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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

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

Art Happiness Inspiration Moment Surprise Take
Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Beauty Eye Life Mind Mystery
Give up doing the things that you do not like to do.
AGNES MARTIN

Do Doing Give Like Thing
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
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’m very careful not to have ideas, because they’re inaccurate.
AGNES MARTIN

Careful Idea Inaccurate
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 think everyone sees beauty. Art is a way to respond
AGNES MARTIN

Art Beauty Everyone Respond See Way
The worst thing you can think about when you’re working is yourself.
AGNES MARTIN

Think Thinking Working Worst Yourself
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
Anything can be painted without representation.
AGNES MARTIN

Anything Painting Representation
It is commonly thought that everything that is can be put into words.
AGNES MARTIN

Commonly Everything Put Thought Word
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

Art Awareness Beauty Eye Life Mystery Perfection Think
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
Happiness is being on the beam with life – to feel the pull of life
AGNES MARTIN

Beam Feel Happiness Life Pull
Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Emotion Feeling Representation Subtle
We all have the same concern, but the artist must know exactly what the experience is. He must pursue the truth relentlessly
AGNES MARTIN

Concern Exactly Experience Pursue Relentlessly Same Truth
The artist works by awareness of his own state of mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Artist Awareness Mind Own State Work
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
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

Adult Art Course Night Once Taught Think Thinking
I paint with my back to the world
AGNES MARTIN

Back Paint World
My paintings are certainly nonobjective. They’re just horizontal lines.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Certainly Hint Horizontal Life Nonobjective Painting 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
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

Done Error False Next Seem Step
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
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

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.

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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.

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