--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hope I have made it clear that the work…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/agnes-martin-13825_art_i-hope-i-have-made-it-clear-that-the-wor_2573110.png" --- # I hope I have made it clear that the work is about… ![“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.” quote by Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/agnes-martin-13825_art_i-hope-i-have-made-it-clear-that-the-wor_2573110.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/agnes-martin-13825_art_i-hope-i-have-made-it-clear-that-the-wor_2573110.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/agnes-martin-13825_art_i-hope-i-have-made-it-clear-that-the-wor_2573110.png) > “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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art strives for an ideal of perfection, yet both mind and canvas remain imperfect, highlighting humanity's perpetual gap between concept and execution. **In simple terms:** Art is never perfectly perfect, reflecting human imperfection. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and keep creating. Themes art perfection humanity Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting - creative process - self‑reflection Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing imperfection affect your work? - Can imperfection be a strength? A Different Perspective Perfection is unattainable; striving may hinder expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Clear Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-work-1708855/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-it/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Paintings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-paintings-1708853/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Paintings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paintings/) [Paintings Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paintings-far-1708852/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Aware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-aware-1708854/) ## Related quotes > [After some of the most contentious years in state government, I've made it clear that I will, and can, work with anyone to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gideon/after-some-of-the-most-contentious-years-in-state-government-i-ve/) [Sara Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gideon/) > [I didn't want it to have any technical virtuosity; I wanted it to just be really clear how it was made. 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You tell them, 'I believe that you're good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-bisky/in-a-way-my-paintings-are-like-my-children-they-have-many/) [Norbert Bisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-bisky/) > [I want the paintings to take me or the viewer out somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/i-want-the-paintings-to-take-me-or-the-viewer-out-somewhere-else/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [I saw Frank Frazetta's art, and it seared on my memory. I love his paintings. They're so amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/i-saw-frank-frazetta-s-art-and-it-seared-on-my-memory-i-love-his/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## More by Agnes Martin > [I once taught art to adults in a night course. I had a woman who painted her back yard, and she said it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/i-once-taught-art-to-adults-in-a-night-course-i-had-a-woman-who/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/there-s-nobody-living-who-couldn-t-stand-all-afternoon-in-front-of-a/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [The adventurous state of mind is a high house... The joy of adventure is unaccountable. This is the attractiveness of artwork. It is adventurous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/the-adventurous-state-of-mind-is-a-high-house-the-joy-of-adventure-is/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [Doing what you were born to do … That's the way to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/doing-what-you-were-born-to-do-that-s-the-way-to-be-happy/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [The enormous pitfall is devotion to oneself instead of to life. 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You see, my paintings are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/the-minimalists-are-idealist-they-want-to-minimise-themselves-in/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts. You have to penetrate these and hear what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/when-you-look-in-your-mind-you-find-it-covered-with-a-lot-of-rubbishy/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [I think everyone is born 100 percent ego, and after that it's just adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/i-think-everyone-is-born-100-percent-ego-and-after-that-it-s-just/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/art-is-the-concrete-representation-of-our-most-subtle-feelings/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [When I first made a grid, I happened to be thinking of the innocence of trees, and then a grid came into my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/when-i-first-made-a-grid-i-happened-to-be-thinking-of-the-innocence/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [I often paint tranquility. If you stop thinking and rest, then a little happiness comes into your mind. At perfect rest you are comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/i-often-paint-tranquility-if-you-stop-thinking-and-rest-then-a-little/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [Inspiration is there all the time. For everyone whose mind is not clouded over with thoughts whether they realize it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/inspiration-is-there-all-the-time-for-everyone-whose-mind-is-not/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [Beauty and happiness and life are all the same and they are pervasive, unattached and abstract and they are our only concern. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/beauty-and-happiness-and-life-are-all-the-same-and-they-are-pervasive/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) [Explore all 49 Agnes Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. 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