Lynda Barry Quotes

Powerful Lynda Barry for Daily Growth

About Lynda Barry

Lynda Barry is an acclaimed American cartoonist, writer, and educator whose work spans over four decades. Born on February 2, 1956, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Barry developed a love for storytelling and art from a young age. Growing up, she was heavily influenced by comics, cartoons, and the vibrant world of her imagination. Barry attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied art and psychology. It was during this time that she began creating the comic strip "Ernie Pook's Comeek," which would later become a platform for her to express her unique voice and tackle complex themes like memory, creativity, and mental health. In 1978, Barry's work caught the attention of alternative weekly newspapers, and "Ernie Pook's Comeek" was syndicated in several publications. The strip ran until 2008, making Barry a household name among comic enthusiasts and literati alike. Barry's first book, "The Greatest of Marlys," published in 1987, showcased her ability to weave poignant stories with humor and emotional depth. Her subsequent works include "Cruddy" (1992), a graphic novel that deals with themes of abuse, adolescence, and artistic expression; "One! Hundred! Demons!" (1998), an exploration of the creative process and mental health; and "What It Is" (2008), a graphic memoir that delves into Barry's childhood and her struggle with creativity. In addition to her written works, Barry is also renowned for her innovative teaching methods. She developed the Unified Scene of Writing (U-SOW) system, which encourages students to tap into their imaginations and create visual narratives. This method has been adopted by educators worldwide. Today, Lynda Barry continues to push the boundaries of comic art, storytelling, and education, inspiring generations with her unique voice and artistic vision.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Everybody is born an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist as we grow up."

This quote by Lynda Barry suggests that every individual has an innate creativity and artistic ability, which is present at birth. As individuals mature and navigate through life's experiences, they may lose touch with their original artistic selves due to societal expectations, education, or other factors. The challenge lies in maintaining this creative spirit and continuing to express oneself artistically as one grows up.


"Art is a way to make your soul grow, and the soul you save may be your own."

Lynda Barry's quote emphasizes that artistic expression serves not only to impact others but primarily to foster personal growth. By creating art, we nurture our inner selves, fostering emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness. This self-discovery can ultimately lead to a more meaningful life and overall well-being, making it essential for preserving one's mental health and vitality.


"I believe that we all have a natural desire to create, to make sense of our lives in some physical form."

This quote by Lynda Barry suggests that people inherently possess an innate drive to express themselves creatively and find meaning in their life experiences. In other words, the urge to create art, literature, music, or any form of self-expression stems from a fundamental human desire to understand and interpret our personal lives in a tangible way. This act of creation not only helps us process our emotions and thoughts but also serves as a means of connection with others, fostering empathy and understanding among individuals.


"One of the things that I always knew was that art is not just for making pretty things; it's a way of thinking, a way of seeing."

This quote by Lynda Barry suggests that art is not solely about creating aesthetically pleasing objects, but rather, it serves as a mode of thinking and perceiving the world. In essence, art is a tool for understanding, interpreting, and expressing complex ideas and experiences in unique ways. It's a means to cultivate creativity, empathy, and critical thinking skills – ultimately enriching our lives beyond the creation of mere "pretty things."


"What I really believe is that if you can draw a person, any person, then you can make art about anything."

This quote by Lynda Barry suggests that the ability to draw people is a foundational skill in creating art, and mastering it allows one to express their creativity and emotions effectively on various themes. In essence, if an artist can depict a human figure convincingly, they possess the toolkit necessary to communicate complex ideas, stories, or feelings through their artwork. This viewpoint emphasizes that art is not limited to a specific subject matter but rather encompasses any topic or emotion one wishes to explore, given that they have honed their skills in drawing figures.


For horror movies, color is reassuring because, at least in older films, it adds to the fakey-ness.

- Lynda Barry

Movies, Horror, Films, Reassuring

I think of images as an immune system and a transit system.

- Lynda Barry

Think, I Think, Images, Transit

Part of a horror movie has to be a bit fakey for me to really enjoy it. The new ones are so realistic that they distract me from the ride through the horror.

- Lynda Barry

New, Through, Horror, Horror Movie

I am not sure how much I would like being married if I wasn't married to him. A man who likes flea markets and isn't gay? I knew I was lucky.

- Lynda Barry

Lucky, Like, Sure, Flea

I tried to be like the richer kids as much as I could because I wanted to live on their streets, at least hang out on their streets and eat their amazing food and walk barefoot on their shag carpets. I became something of a pest in that way, and in general, other people's parents didn't like me.

- Lynda Barry

Other, Hang, Became, Pest

The thing that really struck me when I went to junior high was class. I grew up on a pretty poor street, but the school district I was in included some fine neighborhoods - so I got to know a couple of the kids from those places and went to their houses and experienced such culture shock.

- Lynda Barry

Some, Got, Couple, Junior

There was a beautiful time in the beginning when I just did it and didn't analyze the consequences, but I think that time ends in everyone's work.

- Lynda Barry

Beginning, Think, I Think, Analyze

No one stopped me from playing when I was alone, but there were times when I wasn't able to, though I wanted to... There were times when nothing played back. Writers call it 'writer's block.' For kids there are other names for that feeling, though kids don't usually know them.

- Lynda Barry

Alone, Back, Other, Block

Whenever I do a book, I'm usually guided by a question or something that I'm trying to tease out.

- Lynda Barry

Question, Tease, Whenever, Guided

For 'Picture This,' I wanted it to be a drawing book that didn't have any instructions about drawing, beyond the real simple stuff you'd find like in a Bazooka bubblegum wrapper, or in 'Highlights' magazine. I just wanted it to be feelings about looking and seeing and pictures.

- Lynda Barry

Book, Instructions, About, Highlights

Love is an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.

- Lynda Barry

Love, Smoke, Exploding, Willingly

The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad it's there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble in the story, your kingdom isn't dead.

- Lynda Barry

Happy, May, Though, Hardly

I've gotten a lot of livid letters about the awfulness of my work. I've never known what to make of it. Why do people bother to write if they hate what I do?

- Lynda Barry

Work, Bother, Gotten, Letters

I started doing cartoons when I was about 21. I never thought I would be a cartoonist. It happened behind my back. I was always a painter and drawer.

- Lynda Barry

Doing, Behind, Always, Drawer

I remember my comic strips being called 'new wave.' It bugged me.

- Lynda Barry

New, I Remember, Being, Comic Strips

It's one thing to have a relationship, to lay your hands on it, and another to make it continue and last. That's something I haven't talked about much in my comic strips, and it's certainly something I'm interested in.

- Lynda Barry

Hands, Another, About, Comic Strips

In my writing class, we never, ever talk about the writing - ever. We never address a story that's been read. I also won't let anyone look at the person who's reading. No eye contact; everybody has to draw a spiral. And I would like to do a drawing class where we could talk about anything except for the drawing. No one could even mention it.

- Lynda Barry

Been, Everybody, About, Spiral

I used to live a very social life and never spend much solitary time looking at birds or reading.

- Lynda Barry

Solitary, Social, Very, Social Life

Sometimes I think I'm the craziest person on the planet.

- Lynda Barry

Think, Person, I Think, Craziest

I found myself compelled - like this weird, shameful compulsion - to draw cute animals.

- Lynda Barry

Weird, Found, Compulsion, Shameful

It's much easier to teach writing, because people are less shy about writing. If they're in a group, nobody can see what they're writing. When you're drawing, people get a little more nervous.

- Lynda Barry

Teach, Shy, More, Group

It's not hard for me to be funny in front of people, but most of that is just horrified nerves taking the form of what makes people laugh, and afterwards I'd always feel dreadfully depressed, kind of self-induced bi-polar disorder.

- Lynda Barry

Kind, Always, Afterwards, Laugh

I listen like mad to any conversation taking place next to me just trying to hear why this is funny. Women's restrooms are especially great. I wash my hands twice waiting for people to come in and start talking.

- Lynda Barry

Waiting, Hands, Next, Conversation

When I was working on 'Freddie,' I had been trying to write it on a computer for many, many years, but that delete button just won't let anything go forward.

- Lynda Barry

Forward, Go, Been, Button

'What It Is' was based on this class I've been teaching for 10 years - I wanted to write a book about writing that didn't mention stuff like story structure, protagonists, and all those things that we know about only because they already exist in stories.

- Lynda Barry

Book, Been, About, Protagonists

If I didn't try to eavesdrop on every bus ride I take or look for the humor when I go for a walk, I would just be depressed all the time.

- Lynda Barry

Ride, Bus, Go, Depressed

My strips are not always funny, and they can be pretty grim at times, and I know I lose readers because of it, but I can't do anything about it - my work is very much connected to something I need to do in order to feel stable.

- Lynda Barry

Feel, Very, About, Stable

We don't create a fantasy world to escape reality. We create it to be able to stay.

- Lynda Barry

World, Fantasy, Able, Escape

Playing and fun are not the same thing, though when we grow up we may forget that and find ourselves mixing up playing with happiness. There can be a kind of amnesia about the seriousness of playing, especially when we played by ourselves.

- Lynda Barry

Grow, May, Though, Seriousness

Cartoonist was the weirdest name I finally let myself have. I would never say it. When I heard it I silently thought, what an awful word.

- Lynda Barry

Myself, Thought, Finally, Weirdest

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