most likely rich.

Being rich and famous has never been my goal at all. I love to act and I want to be able to do really great parts.

I may not be much good at most things, but if I didn't have the pleasure of planning and installing shows, and doing it better than anyone else, I would have stopped buying art many years ago.

I would do 'John Carter' again tomorrow. I'm very proud of 'John Carter.' Box office doesn't validate me as a person, or as an actor.

Most painters want recognition, especially by their peers.

My father didn't think being an artist was a respectable or worthy goal for a man.

A singer can quit once he or she has made ten great songs; a director can finish once he or she has made five amazing films; a writer just needs to write three great books.

But Basquiat is the first thing I've done that I'm really proud of.

It's great, I guess, when your paintings are hanging up in a museum.

It's great making a film and having it embraced and seen. I really enjoy that.

I decided to become a painter when my first four paintings where all published and attracted a great deal of interest. I exhibited one of them and it was sold.