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

Agnes Martin

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

First Grid Happenedm Innocense Made Mind Satisfy Think Thinking Tree
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 must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Acceptable Find Mind Think Thinking
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
I think our minds respond to things beyond this world. Take beauty: it’s a very mysterious thing, isn’t it?
AGNES MARTIN

Beauty Beyond Mind Mysterious Respond Thing Thinking World
To progress in life you must give up the things you do not like.
AGNES MARTIN

Giving Life Like Mind Progress Thing Up
Beauty and happiness and life are all the same and they are pervasive, unattached and abstract and they are our only concern.
AGNES MARTIN

Abstract Art Beauty Happiness Perfect Pervasive Sublime Unattached
Once he sees this fact his feet are on the path. If you want to know the truth you will know it.
AGNES MARTIN

Fact Feet Know Path Truth
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
Pollock was terrific. I think he freed himself of all kinds of worry about this world. Ran around and dripped, and then he managed to express ecstasy.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Himself Kind Pollock Terrific Think Thinking Worry
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 mistake.
AGNES MARTIN

Fantastic Like Mistake Seem Wanted
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

Conquer Crashes Forward Make Pride Pull Repentance Tower Withdrawl
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

Art Classical Memories Perfection Tradition
It is commonly thought that everything that is can be put into words.
AGNES MARTIN

Commonly Everything Put Thought Word
Fulfill your potential. That’s the way to happiness.
AGNES MARTIN

Fulfill Happiness Potential Way
The manipulation of materials in an artwork is a result of this state of mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Artwork Manipulation Material Mind Result State
When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts.
AGNES MARTIN

Covered Look Looking Mind Rubbishy Thought
They are immeasurable, completely lacking in substance. They are perfect and sublime. This is the subject matter of art.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Completely Lacking Memory Perfect Subject Sublime Substance
The enormous pitfall is devotion to oneself instead of to life. All works that are self-devoted are absolutely ineffective.
AGNES MARTIN

Devotion Enormous Instead Life Oneself Pitfall Self
Anything can be painted without representation.
AGNES MARTIN

Anything Painting Representation
Doing what you were born to do … That’s the way to be happy.
AGNES MARTIN

Born Doing Happy Way
The Minimalists are idealist. They want to minimise themselves in favour of the ideal. But I just can’t. You see, my paintings are not cool.
AGNES MARTIN

Favour Idea Idealist Minimalist Minimise Themselves Want
One must see the ideal in one’s own mind. It is like a memory – an awareness -of perfection.
AGNES MARTIN

Awareness Idea Memory Mind Musit One Own Perfection
Any material may be used but the theme is the same and the response is the same for all artwork.
AGNES MARTIN

Artist Artwork Material May Response Theme
It’s through discipline and tremendous disappointment and failure that you arrive at what it is you must paint.
AGNES MARTIN

Arrive Disappointment Discipline Failure Must Paint Through
Happiness is being on the beam with life – to feel the pull of life
AGNES MARTIN

Beam Feel Happiness Life Pull
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.
AGNES MARTIN

Afternoon Beach Front Living Nature Nobody Ocean Stand Waterfall

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

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

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Popular Authors

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