“Abstraction didn't have to be limited to a kind of rectilinear geometry or even a simple curve geometry. It could have a geometry that had a narrative impact. In other words, you could tell a story with the shapes. It wouldn't be a literal story, but the shapes and the interaction of the shapes and colors would give you a narrative sense. You could have a sense of an abstract piece flowing along and being part of an action or activity. That sort of turned me on.” GivingKindStoriesActionSimplePiecesColorActivityShapesImpactNarrativeAbstractInteractionAbstractionCurvesGeometryLiteral Author:Frank Stella
“It is believed that physiognomy is only a simple development of the features already marked out by nature. It is my opinion, however, that in addition to this development, the features come insensibly to be formed and assume their shape from the frequent and habitual expression of certain affections of the soul. These affections are marked on the countenance; nothing is more certain than this; and when they turn into habits, they must leave on it durable impressions.” SoulCertainTurnsSimpleOpinionExpressionDevelopmentHabitShapesAssumingAffectionImpressionFeaturesHabitualCountenancePhysiognomy Author:Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“The Zen meditative approach has a simple, unstated premise: moods and attitudes shape—determine—what we think and perceive. If we feel happy, we tend to develop certain trains of thought. If we feel sad or angry, still others. But suppose, with training, we become nonattached to distractions and learn to dampen these wild, emotional swings on either side of equanimity. Then we can enter that serene awareness which is the natural soil for positive, spontaneous personal growth, often called spiritual growth.” IfsThinkingFeelsStillsSpiritualCertainSidesGrowthNaturalSimpleAttitudeLearningSadnessAwarenessEmotionalShapesApproachTrainingAngryTrainPersonal GrowthDetermineHappyMoodPerceiveSoilSpiritual GrowthDistractionSwingsSpontaneousPremisesSereneEquanimityTrain Of Thought Book:Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness Source: Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness
“The various parts of the body cannot be perceived as simple units and have no clear relationship to one another. In almost every detail the body is not the shape that art has led us to believe it should be.” ShouldBelieveArtBodySimpleClearShapesDetailsVariousUnitsParts Of The Body Book:The nude: a study in ideal form Source: The nude: a study in ideal form
“Complicated things for me tend not to be interesting. Simple things, like when it's really direct eye contact, or when you see a really beautiful shape, like when it's clean or well balanced in the frame.” WellsEyeBeautifulSimpleInterestingShapesDirectCleanComplicatedContactBalancedSimple ThingsReally BeautifulEye ContactComplicated Things Author:Russell James