Agnes Martin > Quotes

“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, Agnes Martin: Writings / Schriften

“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 is not error; and it all has to be done. That which seems like a false step is the next step.”
― Agnes Martin, Agnes Martin: Writings / Schriften

“Beauty is in the mind, not the eye.”
― Agnes Martin

“You sort of underestimate the human being when you say that every least thing that is an abstract experience is spiritual. It isn't. It's just your real self. You can be capable of fantastic abstract experiences, right in this life.”
― Agnes Martin

“Happiness is being on the beam with life--to feel the pull of life.”
― Agnes Martin, Agnes Martin: Writings / Schriften

“The way of an artist is an entirely different way. It is a way of surrender.”
― Agnes Martin, Agnes Martin: Writings / Schriften

“I don’t believe in influence. I think that in order to be an artist, you have to move. When you stop moving, then you’re no longer an artist. And if you move from somebody else’s position, you simply cannot know the next step. I think that everyone is on his own line. I think that after you’ve made one step, the next step reveals itself. I believe that you were born on this line. I don’t say that the actual footsteps were marked before you get to them, and I don’t say that change isn’t possible in your course. But I do believe we unfold out of ourselves, and we do what we are born to do sooner or later, anyway.”
― Agnes Martin

“A lot of good things don't get made because of too much thinking.”
― Agnes Martin

“143Happiness is being on the beam with life--to feel the pull of life.”
― Agnes Martin