QuoteProject
We would sift through every inch of what it was that worked, or if it didn't, and wonder what was effective in it, in terms of paint, the subject matter, the size, the drawing.
Helen Frankenthaler
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects the meticulous process of artistic evaluation and understanding of what contributes to a successful work of art.

Helen Frankenthaler's quote emphasizes the importance of thorough analysis and reflection in the artistic process. It suggests that artists should critically examine every component of their work, such as technique, subject, and form, to discern what contributes to its effectiveness and impact. This approach not only aids in the improvement of one's craft but also deepens the artist's engagement with their own creative vision.

Themes

ArtEvaluationCreativityAnalysisEffectiveness

In practice

Example use cases

During an art critique session, one might use this quote to emphasize the need for careful dissection of artistic elements.

More from Helen Frankenthaler

Every canvas is a journey all its own.
Helen FrankenthalerRead
There are many accidents that are nothing but accidents-and forget it. But there are some that were brought about only because you are the person you are... you have the wherewithal, intelligence, and energy to recognize it and do something with it.
Helen FrankenthalerRead
I don't start with a color order, but find the colors as I go.
Helen FrankenthalerRead
What concerns me when I work, is not whether the picture is a landscape, or whether it's pastoral, or whether somebody will see a sunset in it. What concerns me is - did I make a beautiful picture?
Helen FrankenthalerRead
Art has a will of its own. It has nothing to do with the taste of the moment or what's expected of you. That's a formula for dead art, or fashionable art.
Helen FrankenthalerRead
I don't resent being a female painter. I don't exploit it. I paint.
Helen FrankenthalerRead

Similar quotes

The difference between architecture and building is that the former expresses an idea, while the latter is merely a structure built on economical principles. The value of matter depends solely on its capacities of expressing ideas.
Swami VivekanandaRead
If I create with my heart almost all my intentions remain. If it is with the head - almost nothing. An artist must not fear to be himself, to express only himself. If he is absolutely and entirely sincere, what he says and does will be acceptable to others.
Marc ChagallRead
The theater is so endlessly fascinating because it's so accidental. It's so much like life.
Arthur MillerRead
I think of writing as a sculptural medium. You are not building things. You are removing things, chipping away at language to reveal a living form.
Will SelfRead
'Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and artists like Tiravanija were in the nascent stages of combining Happenings, performance art, John Cage, Joseph Beuys, and the do-it-yourself ethos of punk. Meanwhile, a new art world was coming into being.
Jerry SaltzRead
I believe so deeply in the primacy of language, in lifting your prose to the highest level you're capable of and making your words symphonic.
Dennis LehaneRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by Helen Frankenthaler | QuoteProject