Agnes Martin

First Marks Grant Permission to Begin

Finally, practical rituals can operationalize Martin’s insight. Begin with a timed micro-commitment—five minutes of marks, no evaluation. Use erasable or low-stakes mediums to disarm perfectionism. Leave a deliberate “unfinished thread” at the end of a session so tomorrow starts mid-sentence, not from zero (a tactic Hemingway praised). Name the initiating act aloud—“I’m only drawing the first line”—to anchor intent. These simple moves convert permission from a feeling you wait for into a habit you enact. Thus the blank ceases to be a verdict and becomes a doorway. [...]