Oliver $ Quotes

How and when to try new things and to what degree are critical... Too soon and too radical a change and you may not master anything or develop a style.

Art is ultimately schizophrenic.

The Impressionists had to fight the gallery system for many years before becoming accepted. One of their methods of fighting was to band together and hold their own shows.

If you want to follow your dreams, you have to say no to all the alternatives.

The artist who chooses the difficult muse; or only has a difficult muse; should not be surprised with the results.

Heroes inspire us for many reasons: they make tough decisions, they keep going and they get done what matters. But there’s another reason we love our heroes. Inside us all, we know we have the power to become one ourselves.

Marketing of art is, and to my mind has always been, trendy. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean there is any real long-term value. As an artist I do what I like. As a collector I collect what I like.

Shall I throw away the materials and time paying homage to the perfectionist - knowing that nothing is ever perfect and also knowing that redoing yesterday is not always proceeding to tomorrow's discovery? What an eternal debate!

There’s always tomorrow, until there’s not.

If you think success will make you happy, you have it backwards.

Over the last few days, I have been able to see my life as from a great altitude, as a sort of landscape, and with a deepening sense of the connection of all its parts. This does not mean I am finished with life. On the contrary, I feel intensely alive, and I want and hope in the time that remains to deepen my friendships, to say farewell to those I love, to write more, to travel if I have the strength, to achieve new levels of understanding and insight.

A copying artist should get permission or pay the original artist a fee.

General anxiety is the bridge between the manic joys of creation, exploration, new revelations, professional acceptance and reward, and the depression of self-critique, professional rejection and stagnation. All are part of the roller coaster ride of an artist's life.

Freedom works, it turns out; the Constitution codified and structured freedom at a level unparalleled in world history.

One can be a technical master - full of craftsmanship, but not in most senses an artistic master.

If you’re not pissing someone off, you probably aren’t doing anything important.

Can a nasty, horrible person still produce good quality, uplifting and inspirational work?

Artists should be self-aware of their work and their potential places in people's lives and make their decisions accordingly.

You have to control, focus and temper the strength. Uncontrolled strength is usually an explosion. Sometimes on the other hand let it explode and pick up the pieces.