An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have.

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.

An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.

Every artist was first an amateur.

No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did he would cease to be an artist.

The highest art is always the most religious and the greatest artist is always a devout person.

True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.

It's usually a big kind of vent of frustration or anger or sadness that puts me in the right frame of mind to write. It's such a cliche to say that artists write when they're down but it's true for me. It's a relief to get out what's eating away at my heart or my soul or my head.

It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.

Success breeds volume and it's just amazing how many young writers artists and musicians there are in town.

The thing that's tricky is sometimes the best voices - just because someone hits the big notes and sounds amazing - it doesn't necessarily mean they make the greatest artists.

I just want to work forever. I absolutely love what I'm doing. I learn all the time from all these amazing artists.

I like what I see now in China but I think the Japanese are a step ahead into craziness and weirdness. I go to galleries there that are the size of a New York elevator and every time I'm surprised by the amazing things I find. I really hope I'll be able to promote some of these artists to show their work in the West.

I am very rich because of 'Chic' - artistically as well as spiritually. It's been an amazing life.

I think Damien Hirst is hilarious. And I think he's a true artist. He's not hilarious first I think he is a real artist and I also think he's got an amazing sense of humor.

United Artists wanted to do records with me. I had no idea what a rare thing that was... to make an album. And they put a guy with me working on songs and I got busy with films. I just kind of let it slide. Isn't that amazing?

I was writing a scene where a guy was choking another guy to death. You can go online and type 'chokeholds' and watch scenes where martial artists choke each other out. You can hear what noises they make when they go unconscious see how their bodies flop and everything. YouTube is amazing for the more detailed stuff.

I saw 'The Artist.' It's really beautiful and it's all done to the letter with all the silent film techniques. The costumes were amazing and the dog is so good.

I'm vulnerable to criticism. Any artist is because you work alone in your studio and until recently critics were the only way you'd get any feedback.

Artists walk alone.

People must insist on the right to say no to be alone to stand out from the herd. Creative artists can say all this in their own way and in their own field by hard rigorous work.

Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist which alone is significant - they should look attentively at my pictures and there seek to recognise what I am and what I want.

I wrote and produced millions and millions of selling records so my publishing company alone was worth millions of dollars. I didn't have to work anymore in life because when the rappers started sampling... I'm the most sampled artist in history.

The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men necessarily must avoid the state of being alone.