Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin Mother and Child. Holy Infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.
Joseph MohrRead
A painting to me is primarily a verb, not a noun, an event first and only secondarily an image.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that painting is an active, dynamic process rather than just a finished product.
Elaine De Kooning highlights the idea that the act of creating a painting, the energy and movement involved, is more significant than the final image that is produced. This perspective invites viewers to appreciate the experience of art-making and the emotional and physical expression it entails, rather than merely focusing on the artwork as a static object.
Themes
PaintingArtCreative ProcessExpressionDynamic
In practice
Example use cases
In an art class, a teacher might use this quote to inspire students to focus on the process of creation rather than the end result.
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