The main thing in making art often is letting go of your expectation and your idea. Agnes Martin More Quotes by Agnes Martin More Quotes From Agnes Martin 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 Agnes Martin trackerrorsmistake Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings. Agnes Martin emotionfeelingsart Doing what you were born to do … That's the way to be happy. Agnes Martin bornway My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind. Agnes Martin perceptionmindforever 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 happinessartthinking 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 mindtreethinking 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 sublimeperfectart It's through discipline and tremendous disappointment and failure that you arrive at what it is you must paint. Agnes Martin paintdisciplinedisappointment 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 progressgiving-upmind 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 eyebeautyart Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind. Agnes Martin mysteryeyemind It would be an endless battle if it were all up to ego Agnes Martin frustrationegopride Inspiration is there all the time. For everyone whose mind is not clouded over with thoughts whether they realize it or not. Agnes Martin realizinginspirationmind 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 nightartthinking 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 coveredmindlooks 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 oceannaturebeach 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 artistfeetmind 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 perfectmindthinking That which takes us by surprise-moments of happiness-that is inspiration. Agnes Martin surpriseinspirationart I'm very careful not to have ideas, because they're inaccurate. Agnes Martin carefulideas
