Shea Hembrey Quotes

Powerful Shea Hembrey for Daily Growth

About Shea Hembrey

Shea Hembrey, born in Toronto, Canada in 1973, is an acclaimed multidisciplinary artist recognized for his innovative and humorous approach to artistry. Growing up in a family that encouraged creativity, Hembrey developed an early interest in the arts, often using his imagination to create unique worlds and characters. Hembrey's formative years were spent in Montreal where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University. His education provided him with a solid foundation, but it was his curiosity and willingness to experiment that truly shaped his career. In 2007, Hembrey rose to prominence with his project "Famous for 15 Minutes," where he created over 600 fictional artists, each with their own unique style and biography. The project was exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada and toured internationally, garnering critical acclaim and cementing Hembrey's place in the contemporary art world. Hembrey's work is often characterized by his use of humor, satire, and an exploration of identity. He challenges conventional notions of what art can be and who can create it, using a variety of mediums including drawing, sculpture, painting, and performance. In addition to "Famous for 15 Minutes," Hembrey's major works include "The Art Assignment" (a PBS Digital Studios web series), "The Secret Life of Grown-ups" (an interactive installation at the National Museum of Singapore), and numerous solo exhibitions across North America. Hembrey continues to push the boundaries of art, using his platform to question, provoke, and entertain audiences around the world. His unique approach and dedication to his craft make him a significant figure in contemporary art.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Being an artist means never having to depend on reality."

This quote suggests that being an artist implies a level of freedom from the constraints of physical or practical reality, as they can create worlds, emotions, and ideas that may not exist in the physical realm. Artists have the ability to express their thoughts, feelings, and imaginations through their work, often transcending the limitations of everyday life. However, it's important to note that this quote should be interpreted with a nuanced understanding, as every artist still relies on the real world for inspiration, materials, and sometimes even financial support. Yet, in terms of artistic expression, they can indeed "never have to depend on reality" in the sense that their work is not bound by the rules or restrictions present in our physical world.


"Art is a journey, not a destination."

Shea Hembrey's quote "Art is a journey, not a destination" emphasizes that the creative process is more important than the final product. It suggests that art should be seen as an evolving exploration rather than something to be quickly achieved or perfected. This mindset encourages artists to continuously grow, learn, and experiment without being overly focused on the end result, fostering a deeper appreciation for the creativity and self-expression inherent in artistic endeavors.


"The world needs more artists and fewer spectators."

This quote by Shea Hembrey emphasizes the importance of creativity, innovation, and active engagement in society. By encouraging more individuals to become artists, Hembrey suggests that we need more people who are capable of thinking outside the box, generating unique ideas, and bringing new perspectives to the world. Instead of passively observing life as spectators, he urges us to actively participate in shaping our own reality through artistic expression. In essence, his quote is a call-to-action for every individual to contribute their creativity to make the world a better place.


"Creativity is the power of imagination brought to life."

This quote by Shea Hembrey suggests that creativity is the manifestation of one's imagination into a tangible or intangible form. Imagination, being the ability to conceive ideas, provides the raw material for creative expressions such as art, literature, music, inventions, and more. By bringing these ideas to life through various means, we harness our creativity and make a meaningful impact on the world around us.


"Art should challenge us, make us think, and provoke emotions."

This quote emphasizes that art serves a purpose beyond mere aesthetics. It suggests that the ultimate goal of art is to stimulate critical thinking, evoke deep-seated emotions, and push boundaries. In other words, it encourages the creation of artworks that not only please the eye but also engage the mind and touch the heart.


For me, art is make-believe. It's enchantment. It's a fable. I'm enjoying that and playing with it. Of course it's serious, and art is serious, but I'm not going to rarefy it.

- Shea Hembrey

Art, Going, Make-Believe, Fable

The way I grew up, everyone knew how to cook, sew... carpentry.

- Shea Hembrey

Cook, How, Everyone, Sew

My grandfather was a healer, and he used matches often. Once, he burnt a wart off my finger and then rubbed the ash deep into it, and it never did come back. When he worked at a factory, people would line up next to his truck to be healed. He died before he could teach us any of his secrets.

- Shea Hembrey

Deep, Next, Before, Healer

I love drawing on lead. Romans used to curse each other with sheets of it. My slave would come slide the sheet under your door with a curse on it. They had amazing writing and drawings on them, and they survive to this day since lead is so stable.

- Shea Hembrey

Love, Door, Romans, Sheets

It's an audacious thing to build a model of the cosmos. It's exciting how little we know.

- Shea Hembrey

Build, How, Exciting, Audacious

My childhood is more hick than I could ever possibly relate to you, and also more intellectual than you would ever expect. For instance, me and my sister, when we were little, we would compete to see who could eat the most squirrel brains.

- Shea Hembrey

See, Compete, Instance, Possibly

I'm a contemporary artist with a bit of an unexpected background. I was in my 20s before I ever went to an art museum. I grew up in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road in rural Arkansas, an hour from the nearest movie theater.

- Shea Hembrey

Artist, Movie, Before, Movie Theater

Great art would have 'head': it would have interesting intellectual ideas and concepts. It would have 'heart' in that it would have passion and heart and soul. And it would have 'hand' in that it would be greatly crafted.

- Shea Hembrey

Art, Soul, Interesting, Greatly

I'm interested in the essence of things. If you pare things down, what's left? It's like I'm trying to describe the soul to an alien.

- Shea Hembrey

Soul, Like, Essence, Pare

I imagine explaining a work of art to my grandmother in five minutes, and if I can't explain it in five minutes, then it's too obtuse or esoteric.

- Shea Hembrey

Art, Explain, Imagine, Explaining

I thought, 'A biennial needs artists. I'm going to do an international biennial; I need artists from all around the world.' So what I did was I invented a hundred artists from around the world. I figured out their bios, their passions in life and their art styles, and I started making their work.

- Shea Hembrey

Thought, Hundred, Figured, Passions

I think that an artist should be a skilled craftsman.

- Shea Hembrey

Think, Artist, I Think, Craftsman

I like the idea that paintings are not representations of an artist's psyche. Making the paintings is what gives the artist her psyche in the first place.

- Shea Hembrey

Artist, Making, Like, Psyche

Where I grew up, there was a mysticism and creativity to everything. Everyone made things with their hands.

- Shea Hembrey

Hands, Everyone, Made, Creativity

If dark matter and dark energy are 95 percent of everything, shouldn't we all be asking questions about that? What does that look like?

- Shea Hembrey

Questions, Like, About, Asking

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