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Quote by Morris Graves

“You must first realize the thing completely in your mind. Then grasp the brush, fix your attention so that you see clearly what you wish to paint; start quickly, move the brush, follow straight what you see before you, as the buzzard swoops down when the hare jumps out. If you hesitate one moment, it is gone.”

Quote by Morris Graves

Author

Morris Graves was an American painter known for his abstract and surrealistic style. His works are often inspired by natural landscapes, but are expressed through abstract forms. Graves' works are highly regarded in the art world and have had a profound impact on artists of subsequent generations. more

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“I am able to make a contribution... Let me repeat my convictions, I can make a contribution to American painting.”

I Can Able Painting Let Me Conviction Repeats Contribution

Author:Morris Graves

“The painting cannot be laid aside even for a day; for it takes constant work to keep 'flowing,' but above that it takes concentration, which in our language is consecration.”

Language Painting Flow Constant Concentration Consecration

Author:Morris Graves

“The artists of Asia have spiritually realized form, rather than aesthetically invented or imitated form, and from them I have learned that art and nature are mind's Environment within which we can detect the essence of man's Being and Purpose, and from which we can draw clues to guide our journey from partial consciousness to full consciousness.”

Men Mind Art Form Purpose Artist Consciousness Environment Journey Draws Essence Guides I Have Learned Asia Clue

Author:Morris Graves

“It is to aid in making the arts operative rather than only positively or negatively pleasurable... it is to paint a record, in so far as I am increasingly capable, of man's deepst capacities... I seek to paint of how form manifests its subtlest quality named 'idea.”

Men Art Ideas Form Quality Records Capable Capacity Paint Aids Positively

Author:Morris Graves

“It takes waking prayer and working prayer and going to bed in prayer each day with increasing dedication. I must be the best person that I am able to be when I am painting. Tonight the wind is howling and the barrels are full of sky water.”

Persons Able Water Prayer Sky Painting Wind Bed Each Day Being The Best Tonight Waking Dedication Barrels Best Person

Author:Morris Graves

“I love and in a way need, a private secret place. It's a kind of deep obsession, but I also love to need and be with friends and the two things often need to be together... it's a painful conflict that will never be smoothly resolved.”

Way Needs Kind Two Together Secret Solitude Conflict Painful Obsession Two Things Secret Places

Author:Morris Graves

“We make versions, and true versions make worlds.”

World Creativity Versions

Author:Nelson Goodman

“Any effort... to make the obscure obvious is likely to be unappealing, for the penalty of failure is confusion while the reward of success is banality.”

Effort Rewards Obvious Confusion Penalties Obscure Obscurity Banality

Book:The Structure of Appearance

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“What intrigues us as a problem, and what will satisfy us as a solution, will depend upon the line we draw between what is already clear and what needs to be clarified.”

Needs Problem Lines Clear Depends Solutions Draws Intrigue

Book:Fact, Fiction, and Forecast

Source: Fact, Fiction, and Forecast

“An answer, once found, is dull; and the only remaining interest lies in a further effort to render equally dull what is still obscure enough to be intriguing.”

Stills Enough Lying Found Interest Answers Effort Dull Obscure Intriguing

Book:The Structure of Appearance

Source: The Structure of Appearance