When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens ways for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it, shows there are still more pages possible.

It seems to me that before a man tries to express anything in the world he must recognize in himself an individual, a new one, very distinct from others.

—Robert Henri, The Art Spirit (1923)