Corita Kent Quotes

Powerful Corita Kent for Daily Growth

About Corita Kent

Corita Kent (born Frances Elizabeth Kent; December 22, 1918 – June 18, 1986) was an American Roman Catholic nun, artist, and educator known for her vibrant pop art, serigraphs, and spiritual-themed works. Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Corita Kent, initially named Frances Elizabeth Kent, exhibited artistic talent from a young age. She received her first formal training at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn before joining the Immaculate Heart of Mary religious order in 1936 at age 18. As a nun, she continued her artistic pursuits while teaching high school art in Los Angeles and later at the Immaculate Heart College (IHC). In the early 1960s, Kent became influenced by the contemporary pop art movement and began incorporating everyday images and text into her work. Her iconic series "The Wisdom Series" was created during this time, a collection of serigraph prints that combined sacred and secular imagery in a bold, colorful style. Kent's major works include "Love," a 27-foot-long mosaic commissioned for the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in 1967; "Gratitude" and "Hope," two serigraph prints created for the Boston College Library in 1974; and "Crossroads," a series of ten serigraphs exploring themes of peace, justice, and spirituality. In 1968, Kent left active teaching to devote herself fully to art, eventually leaving the convent in 1969 and marrying Maciunas Vyzas (Jack) McKee in 1972. Throughout her life, Corita Kent's work was profoundly influenced by her Catholic faith, spirituality, and social justice. Her art is celebrated for its vibrant colors, thought-provoking themes, and ability to uplift and inspire viewers around the world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God."

This quote by Corita Kent emphasizes that creativity, a unique human ability, is a divine gift bestowed upon us by the universe or a higher power. In turn, when we harness this gift and apply it in our daily lives, especially in creating art, music, literature, inventions, etc., we are giving back to this source of inspiration. This perspective encourages us to view our creative pursuits not just as personal endeavors but as acts of gratitude for the gifts we've been given, thereby fostering a sense of connection between humanity and the divine.


"Love everything that survives. Care for the few things that are still wild."

This quote encourages an appreciation for resilience in life and nature, emphasizing the importance of caring for the rare, wild, and untamed aspects of our world. It suggests a deep respect for the enduring strength of all things and promotes the idea that nurturing these remnants contributes to a more balanced and fulfilling existence.


"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

This quote emphasizes that belief in one's dreams is a powerful tool for shaping the future. It suggests that individuals with unwavering faith in their aspirations are more likely to achieve them, as they persistently work towards making their visions a reality. Essentially, Kent posits that optimism and confidence in one's dreams are crucial ingredients for success and progress.


"Dare to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

This quote encourages a balance between cunning wisdom (wisdom as serpents) and gentleness (harmlessness as doves). It suggests that one should possess shrewdness in navigating the world, yet remain compassionate and avoid causing harm to others. The message is to strive for wisdom in making decisions and understanding complex situations, but always act with kindness and consideration.


"There is always room at the top, but there's no ceiling on how high you can bounce back from a setback."

This quote by Corita Kent suggests that there are infinite possibilities for growth and success, with the implication that one should never stop striving for improvement. Even when faced with setbacks or failures, it encourages resilience and emphasizes that these instances do not determine one's ultimate destination or potential. Instead, they provide an opportunity to learn, adapt, and rise higher than before, as there is no limit on the height of recovery from adversity. Essentially, the quote communicates a positive, hopeful, and inspiring message about personal growth and overcoming obstacles in life.


That's why people listen to music or look at paintings. To get in touch with that wholeness.

- Corita Kent

Music, Art, Wholeness, Paintings

Words have life and must be cared for. If they are stolen for ugly uses or careless slang or false promotion work, they need to be brought back to their original meaning - back to their roots.

- Corita Kent

Original, Need, Brought, Slang

Women's liberation is the liberation of the feminine in the man and the masculine in the woman.

- Corita Kent

Women, Woman, Masculine, Liberation

In the eighteenth century, it was ladies and gentlemen and swings in a garden; today, it may be Campbell's soup cans or highway signs. There is no real difference. The artist still takes his everyday world and tries to make something out of it.

- Corita Kent

Artist, Soup, Tries, Ladies

Love the moment and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries.

- Corita Kent

Love, Inspirational, Will, Energy

Take an exhibit, in the days when we saw the Pop art - Andy Warhol and all that - tomato soup cans, etc., and coming home, you saw everything like A. Warhol.

- Corita Kent

Art, Soup, Warhol, Cans

Groceries became a revelation: the people coming out with bundles of food. It's all like a great ceremony, and the whole drudgery of shopping has become my inspiration.

- Corita Kent

Like, Revelation, Became, Drudgery

When someone drew a picture of Pope John wearing an Avis 'We try harder' button, those words no longer meant which car rental to patronize, and yet some of the overtones from its original meaning are there and make a contribution to the new situation.

- Corita Kent

Some, Pope, Button, Patronize

Someone remarked that the newspapers or the news magazines are the same as the psalms except that the names changed in the stories. Maybe you can't understand the psalms without understanding the newspaper and the other way around.

- Corita Kent

News, Newspaper, Other, Changed

When art has changed, it's because the world was changing.

- Corita Kent

Art, World, Because, Changed

I am not brave enough to not pay my income tax and risk going to jail. But I can say rather freely what I want to say with my art.

- Corita Kent

Art, Income, Going, Freely

You can enjoy the quality of the ad and not let them pressure you to buy what you don't really need. I have had fun taking back superlatives and just ordinary good words and phrases from ads and trying to restore some of their life to them.

- Corita Kent

Some, Buy, Good Words, Taking

A painting is a symbol for the universe. Inside it, each piece relates to the other. Each piece is only answerable to the rest of that little world. So, probably in the total universe, there is that kind of total harmony, but we get only little tastes of it.

- Corita Kent

Rest, Harmony, Symbol, Answerable

Life is a succession of moments, to live each one is to succeed.

- Corita Kent

Life, Moments, Each One, Succession

Damn everything but the circus.

- Corita Kent

Damn, Everything, Circus

Flowers grow out of dark moments.

- Corita Kent

Flowers, Sympathy, Grow, Dark

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