Cy Twombly Quotes on Art

Cy Twombly is one of the highest selling artists in recent times and has influenced many contemporary painters. Twombly is known for his large gestural works that are part scribble and part calligraphy. His earlier works were much more incoherent scribbles or very uniform in nature, but his later works were much more refined and ordered yet still very free and expressive. The later works were almost impressionist in nature and feel. He produced paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints, and photographs. Famous Cy Twombly artworks include “Empire of Flora”, “Lepanto”, “Note I”, and “Leaving Paphos Ringed With Waves”.

Mini biography: Born Edwin Parker Twombly Jr. on the 25th of April, 1928 in Lexington, Virginia, U.S.A. His mother was Mary Velma Richardson and his father was Edwin Parker “Cy” Twombly Sr. He was married to Tatiana Franchetti and they had one child: Cyrus Alessandro Twombly. Cy Twombly died from cancer on the 5th of July, 2011 in Rome, Italy. Twombly was 83 years old when he passed away.

Check out these books on Cy Twombly: “The Essential Cy Twombly“, “Cy Twombly: 50 Days at Iliam“, and “The Cy Twombly Gallery: The Menil Collection Houston“.

Cy Twombly Art Quotes

I would have liked to be an architect but I’m not good at mathematics, so I don’t have the proper background. Cy Twombly

I work in waves, because I’m impatient. Because of a certain physicality, of lack of breath from standing. It has to be done and I do take liberties I wouldn’t have taken before. Cy Twombly

I sit for two or three hours and then in 15 minutes I can do a painting, but that’s part of it. You have to get ready and decide to jump up and do it; you build yourself up psychologically, and so painting has no time for brush. Brush is boring, you give it and all of a sudden it’s dry, you have to go. Before you cut the thought, you know? Cy Twombly

You know, sometimes little boys love cars, but I had a particular passion for boats, and now I live by the sea. Cy Twombly

I never really separated painting and literature because I’ve always used reference. Cy Twombly

Landscape is one of my favorite things in the world. Any kind of landscape stimulates me. Cy Twombly

My line is childlike but not childish. It is very difficult to fake.. to get that quality you need to project yourself into the child’s line. It has to be felt. Cy Twombly

I think space is for paintings, for looking at paintings. Paintings ‘hold’ in that kind of rectilinear space, which contains the energy of the works, more than curved walls with this up here and that down there. Cy Twombly

I would’ve liked to have been Poussin, if I’d had a choice, in another time. Cy Twombly

Everything is very flexible; it is with me and very quick in changing. Although I must say I have a certain order in my mind, but as far as painting goes there’s enormous – probably more than with a lot of people – freedom. Because I have to get in a state of mind. And that’s why I’ve slowed down. Cy Twombly

When I work, I work very fast, but preparing to work can take any length of time. Cy Twombly

Graffiti is linear and it’s done with a pencil, and it’s like writing on walls. But in my paintings it’s more lyrical. Cy Twombly

Paint is something that I use with my hands and do all those tactile things. I really don’t like oil because you can’t get back into it, or you make a mess. It’s not my favorite thing.. pencil is more my medium than wet paint. Cy Twombly

I don’t follow too much what people say. I live in Gaeta or ­Lexington, Virginia, and I just have all the time to myself. I had years and years when no one could care less, so I was very well ­protected. I had my freedom and that was nice. Cy Twombly

I was always doing my own things. I always wondered why there are books, with photographs of all the artists of that period, and I was only in one! I thought: where was I? But I never was there. I was somewhere else. Cy Twombly

I went to Rome in the fifties, which was a whole other world from what it is now. It’s not the same city. In a sense, the life is totally different. It had more space, you could see it and you could enjoy it. Now you just plough through just trying to get to where you’re trying to go with the least stress. It’s wall to wall. If I went to Rome now, I wouldn’t spend two days. But when I went I was in paradise. Cy Twombly

I love my sculptures, and I was lucky I had them for fifty years because no one would look at them, and I really liked having them around. Cy Twombly

I’m not a professional painter, since I don’t go to the studio and work nine to five like a lot of artists. When something hits me, or I see a painting, or when I see something in nature, it gives me a thing and I go for it. But I don’t care if I don’t go for three or four months. You know, when it comes it comes. Cy Twombly

I’ve found when you get old you must return to certain things in the beginning, or things you have a sentiment for or something. Because your life closes up in so many ways or doesn’t become as flexible or exciting or whatever you want to call it. You tend to be nostalgic. And I think about my boats. Cy Twombly

More on American Artist Cy Twombly

How has Cy Twombly influenced your art making? What do you think of his earlier works? What about the record prices that he has been achieving at auction lately?! It took me a long time to appreciate his earlier works but I always loved his late works. Let us know what you think about Cy Twombly in the comments below.

For more on the popular American artist here’s three excellent Cy Twombly books: “The Essential Cy Twombly“, “Cy Twombly: 50 Days at Iliam“, and “The Cy Twombly Gallery: The Menil Collection Houston“.