black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

Agnes Martin

I hope I have made it clear that the work is about perfection as we are aware of it in our minds but that the paintings are very far from being perfect – completely removed in fact – even as we ourselves are.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Aware Hope Made Mind Ourself Perfect Perfection
The worst thing you can think about when you’re working is yourself.
AGNES MARTIN

Think Thinking Working Worst Yourself
Happiness is being on the beam with life – to feel the pull of life
AGNES MARTIN

Beam Feel Happiness Life Pull
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.
AGNES MARTIN

Artist Concern Emphasize Exactly Experience Feet Mind Pursue Relentlessly Same
You can’t make a perfect painting. We can see perfection in our minds. But we can’t make a perfect painting.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Mind Painting Perfect Perfection
The adventurous state of mind is a high house… The joy of adventure is unaccountable.
AGNES MARTIN

Adventure High House Joy Mind State
You have to penetrate these and hear what your mind is telling you to do. Such work is original work.
AGNES MARTIN

Hear Mind Original Penetrate Telling Work
What we really want to do is serve happiness. We want everyone to be happy, never unhappy even for a moment. We want the animals to be happy.
AGNES MARTIN

Animal Everyone Happiness Really Serve Unhappy Wanted
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

Abstract Concrete Definition Expression Form Make Music Subtitle
My paintings are certainly nonobjective. They’re just horizontal lines.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Certainly Hint Horizontal Life Nonobjective Painting Thinking
My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Forever Mind Painting Perception Seen
I paint with my back to the world
AGNES MARTIN

Back Paint World
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

Happiness Mind Often Paint Perfect Stop Think Thinking Tranquility
There’s not any hint of nature. And still everybody responds, I think.
AGNES MARTIN

Everybody Hint Nature Respond Think
When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts.
AGNES MARTIN

Covered Look Looking Mind Rubbishy Thought
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
AGNES MARTIN

Battle Destroy Destroyed Ego Endless Frustration Life Pride

I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Agnes Martin Quotes