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

Agnes Martin

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
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
I’m very careful not to have ideas, because they’re inaccurate.
AGNES MARTIN

Careful Idea Inaccurate
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

About Art Himself Kind Pollock Terrific Think Thinking Worry
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
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
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
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
Happiness is being on the beam with life – to feel the pull of life
AGNES MARTIN

Beam Feel Happiness Life Pull
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
Doing what you were born to do … That’s the way to be happy.
AGNES MARTIN

Born Doing Happy Way
The happiness of every living thing is what we want.
AGNES MARTIN

Every Happiness Living Thing Want
Give up doing the things that you do not like to do.
AGNES MARTIN

Do Doing Give Like Thing
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
When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts.
AGNES MARTIN

Covered Look Looking Mind Rubbishy Thought
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
My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

About Forever Mind Painting Perception Seen
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
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
This is the attractiveness of artwork. It is adventurous, strenuous and joyful.
AGNES MARTIN

Adventurous Artwork Attractiveness Joyful Stremous
The worst thing you can think about when you’re working is yourself.
AGNES MARTIN

Think Thinking Working Worst Yourself
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
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
You must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Acceptable Find Mind Think Thinking
Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Beauty Eye Life Mind Mystery
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
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 Cross Curtain Empty Look Nature Ocean Painting

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

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

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