Aphorisms for Artists by Walter Darby Bannard

Aphorism #100

Without the eye, the head is blind. Without the head, the eye is adrift.

An exaggerated distinction but a true and useful one. The eye sees; the head evaluates. Too much eye and judgment collapses. Too much head and paralytic reasoning creeps in.

This goes on when making art or seeing art, back and forth, like mental ping-pong. When you play hard it is exhausting, but there is no other way.

Lucky for us, great art itself is inexhaustible.

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