That paralyzing moment when inspiration seems like a distant memory is something every artist knows intimately.
But here’s what most people won’t tell you about creative blocks: sometimes the spark you need isn’t about finding something new, but about remembering what you already know.
Creativity is about building something bigger than yourself, one conscious choice at a time. And because of that, sometimes you need to look outside of yourself for that push to keep going. Like with some other artists who have been on the same artistic journey you’re venturing right now.
I’ve curated these essential quotes on creativity that have stood the test of time. I hope these can serve as little windows into the minds of people who dared to push past “good enough” and found something extraordinary on the other side!
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Quotes on Creativity to Ignite Your Artistic Spark
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” — Pablo Picasso
Before you can deconstruct a form, you must first understand its foundation.
Picasso’s early works demonstrated a masterful command of traditional techniques — like precise anatomical drawings and realistic portraits that would make Renaissance masters proud — so that he could then springboard from them to create his own revolutionary artistic choices.
Think of it like learning a language. You have to grasp grammar rules before you can play with words to create poetry. In photography, understanding the exposure triangle enables you to deliberately override these principles for artistic effect.
Even in music, jazz legends like Miles Davis and John Coltrane mastered traditional scales and theory before developing their groundbreaking improv styles!
What I love about this quote is that it shows that rules aren’t constraints, but creative tools.
When you thoroughly understand color theory, you can mindfully choose to clash complementary colors for emotional impact! When you know the principles of composition, you can intentionally break them to create tension!
This isn’t about rebellion for rebellion’s sake – it’s about making informed choices that serve your artistic vision.
What fundamentals do you know in your art that you’ve been able to break after having the foundation? Or, where can you go to start learning the foundation?
“It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.” — Jean-Luc Godard
Do you ever have that fleeting feeling of fear that once you get started in your art, everything will have already been done? Because same.
Here’s the secret: it has been – just not by you.
Not with your perspective, your experiences, or your unique way of mixing things up. Think about pop music today — musicians who are using practically the same chords of a song that was done 20 or 30 years ago and building an entirely new world of sound around it.
| Storytime: My friend Cat and I were coworking the other day when we started humming “Put Your Hearts Up” by Ariana Grande together. I then realized, “hey, it sounds like “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes.Of course, STATiC’s trusty musical knowledge was just a few inches away — and he said “check out who the producer of Ariana Grande’s song is.” Turns out, it was Linda Perry, who was the lead singer in 4 Non Blondes!This was a bit more intentional as the choruses intentionally share the same melody — but it’s still a nod to the idea that songwriters are constantly working together to create new and reimagined work — sometimes literally pulling from their old songs! |
Creativity is akin to a chef’s kitchen. We all have access to the same ingredients, but it’s the unexpected combinations, the personal touches, and that *special something* that only you can bring that creates something entirely new.
(Why did that *special something* remind me of that *special someone* scene in Elf? I guess I’m really getting in the Christmas spirit!)
3. “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination…” ― Jim Jarmusch
I love that so many of these famous artist quotes reveal the shared experiences of creative minds throughout history.
But this quote in particular might feel like a punch to the gut at first.
No originality? At all?!
But hang on – Jarmusch is simply inviting us to become collectors of moments, feelings, and inspiration. To build your own creative library, filled with everything that makes your soul light up.
Think about how Van Gogh devoured Japanese prints, how Picasso was transformed by African masks, how modern street artists remix classical paintings.
They’re not copying, but rather having a conversation across time and space, adding their voices to an endless creative dialogue.
You might have felt analysis paralysis when creating your art — feeling like everything you do has already been done before. And that’s okay. Instead, lean into your unique perspective. What do you think about something?
You can make a strong point of view about anything — that’s something I learned at the William Esper Studio.
Your unique point of view is the seedbed of your next project.
4. “To be creative means to be in love with life…” ― Osho
These quotes on inspiration and creativity show us that even the masters struggled with self-doubt.
Want to know the real secret to endless creativity? Fall head over heels in love with the world around you.
Notice how sunlight catches in a coffee cup, how conversations overlap in a busy café. I find so much joy when I’m thrifting and see some vintage furniture or decor that flutters in my soul.
Be absolutely delighted by the things around you with child-like joy. Being a creative is about tapping into that inner child and being fascinated by seemingly “small” moments, things, or interactions.
The most intentional, abundant creators collect moments like stamps. They turn everyday scenes into extraordinary art. So what will you choose to find childlike joy in today?
| Do quotes inspire the heck out of you, too? Queue up these 10 Law of Attraction quotes, next! |
5. “An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.” ― Oscar Wilde
Out of all these quotes on creativity, I love that this dares you to find the edge. Playing it safe is the riskiest thing you can do in creativity.
I’m sure people laughed at the idea of carrying thousands of songs in your pocket — fast forward to now, and who do you know doesn’t have an iPhone (or a smartphone that was inspired by the iPhone)?
The trick is both having wild ideas and having the courage to pursue them.
Next time you catch yourself thinking “but what will people think?” — that’s probably exactly the idea you should explore.
6. “One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
And right when we thought we were done with the dare-devil-inspired artistic motivation quotes — Nietzsche came to play!
Mess is good. That swirling storm of half-formed ideas, doubts, and possibilities? That’s where the magic happens.
In fact, my acting teacher called the first year or so of our acting journey at the school the “dirty diaper” phase. As long as we were putting out ideas out there and taking risks, it was going to feel sloppy and disjointed — and that’s exactly the process.
Your creative chaos is as unique as your fingerprint, and just as valuable! At the beginning, don’t try to organize your process into neat little boxes — that’s where analysis paralysis will end the party.
Let your ideas crash into each other! Let them make a mess! Dare to be a little shambly at the beginning.
Wildness can be tamed, but safety rarely learns to dance.
| Would some quotes about magic tickle your fancy? You got it, friend. 🫶 |
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.” ― Leonardo da Vinci
These inspirational creativity sayings have guided countless artists through their creative journey — but this one just might take the cake when it comes to creativity and spirituality.
(Plus, isn’t it so poetic?)
Coming from history’s quintessential Renaissance man — an inventor, artist, anatomist, and visionary — this quote reminds us that creative work is far more than just making pretty things.
When you sit down to create, you’re drawing from the entire breadth of human experience. Your childhood memories, that sunset you saw last week, the way your grandmother’s hands looked when she baked. It’s all there, waiting to be transformed.
Every time you put pencil to paper, brush to canvas, or fingers to keyboard, you’re building something that’s never existed before. You’re taking pieces of the universe and rearranging them into new constellations.
When you feel overwhelmed, overworked, or overstimulated — I want you to remember that you have a power simply by being you. You are enough. And you have everything you need right now to start your work.
Designers arrange elements to shape how people interact with the world. Dancers translate music into physical poetry. Even business entrepreneurs are artists in their way, visualizing possibilities that don’t yet exist and bringing them into reality.
Your creative mind is infinite. You carry within you every sunrise you’ve ever seen, every story you’ve ever heard, every emotion you’ve ever felt.
Your hands — whether they hold a paintbrush, a camera, a guitar, or a keyboard — are the tools that make these internal universes tangible. They cast spells.
Your creative process may be one of your closest brushes with magic in this tangible world, turning nothing into something beautiful.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ― Maya Angelou
Myself and many other studying actors were terrified in acting school as we would go through exercises, exploring different “meanings” in our lives.
We started accessing rich emotional lives in our work — we’d find what made us cry, laugh uncontrollably, get angrier than we’ve ever gotten — and we were scared.
What if we’re using up all of our creativity?
I know we weren’t alone in our thinking. Many artists operate from a place of scarcity, treating creativity like a limited well that might run dry. It’s a totally valid and understandable fear to have!
But Maya Angelou understood something profound about the creative spirit — it’s not a finite resource, but a self-regenerating force.
Think about your own creative journey. Remember those times when one idea sparked another, and another, until you could barely keep up with the flow?
Every creative act strengthens your artistic muscles and opens new neural pathways in your brain. It’s compound interest for your imagination.
Professional artists don’t wait for inspiration to strike – they show up daily, knowing that consistent creative practice actually generates more creativity. Writers who commit to daily writing often find they have more ideas, not fewer.
Musicians who compose regularly discover that each piece leads naturally to the next.
It’s a beautiful paradox: the more you create, the more creative you become.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” ― Brené Brown
Brown’s research revealed something fascinating about creativity that many artists intuitively understand: our best work often comes from our most exposed places.
Think about the art that’s moved you most deeply — chances are it came from someone brave enough to share their truth, their pain, or their joy without filters.
This vulnerability shows up differently across creative fields. For writers, it might mean sharing personal stories that make them feel naked on the page.
For musicians, perhaps it’s writing lyrics that reveal their deepest fears or hopes.
The biggest mind shift for me in this Brené Brown quote is that vulnerability isn’t about exposure, but about possibility.
When we dare to be vulnerable in our art, we create space for genuine connection. We give others permission to be vulnerable too.
Real innovation happens in that brave space between what’s safe and what’s true.
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” ― Ken Robinson
Robinson’s insight cuts to the heart of what blocks adult creativity.
Watch children at play – they’re natural innovators because they haven’t internalized the fear of judgment!
They’ll sing at the top of their lungs, dance like nobody’s watching, and create elaborate stories without wondering if they’re “good enough.”
This fearlessness is what many successful artists have to deliberately reclaim. The most innovative art often comes from breaking rules and challenging conventions.
But you can’t break rules effectively if you’re paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes. Every creative breakthrough in history started with someone willing to be wrong, to look foolish, to try something that might not work.
Lady Gaga spent years being mocked and made fun of because of her bold choices. But right now, I think many people have a different perception of her — one of respect and admiration of her talent in singing and acting. She took lots and lots of risks in order to get here, and had to face that fear of being “wrong” in order to thrive in her career!
“Rejection is an opportunity for your selection.” ― Bernard Branson
Instead of seeing rejection as a dead end, Branson frames it as a redirecting force.
Every “no” helps refine your direction and clarify your path.
Consider the stories of now-famous artists who faced initial rejection. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected by 12 publishers.
Van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime. The Beatles were turned down by Decca Records. But these were all stepping stones to finding the right audience, the right timing, the right opportunity.
When you’re creating, think of rejection as your compass. Each “no” helps you understand your vision better, refine your craft, and find your true artistic voice.
The key is to stay in motion, to keep creating and submitting and trying, knowing that every rejection brings you closer to where you need to be.
Those college mainstage shows I was devastated that I wasn’t cast in? Gave me time to practice other work instead. Pushed me to get better at my auditioning. Inspired me to go to the Esper Studio to study acting.
When one door closes, we can’t waste too much time staring at it.
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Your journey can be beautiful. 🫶
