Aphorisms for Artists by Walter Darby Bannard

Aphorism #70

If it doesn’t begin as feeling, it doesn’t end as art.

This is a paraphrase of a quote from Cézanne, who knew what he was talking about. I might substitute “intuitive guesswork” for “feeling” but it amounts to the same thing.

Scientists and philosophers who explain art do not understand this. They have it all worked out and are very assertive about their reasons, unlike us poor, confused artmakers, who know better.

There are no reasons, of course. There is only the artist, the “rainbow of chaos” (Cézanne again) and the art itself.

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