Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad.
Have no fear of perfection-you’ll never reach it. Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to sublimate them.
The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was a poet; the first to repeat it was an idiot.
The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.
At the age of six years I wanted to be a chef. At the age of seven I wanted to be Napoleon. My ambitions have continued to grow at the same rate ever since. Every morning when I awake, the greatest of joys is mine: that of being Salvador Dali. There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.
I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the person grow to look like his portrait.
Many people do not reach their eighties because they spend too much time in their forties.
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad.
by Salvador Dali
{ 127 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
never heard of you before or seen your work…inspired by your words,i wish had.
I really like the Art of Salvador Dali!
And this writing made me laugh out loud and feel great!
Thanks for publicize this one!
‘There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad’.
BRILLIANT!!!
I admit with regret that I’d never heard of Salvador Dali before. I’m glad you posted this. I’ve been reading all morning about this wonderful and fasinating personality.
If you are able to write the letter A, you are able to draw, for you are not writing letters, in fact you are drawing them. (This letter A should remind you of drawing the front of a house, at least the angel of the roof ?
yeah!
reminds me:
I recently found my first notebook that I had at school when learning to write … each letter was part of a drawing (first to have fun). then the “writing” exercise followed: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I remember what work it was and how strange the pencil felt in my hand ….
you should see the Ms and Os….
how hard it was to draw those letters fluently….
and today we write them automatically (and the Os look much better…)
how much practice is behind each letter ….
giggle
everytime i read your blog its so inspiring! and it’s brighten my day and night! thank you so much!
Terrific stuff. But do the idiots have a choice here? Repeat it if the outcome is joy…
Love you Paulo Coelho and Salavador Dali…u both r great human..
Art is the expressions of your inner thoughts everybody is a great artist.
Sr. Paulo Cohelo… Maestro!
Una vez mas es un placer leer sus blogs, estatus de facebook, el guerrero de la luz, etc. Sus libros son el recordatorio mas importante de como vivir mi vida. Gracias por compartir un poco acerca de Salvador Dali. Como artista no soy gran admiradora de lo surreal, muchisimas veces no entiendo que quiso decir Dali con todo esto… pero despues de visitar su museo en San Petersburgo, FL quede perpleja ante su talento. Aunque sigo sin entenderlo, como artista es excelente, y aunque sigue sin gustarme, sus obras son magnificas y van mas alla de cualquier otra cosa. Como individuo es una inspiracion al suceso de auto re-inventacion por el cual los artistas pasamos en ciertas etapas de nuestra vida – pero como Dali lo dice, tiene que ser una costumbre diaria… y una vez mi mente comienza a auto-procesar unas pocas frases celebres que le aprendi a usted, y que me recuerdan una vez mas, que hay que hecharle ganas a esto de vivir! Forever grateful… Sueno con atender a una de sus conferencias… algun dia!
“Many people do not reach their eighties because they spend too much time in their forties.”
How true is this quote!
never stay in a state fr long keep flowing like paulo’s book like the flowing river
that was as perfect and nice as usual. thanks for the nice and inspiring sentences.
i like this part a lot
“The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was a poet; the first to repeat it was an idiot.”
Por Dalí, aprendí a fijar la mirada en el vacío para poder verlo todo, a mirar con las visceras, a yuxtaponer los sentidos a amar un instante sin medida y muchas otras cosas…
very cute to hear wt ar u talking about , i’m so glad to read wt i want to hear …
Beautiful!
Reminds me of a poem of Kahlil Gibran, The Madman
THE MADMAN
It was in the garden of a madhouse that I met a youth with a face pale and lovely and full of wonder. And I sat beside him upon the bench, and I said, “Why are you here?”
And he looked at me in astonishment, and he said, “It is an unseemly question, yet I will answer you. My father would make of me a reproduction of himself; so also would my uncle. My mother would have me the image of her seafaring husband as the perfect example for me to follow. My brother thinks I should be like him, a fine athlete.
“And my teachers also, the doctor of philosophy, and the music-master, and the logician, they too were determined, and each would have me but a reflection of his own face in a mirror.
“Therefore I came to this place. I find it more sane here. At least, I can be myself.”
Then of a sudden he turned to me and he said, “But tell me, were you also driven to this place by education and good counsel?”
And I answered, “No, I am a visitor.”
And he answered, “Oh, you are one of those who live in the madhouse on the other side of the wall.”
Yes you are right…
Oh, this is so wonderful.
My parents took me to the madhouse because I didn’t become what they wanted me to be.:-))
In fact I am talking to Angels and they call it “MAD”!!! All the beating and drilling, the madhouse and the electroshocks couldn’t stop the existence of Angels in my life.
Yes, they are those who live in the madhouse on the other side of the wall…
love u paulo (A)
Two geniuses: my favourite writer is talking about my favourite artist in his blog. What could be better than that :)?
i can tell that it’s more than just amazing, and as an artist a agree with every single word !!!
very good. However, in your case, think you’re crazy adorable! And more, I’ve never been afraid of what people would think if you read it. I have read and loved it!
awesome!!!
It is simply about what is REAL. Ancient philosophers have deliberated the same question accross the landscape of time….Dali has his own unique phenomenological perspective and it is beguiling as it is intelligent. I too, am satisfied that a being of his ilk is part of our world.
Totally love the madness and the Master Coelho!
”Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand diffrent ways.” -Oscar Wilde
truely…the best thing that brings joy ,is the joy of being me…:)
I remember a story which the persons of Cadaques tell its comment. Cadaques is a village in Spain where he lived. It happened that persons roared under the windows of his house to have an othographe. When he was in a good mood, he told them to put a garment on the ground and he took up to the last floor of his house and threw an egg through the window. He roared in his turn: “Signed Dali”! Not madman. Simply lucid !
“Tu sais , ce n’est pas parce que tu es dans un endroit bourre de dingues que tu dois rechercher des symboles partout.” Jean-Louis 15 ans (“Un autre regard sur la folie”)
Взгляд Дали – взгляд человека, видящего то, что скрывается за горизонтом…
А мне бы такие усы…Мне бы такие бантики…Цветочки…Весна…
Миру – мир!
Dear Paulo,
This image is going to stay in my brain as a reminder.
Imperfections: In Melk, I saw this in the wine cellar. Cracks in the ceiling. They were beautiful. Full of character.
Love, Jane
…and that is truly what the artist does; he elevates the mundane to the sublime; he takes what is ordinary then he searches for, and coaxes forth something extraordinary out of it…and I think this is how we must treat life, if we do not want it to be no more than a series of days laid out from end to end.
If we would like to live a life that is full, and that holds more wonder, more beauty, more..satisfaction — then, we should exert a greater effort to find something extraordinary even in the simplest, basest things.
*applauds*
simply amazing.!!
Love
Paulo, em -ás margens do rio pedra…o amor de Maria se fez mais tangível pra mim. Obrigado!
The photo’s a tad bit scary..but there’s so much truth in the writing! imperfection allows us room to live life to the fullest!
Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.
Não tenha medo da perfeição – você nunca vai alcançá-lo.
Era um gênio mesmo; completo, com a aceitação de suas imperfeições. Linda escolha de texto, imagem e título!
Muito obrigada!
Beijos <3
Marvelous!! thanks for reminding that nobody can become perfect……and….by practicing imperfection only one creates a masterpiece…….
Definitivamente Dalí sabía muchísimo sobre el arte y aún años después de su muerte, es capaz de cautivarme y sorprenderme con este tipo de declaraciones tan audaces y tan REALES.
La lectura es un salvador dali pleasure.I siento muy feliz de venir aquí en su blog por primera vez. “El primer hombre en comparar las mejillas de una joven de una rosa fue obviamente un poeta; el primero en repetirlo fue posiblemente un idiota.” Yo no creo que sea correcto, pero el genio de Dalí me hace pensar así.
self-love at its best.
One of my professors was saying this past wednesday: “You can only tell a story you know” (Dr Leslie King Hammond)
I totally agree with Dali’s statement.
Difference between a madman and an artist? None! Lol I joke.
I go to an art college. The frenzy of expressing our inner selves daily and being near creativity 24/7 is what makes us appear mad to people looking from the outside.
But when these same people summon the courage to associate with us, the “virus” always catches on, spreads like an epidemic. Our natural habitat was supposed to be a creative one where expressing our souls (and thus evolving them?) is our sole priority.
Life through the lens of an artist is… gorgeous!
Great artist with great thoughts. :-)
My goodness! What a wonderful entry to wake up to! Dali was truly unique. I love his work. The photo is a wonderful example of his mind.
In madness there can be escape, and sometimes, great clarity. Never laugh at a madman.
I like what you said…about we not riching 80s…. lol
Dali the painter of dreams
Hello, All…..Dont know Dali…From the photo looks mad to me…Flowers growing from mustache so the bees can take nectar from Dali’s mustache…
And I am mad about you although I’m not a mad man !!!
everything about the picture is deep!!
Classic!!
Non, je ne suis pas folle, simplement differente.
Na verdade, foi só um meio que achei vc que poderia ler uma coisa que tenho para te falar, mas se vc nem chegar a ler, também não há problemas, já estou feliz por ter tomado a iniciativa.
Na verdade é só uma confissão e também um agradecimento.
Eu tinha uma espécie de “preconceito” contra Paulo Coelho, ou talvez uma birra ignorante e infundada, pois nao sabia absolutamente nada do que se tratavam suas obras e muito menos alguma coisa sobre vc.
Certa vez uma tia me emprestou alguns livros, e dentre eles tinha dois Paulo Coelhos, que de cara ignorei. Passei anos com esses livros na mesinha de cabeceira da cama sem nunca nem folhea-los. Só para dar uma de intelectual com uma pilha de livros ao lado da cama.
Um dia totalmente sem sono, domingo a noite, resolvi pegar o Paulo Coelho achando – ridiculamente – que me dariam sono! E foi aí mesmo que nao consegui dormir, nao consegui parar de ler!! O livro em questao, só por curiosidade e se é que vc se interessa, é o Onze Minutos, terminei de ler no dia seguinte e aqui me faltam as palavras, pois ainda o estou digerindo!
Muito obrigada!
engraçado é que ontem estava lendo uma pesquisa sobre isso. Obrigado pelo post, sincronicidade e sinal.
“the drogs…I am the drogs (a droga sou eu)” Salvador Dalì en uma entrevista
Salvador Dalí….a genius
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →