Joni Mitchell Thinking Quotations

Because I'm so busy and because I think of myself as a painter, I desperately guard the time that I have to paint. And sometimes I'm irresponsible to my career in order to paint. Because painting is obsessive. I forget to eat. I forget to sleep.

I wanted to paint in a folk-artist-y way. My heroes were Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, and Rembrandt. I think Picasso is about as a modern as I got. But I incorporated things that they rejected as well as movements that happened later.

I know my generation - a lot of them, they're getting old now, and they want to think back fondly, they want to kid themselves. A lot of them think, 'Yeah, we were the best.' That's the kiss of death. That's non-growth. And also that's very bad for the world.

The Beginning of Survival is my best album. I am very proud of it, and I am surprised at it, too. I thought some of Travelogue was a little heavy, but I don't think this is heavy.

I think I would go further into fine arts, I think, if I were to continue.

I don't know how to sell out. If I tried to sell out I don't think I could.

I didn't think I had much of a following in the south. I thought I was anonymous down there so I kept to the south. I found in certain pockets that I was quite recognizable, and I just hit a wig store.

Musically, I don't think I'd ever dry up. I trust my musical invention.

Because Elvis gave 'em cars, you think I'm cheap.

Innocence is drowned in anarchy. The best lack conviction given time to think, and the worst are full of passion without mercy.

Everybody's saying hell's the hippest way to go. Well, I don't think so, but I'm gonna take a look around it though.

When I think of your kisses my mind see-saws.