“An artist needs to become familiar with that which is most hidden from the self by the self. For this one thing which one fears to know is often the driving force in one's life. These recognitions seen in art are the difference between decent, extraordinary and great.” KnowsNeedsArtSelfArtistForceDifferencesOne ThingExtraordinaryDrivingFamiliarRecognitionDecentDriving Force Author:Pat Steir
“The spiritual in my art is giving up control. My paintings are based on what I can do, and what I can do is not controlled. So I give up control, and that's the spiritual aspect of the work - taking what comes and relinquishing control. Although they look very controlled, they're really not, because it's all poured paint.” GivingLooksArtI CanSpiritualCan DoPaintingGiving UpArt IsAspectPaintControlledRelinquishingRelinquishing ControlGiving Up Control Author:Pat Steir
“Every piece of art will be if it's lucky enough to be dug up, if there's anything to dig up.” IfsArtEnoughPiecesLucky Author:Pat Steir
“I'm purposeless. I'm making art because I want you to look at that painting and I want it to affect you in some way, to change what you see, to change how you see it. To change how you see something, whatever.” WayWantLooksArtPaintingArt IsI Want You Author:Pat Steir
“I want art to affect the viewer and for the viewer to take it away to enhance, embrace, and elevate life. That's the spiritual aspect. Painting is a spiritual practice, but sometimes it is hard to give up control!” WantGivingArtSometimesHardSpiritualPracticePaintingGiving UpAspectEmbraceViewersSpiritual Practice Author:Pat Steir
“Art as a political gesture is committed to making something beautiful, and then understanding what beauty is in your own time, because what we think of as beauty changes with time. The notion of beauty everywhere changes.” ThinkingArtBeautifulPoliticalUnderstandingNotionCommittedGesturesSomething BeautifulBeauty Everywhere Author:Pat Steir
“Art is a way you discover the past, and so it brings the past into the present and the future. That's why we have anthropologists who dig up the art from the past. You can see the refinement in the society by the art. And people will see our lack of refinement when they dig up our art.” PeopleWayArtPastArt IsOver The PastRefinementAnthropologists Author:Pat Steir