It is only too true that a lot of artists are mentally ill—it's a life which, to put it mildly, makes one an outsider. I'm all right when I completely immerse myself in work, but I'll always remain half crazy.

—Vincent Van Gogh

art work mental illness crazy outsider immersion

More quotations from Vincent Van Gogh

While the fates permit, live happily; life speeds on with hurried step, and with winged days the wheel of the headlong year is turned.

—Vincent Van Gogh

When I have a terrible need of—shall I say the word—religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.

—Vincent Van Gogh

religion art need painting

I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.

—Vincent Van Gogh

colors night day liveliness

I have had a very thin time of it these days. My money ran out on Thursday, and I have lived for four days on twenty-three cups of coffee.

—Vincent Van Gogh

I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.

—Vincent Van Gogh

More quotations tagged with “work”

Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I do not think we shall ever escape from the appalling squirrel-cage of economic confusion in which we have been madly turning for the last three centuries or so, the cage in which we landed ourselves by acquiescing in a social system based upon envy and avarice.

—Dorothy L. Sayers

economics work envy avarice

The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.

—Ginger Rogers

life enjoyment work earning

There is no prejudice that the work of art does not finally overcome.

prejudice art work

You have to surrender to the fact that you are of too many in a highly competitive field where it is difficult to stand out. Over time, through your work, you will demonstrate who you are and what you bring to the field. Just stay with it and keep working.

time work surrender acting differentiation

There's a stereotype that black people are lazy. I don't know if that's true, but I know white people went all the way to Africa to get out of doing work.

—Lance Crouther

work laziness black people stereotypes

History

17 Dec 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

It is only too true that a lot of artists are mentally ill — it's a life which, to put it mildly, makes one an outsider. I'm all right when I completely immerse myself in work, but I'll always remain half crazy.