My mother was a teacher, and when she wanted to show me art and literature and science, she'd take me to museums, parks and free exhibitions.
David BlaineMy mother encouraged it so much. She was so supportive. Even if as a kid, I would do the dumbest trick, which now that I look back on some things, she would love it, she would say that's amazing, or if I'd make the ugliest drawing, she would hang it up. She was amazing.
David BlaineIt was just like a digital fixation with cards and math and science and then I started to look at images of great magicians from Houdini down the line.
David BlaineWhether you're shuffling a deck of cards or holding your breath, magic is pretty simple: It comes down to training, practice, and experimentation , followed up by ridiculous pursuit and relentless perseverance.
David BlaineI thought instead of burying myself under dirt, I'd bury myself under water so everybody could see that you're there.
David BlaineAs a magician, I try to show things to people that seem impossible. And I think magic, whether I'm holding my breath or shuffling a deck of cards, is pretty simple. It's practice, it's training, and It's practice, it's training and experimenting, while pushing through the pain to be the best that I can be. And that's what magic is to me.
David BlaineMagic's an art where you use slight of hand or illusion to create wonder. And I was just intrigued with that idea.
David BlaineI remember my mother had this deck of cards that her mother had given her and that she passed on to me. It was a gypsy tarot deck that I used to carry everywhere.
David BlaineI'd go to Coney Island to hang out, and I saw a magician doing a rope trick on the boardwalk. I was fascinated. I guess that's how it started.
David BlaineI remember finding a Houdini book at the library and seeing an image of him chained on the side of a building. He looked so intense and scary, and I couldnt get that image out of my head. That started building up my love of magic.
David BlaineI just believe that the feeling of wonder is amazing. I am pushing myself as far as I can humanly push myself... I can only hope for the best and expect the worse.
David BlaineIn truth, the only restrictions on our capacity to astonish ourselves and each other are imposed by our own minds.
David BlaineAs a magician, I think everything is possible. And I think if something is done by one person it can be done by others.
David BlaineMichael Jackson did something that no one else in history has managed - he connected with people on every level imaginable, all over the world. He seemed to speak to people at their very core and achieved the impossible. He reached people on a deep emotional level. And that is what any great artist or showman dreams of doing. That is why Michael Jackson was so special to me.
David BlaineWe are all capable of infinitely more than we believe. We are stronger and more resourceful than we know, and we can endure much more than we think we can.
David BlaineI think that when Evel Knievel crashed over the fountain at Caesars, it kind of gave you a credibility and then anticipation for everything he did.
David BlaineMagic is not about having a puzzle to solve. It's about creating a moment of awe and astonishment. And that can be a beautiful thing.
David BlaineTo most magicians, cards themselves are marvels...For one thing, they feel special in your hand. Touching them, holding them, shuffling - the whole process is almost poetic. If you're in a room full of magicians and someone just mentions the word cards, within seconds, everyone is digging into their pockets and pulling out a deck of cards. It's one of the most amazing feelings ever.
David BlaineI'd always wanted to do these types of things - pieces of magic I could put out not as illusions, but really doing it.
David BlaineI think everything I do is normal, not paranormal but normal. Its using the power of the mind to achieve whatever we can endure.
David Blaine