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Artfull's Favourite Words to Live By From Our Quote of the Week Series

To keep our Artfull community inspired over the summer holiday break, we asked our artists to share their favourite words to live by. In turn, we have been able to share quotes from influential authors, icons, musicians, and artists with others. As we begin to navigate back into our normal daily schedules, we wanted to recap this summer of creativity, highlighting some of the most impactful words to live by which resonated most with the Artfull community.

Words by Gemma Laverick

Photography by All photographs courtesy of the artists

Read time 2 minutes

Artists Tess Costil,Linda Gilbert,Mo Stewart,Paul Darragh,Roberta Queiroga,Amanda Billing

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'Delusion', 2019 by Tess Costil
'Delusion', 2019 by Tess Costil
“As artists, we aim to live in a way in which we see the extraordinary hidden in the seemingly mundane. Then challenge ourselves to share what we see in a way that allows others a glimpse of this remarkable beauty.” – Rick Rubin

Artfull artist Tess Costil lives through this quote, creating extraordinarily beautiful pieces of art that engage and allure in subtle ways. In Costil’s layered work, the beauty comes from the interplay between what she chooses to hide as much as what she brings to the surface.

 

'The Big Dynamo', 2022 by Linda Gilbert
'The Big Dynamo', 2022 by Linda Gilbert
“We are cluttered with images and only abstract art can bring us to the threshold of the divine.” – Dominique de Menil

Abstract painter Linda Gilbert said that these words help her to “hold the faith”. In her practice, Gilbert incorporates techniques used by Surrealists, drawing on contemporary ideas relating to consciousness, sensory perception, and earth sciences.

'Wipe', 2021 by Mo Stewart
'Wipe', 2021 by Mo Stewart
“I am a great believer that stupidity gives the work its impulse, the benefit of the doubt.” – William Kentridge

Mo Stewart, a dynamic contemporary artist who uses drawing as her mode of expression, says that in her own work, the willingness to be a little stupid or playful means that the work is driven by the making and not so much by the grand ideas dreamt up before the making.

'Inception Conception', 2022 by Paul Darragh
'Inception Conception', 2022 by Paul Darragh
“Don’t think!” – Paul Darragh

Simple, yet effective, a lot like the work of geometric abstract artist Paul Darragh who lives through these words when creating his contemporary art. Whether it be on traditional canvases, a large-scale mural, outdoor painting, or his limited-edition art prints, Darragh follows his intuition, leaning into it fully to create works that are both of the moment and timeless. Read more about how he used this philosophy in creating his debut sculpture.

'Eeny', 2021 by Robert Queiroga
'Eeny', 2021 by Robert Queiroga
“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol

These words shine within the creative process of contemporary visual artist, Roberta Queiroga. She works in a symbiosis with the canvas, allowing for her emotion to spontaneously flow with minimum interference when creating. These words have helped her remain true to her creative intent, ensuring that the work she creates remains an authentic expression.

'Her 2', 2022 by Amanda Billing
'Her 2', 2022 by Amanda Billing
“Don’t knock beauty and don’t call it meaningless or superficial without consistently trying to produce beauty and discovering how difficult it is.” – Ian Roberts

Visual artist, photographer and actress, Amanda Billing mentioned that Ian Roberts’ book ‘Creative Authenticity’ was one of her favourites, commenting that it is a “must-have for artists”. Billing’s work is both sensual and expressive, discovering and revealing the beauty of the folds and undulations of the human body.

Keep up to date with each quote of the week on our Instagram and Facebook page. Explore how these words reflect the original artworks created by Artfull’s community of New Zealand artists online now.