I have painted portraits that to me are almost photographic. I remember hesitating to show the paintings, they looked so real to me. But they have passed into the world as abstractions - no one seeing what they are.

I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could.

I've been afraid every single day of my life, but I've gone ahead and done it anyway.

I see no reason for painting anything that can be put into any other form as well.

His letters ... have been like fine cold water when you are terribly thirsty.

Filling a space in a beautiful way - that is what art means to me.

I took back a barrel of bones to New York. They were my symbols of the desert, but nothing more. I haven't seen enough to think of any other symbolism. The skulls were there and I could say something with them.