7 Quotes About Great Art

Fascinating Thoughts by Great Thinkers

By Charles David Kelley

PHILOMATH, Oregon – Not only do I love the arts, I love thinking about art.  The depth of this topic cannot be measured.  Over the years, I have collected quotations from a wide variety of artists, writers and philosophers on all every aspect of art that I can imagine.  I don’t admire everyone that I quote here, but their thoughts are profound.

“Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.” – Edward Hopper

“Great Art is Great because it inspired you greatly. If it didn’t, no matter what the critics, the museums and the galleries say, it’s not great art for you.” – Yoko Ono

“All great art is the work of the whole living creature, body and soul, and chiefly of the soul.” – John Ruskin

“Supreme serenity still remains the Ideal of great Art. The shapes and transitory forms of life are but stages toward this Ideal, which Christ’s religion illuminates with His divine light.” – Franz Liszt

“Great art picks up where nature ends.” – Marc Chagall

“I love Claude Monet‘s paintings (especially the Water Lilies series). When you see a Monet, you don’t look at the paint. You look between the brushstrokes and beyond the oil paint and canvas. His style is intentionally exaggerated and obscured to elicit in the viewer an emotional feeling.  This is how great art works. It does something to your soul, makes you feel like you’re actually there for a moment — not because of how it looks, but because of how it makes you feel. The art isn’t there just to look good. It’s there to make an impression.” – Jeff Goins

“I love what Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and Jesus all said – that love is really the driving principle of the creative act. In fact, they would say that great art is always inspired by love.” – Erwin McManus