I’d like to talk about the perfection underlying life

when the mind is covered over with perfection

and the heart is filled with delight

but I wish not to deny the rest.

In our minds there is an awareness of perfection;

when we look with our eyes we see it,

and how it functions is mysterious to us and unavailable.

When we live our lives it’s something like a race - our minds

become concerned and covered over and we get depressed and

have to get away for a holiday.

And then sometimes there are moments of perfection

and in these moments we wonder why we ever thought life was 

difficult.

We think that at last are feet are on the right path and that we

will not falter or fail.

We’re absolutely convinced we have the solution and then the

moment is over.

Moments of awareness are not complete awareness,

just as moments of blindness are not completely blind.

In moments of blindness when you meet someone you know

well,

they seem hardly recognizable,

and one seems even a stranger to oneself.

These experiences of the mind are too quickly passed over and

forgotten,

although startling moments of awareness are never forgotten.

Seeking awareness of perfection of the mind is called

living the inner life.

It is not necessary for artists to live the inner life.

It is only necessary for them to recognize inspiration or to

represent it.

Our representations of inspiration are far from perfect

for perfection is unobtainable and unattainable. 

Moments of awareness of perfection and of inspiration are alike

except that inspirations are often directives to action.

Many people think that if they are attuned to fate, all their

inspirations will lead them toward what they want and need.

But inspiration is really just the guide to the next thing

and may be what we call success or failure.

The bad paintings have to be painted

and to the artist these are more valuable than those paintings

later brought before the public.

A work of art is successful when there is a hint of perfection present -

at the slightest hint… the work is alive.

The life of the work depends upon the observer, according to his

own awareness of perfection and inspiration.

The responsibility of the response to art is not with the artist.

To feel confident and successful is not natural to the artist.

To feel insufficient,

to experience disappointment and defeat in waiting for

inspiration

is the natural state of mind of an artist.

As a result praise to most artists is a little embarrassing.

They cannot take credit for inspiration,

for we can see perfectly, but we cannot do perfectly.

Many artists live socially without disturbance to mind,

but others must live the inner experiences of mind, a solitary

way of living.

- Reflections by Agnes Martin