When you stop doing something, it doesn't mean you are rejecting the previous work. That's the mistake; it's not rejecting it, it's saying, 'I have exploited it enough now and I wish to take a look at another corner.'
David HockneyRead
My only worry is the painting I'm doing. Nothing else.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of being focused and dedicated to one's craft above all else.
David Hockneyβs quote highlights the significance of commitment to oneβs artistic work, suggesting that worries and distractions should not take precedence over the creative process. By stating that his only concern is the painting he is working on, Hockney reinforces the idea that true passion and dedication to art can lead to fulfillment and success, as it allows the artist to immerse themselves fully in their creativity without external interference.
In practice
This quote can be shared during an art workshop to inspire participants to focus on their work.
When you stop doing something, it doesn't mean you are rejecting the previous work. That's the mistake; it's not rejecting it, it's saying, 'I have exploited it enough now and I wish to take a look at another corner.'
I'm interested in all kinds of pictures, however they are made, with cameras, with paint brushes, with computers, with anything.
I've always wanted to be able to paint the dawn.
In fact, most artists want to make things a bit more difficult for themselves as they go along, to challenge themselves.
I can get excitement watching rain on a puddle. And then I paint it. Now, I admit, there are not too many people who would find that exciting. But I would. And I want life thrilling and rich. And it is. I make sure it is.
Cubism was an attack on the perspective that had been known and used for 500 years. It was the first big, big change. It confused people: they said, 'Things don't look like that!'
Too few journalists become screenwriters. I say to all the would-be screenwriters: Become journalists. And Iβll say to working journalists: Do not stay journalists. Become screenwriters.
I think classical ballet dancers dance on pointe because they're simultaneously touching the earth and reaching up to the skies
I don't force it. If you don't have an idea and you don't hear anything going over and over in your head, don't sit down and try to write a song. You know, go mow the lawn...My songs speak for themselves.
People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life.
When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. So the director's task is just that β to direct, to point the way. Then the actor takes over. And he must be allowed the space, the freedom to express himself in the role. Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest-full of push-buttons.
It is a function of poetry to locate those zones inside us that would be free, and declare them so.
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