As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free. Patti Smith artistcitizenfree Change image and share on social
I'm not part of any movement; I don't like being fettered. Patti Smith fettermovementpart Change image and share on social
An artist may have burdens the ordinary citizen doesn't know, but the ordinary citizen has burdens that many artists never even touch. Patti Smith artistburdencitizen Change image and share on social
I think we have a creative impulse where suffering can magnify our work, but so can joy. You can be in love and write the greatest love song ever. Sometimes I think too much suffering makes it difficult to do one's work. Patti Smith creativedifficultgreat share on social
I was raised Jehovah's Witness. I was in Bible school at five or six years old, but I wouldn't say that we were a religious family. Patti Smith biblefamilyjehovah Change image and share on social
We have such a great depth of human history in all of the arts, whether it's opera or mathematics or painting or classical music or jazz. There's so many things to study, new books to read, and certainly always ways to transform old ideas and to come up with new ones. Patti Smith artbookclassical share on social
My mother and father had so many ups and downs and stayed with each other and helped each other. My mother took in ironing and she was a waitress. My father was working in the factory and he did people's tax returns. Patti Smith downfactoryfather share on social
Of course, every artist has 'minor works' that they do, but I don't think I have any 'minor disciplines.' Each discipline I approach as a major undertaking that I put my whole self into. Patti Smith approachartistdiscipline Change image and share on social
