"When I'm painting the picture, I'm really painting a picture. I may have a flat-footed technique, or something like that, but still, to me, the thrill, or the meat of the thing, is the actual painting. I don't get any thrill out of laying it out"

This quote by Frank Stella talks to the importance of the creative process of painting. He is emphasizing that the strategy used to produce the painting is secondary to the real painting itself. He is stating that the adventure of painting originates from the act of painting, not from the planning or preparation. He is suggesting that even if he has a "flat-footed technique," the joy of painting is still in the actual painting. This quote speaks to the significance of the innovative process and the joy that comes from creating something with your own hands. It likewise speaks with the concept that the strategy used to develop a painting is not as important as the painting itself. Stella is emphasizing that the excitement of painting comes from the act of painting, not from the planning or preparation.