John Marin Quotes & Sayings

How to paint the landscape: First you make your bow to the landscape. Then you wait, and if the landscape bows to you, then, and only then, can you paint the landscape. — John Marin

A work of art is full of perhapses and maybesos. Where the perhapses are found, something has to be done about it. And since art deals wtih the perhapses and maybesos, and why not call it the consummate science ... which gets its perfection from seemingly imperfection. — John Marin

Art is just a series of natural gestures. For God's sake, don't try to be artistic - all wild animals walk the same way. — John Marin

Give the paint a chance. Give the brush a chance. — John Marin

Give paint a chance to show itself entirely as paint. — John Marin

I must for myself insist that when finished, that is when all the parts are in place and are working, that now it has become an object and will therefore have its boundaries as definite as the prow, the stern, the sides, and bottom bound as a boat. — John Marin

Painting is like golf; the fewer strokes I take, the better the picture. — John Marin

Art is not great. Music is not great. It's just that they tickle us. When one steadfastly refuses greatness - then and then only can the wonderful thing we call art be created. — John Marin

A true work of art can stand many seeings, revealing anew at each seeing. — John Marin

Give the instruments a chance - their sounds are quite beautiful. — John Marin

Don't everlastingly read messages into paintings - there's the Daisy - you don't rave over or read messages into it - you just look at that bully little flower - isn't that enough? — John Marin