… continued from The Art Spirit
“The man who has honesty, integrity, the love of inquiry, the desire to see beyond, is ready to appreciate good art. He needs no one to give him an art education; he is already qualified. He needs but to see pictures with his active mind, look into them for the things that belong to him, and he will find soon enough in himself an art connoisseur and an art lover of the first order.
Do not expect the pictures to say the expected; some of the best will have surprises for you, which will, at first, shock you.
Art appears in many forms. To some degree every human being is an artist, dependent on the quality of his growth.
Art need not be intended. It comes inevitably as the tree from the root, the branch from the trunk, the blossom from the twig.
The man who has something very definite to say and tries to force the medium to say it will learn how to draw.
Originality: Don’t worry about your originality. You could not get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick to you and show you up for better or worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do.
When a student comes before his model his first question should be: “What is my highest pleasure in this?” and then, “Why?”
No material thing is beautiful. All is as beautiful as we think it.
It is harder to see than it is to express.
If in your drawings you habitually disregard proportions you become accustomed to the sight of distortion and lose critical ability. A person living in squalor eventually gets used to it.
It is this sense of the persistent life force back of things which makes the eye see and the hand move in ways that result in true masterpieces. Techniques are thus created as a need.
It is necessary to work very continuously and valiantly, and never apologetically. In fact, to be ever on the job so that we may find ourselves there, brush in hand, when the great moment does arrive.
All outward success, when it has value, is but the inevitable result of an inward success of full living, full play and enjoyment of one’s faculties.
The sketch is an excellent impression in the key most true to the gayety of the subject and its warm light.
All satisfying things are good organizations. The forms are related to each other, there is a dominant movement among them to a supreme conclusion.
Your picture may express the idea of dazzle and confusion, but the picture must not be confused.
Study reproductions and pictures you like in this matter of rhythm, organization, concentration, balance, dominance. It’s not so easy to do, but it can be done and it will be of very great service to you.
The appreciation of art should not be considered as merely a pleasurable pastime. To apprehend beauty is to work for it.
Be willing to paint a picture that does not look like a picture.”
from The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
Great, inspiring quotes! Plus, I love your painting. xxoo