Agnes Martin Quotes

Quotes about:

• Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings.

  Agnes Martin

  Art, Feelings, Emotion

  "Perfection Is in the Mind". Interview with Joan Simon, August 21, 1995.

  67 Copy quote

• Of all the pitfalls in our paths and the tremendous delays and wanderings off the track, I want to say that they are not what they seem to be. I want to say that all that seems like fantastic mistakes are not mistakes, all that seems like error
  is not error; and it all has to be done. That which seems like a false step is the next step.

  Agnes Martin

  Mistake, Errors, Track

  Agnes Martin (2005). “Schriften”, Cantz

  115 Copy quote

• Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind.

  Agnes Martin

  Eye, Mind, Mystery

  Agnes Martin, Heinz Liesbrock, Josef-Albers-Museum (2004). “Agnes Martin: the islands”, Richter Verlag

  57 Copy quote

• Doing what you were born to do … That's the way to be happy.

  Agnes Martin

  Way, Born

  74 Copy quote

• My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.

  Agnes Martin

  Forever, Perception, Mind

  69 Copy quote

• It's not about facts, it's about feelings. It's about remembering feelings and happiness. A definition of art is that it makes concrete our most subtle emotions. I think the highest form of art is music. It's the most abstract of all art expression.

  Agnes Martin

  Happiness, Art, Thinking

  42 Copy quote

• I paint with my back to the world

  Agnes Martin

  World, Paint

  Ned Rifkin, Agnes Martin, Edward Hirsch, Menil Collection (Houston, Tex.) (2002). “Agnès Martin: the nineties and beyond”, Hatje Cantz Pub

  14 Copy quote

• Beauty and happiness and life are all the same and they are pervasive, unattached and abstract and they are our only concern. They are immeasurable, completely lacking in substance. They are perfect and sublime. This is the subject matter of art.

  Agnes Martin

  Art, Perfect, Sublime

  Agnes Martin (2005). “Schriften”, Cantz

  65 Copy quote

• I'm very careful not to have ideas, because they're inaccurate.

  Agnes Martin

  Ideas, Careful

  47 Copy quote

• To progress in life you must give up the things you do not like. Give up doing the things that you do not like to do. You must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.

  Agnes Martin

  Giving Up, Mind, Progress

  Agnes Martin (2005). “Schriften”, Cantz

  58 Copy quote

• It's through discipline and tremendous disappointment and failure that you arrive at what it is you must paint.

  Agnes Martin

  Disappointment, Discipline, Paint

  53 Copy quote

• I used to meditate until I learned to stop thinking.

  Agnes Martin

  Thinking, Used

  12 Copy quote

• When I first made a grid I happened to be thinking of the innocence of trees and then this grid came into my mind and I thought it represented innocence, and I still do, and so I painted it and then I was satisfied. I thought, this is my vision.

  Agnes Martin

  Thinking, Tree, Mind

  "Agnes Martin: the artist mystic who disappeared into the desert" by Olivia Laing, www.theguardian.com. May 22, 2015.

  64 Copy quote

• When I think of art I think of beauty. Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye it is in the mind. In our minds there is awareness of perfection.

  Agnes Martin

  Beauty, Art, Eye

  Agnes Martin, Heinz Liesbrock, Josef-Albers-Museum (2004). “Agnes Martin: the islands”, Richter Verlag

  57 Copy quote

• Inspiration is there all the time. For everyone whose mind is not clouded over with thoughts whether they realize it or not.

  Agnes Martin

  Inspiration, Mind, Realizing

  Agnes Martin, Lawrence Alloway, University of Pennsylvania. Institute of Contemporary Art (1973). “Agnes Martin: exhibition January 22 to March 1, 1973”

  45 Copy quote

• It would be an endless battle if it were all up to ego
  because it does not destroy and is not destroyed by itself
  It is like a wave
  it makes itself up, it rushes forward getting nowhere really
  it crashes, withdraws and makes itself up again
  pulls itself together with pride
  towers with pride
  rushes forward into imaginary conquest
  crashes in frustration
  withdraws with remorse and repentance
  pulls itself together with new resolution

  Agnes Martin

  Pride, Frustration, Ego

  Agnes Martin, Lawrence Alloway (1973). “Agnes Martin: Exhibition January 22 to March 1, 1973”

  32 Copy quote

• The worst thing you can think about when you're working is yourself.

  Agnes Martin

  Thinking, Worst, Worst Things

  34 Copy quote

• That which takes us by surprise-moments of happiness-that is inspiration.

  Agnes Martin

  Art, Inspiration, Surprise

  Agnes Martin, Lawrence Alloway, University of Pennsylvania. Institute of Contemporary Art (1973). “Agnes Martin: exhibition January 22 to March 1, 1973”

  45 Copy quote

• When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts. You have to penetrate these and hear what your mind is telling you to do. Such work is original work.

  Agnes Martin

  Mind, Looks, Covered

  Agnes Martin, Kunstmuseum Winterthur (1991). “Writings”

  54 Copy quote

• There's nobody living who couldn't stand all afternoon in front of a waterfall .... Anyone who can sit on a stone in a field awhile can see my painting. Nature is like parting a curtain, you go into it .... as you would cross an empty beach to look at the ocean.

  Agnes Martin

  Beach, Nature, Ocean

  53 Copy quote

• I once taught art to adults in a night course. I had a woman who painted her back yard, and she said it was the first time she had ever really looked at it. I think everyone sees beauty. Art is a way to respond

  Agnes Martin

  Art, Night, Thinking

  54 Copy quote

• I want to emphasize the fact that we all have the same experience and the same concern, but the artist must know exactly what the experience is. He must pursue the truth relentlessly. Once he sees this fact his feet are on the path. If you want to know the truth you will know it. The manipulation of materials in an artwork is a result of this state of mind. The artist works by awareness of his own state of mind.

  Agnes Martin

  Artist, Feet, Mind

  46 Copy quote

• I often paint tranquility. If you stop thinking and rest, then a little happiness comes into your mind. At perfect rest you are comfortable.

  Agnes Martin

  Thinking, Perfect, Mind

  44 Copy quote

• Fulfill your potential. That's the way to happiness.

  Agnes Martin

  Way

  14 Copy quote

• It is commonly thought that everything that is can be put into words.

  Agnes Martin

  Agnes Martin, Kunstmuseum Winterthur (1991). “Writings”

  10 Copy quote

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