Agnes Bernice Martin (Born in March 22, 1912 – Died in December 16, 2004) was a Canadian-born American abstract painter. Her work has been defined as an "essay in discretion on inwardness and silence". For more than forty years, Martin created serene paintings composed of grids and stripes. Her commitment to this spare style was informed by her belief in its ability to conjure profound, positive experiences in the viewer. Although she is often considered or referred to as a minimalist, Martin considered herself an abstract expressionist. She was awarded a National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1998.