I think what I do is find a cliché and try to believe in it, try to get to where I don't laugh at it.

That was an important development for me, just realizing that you need to follow your pleasure, at least as a painter. I think any kind of artist needs to, no matter what you're doing.

I think a big problem with art school is that it makes people feel like they have to be interested in everything that's of high quality.

I wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. I suppose there are portraits of people who could destroy you.

It wasn't really until after I got out of art school that I realized that I'd been doing that sort of for the audience, for that context. Somehow, being alone in the room, it made no sense at all to make those kinds of paintings.

A painting of any quality is always going to have nerdy energy, an affirmation behind it. It's gonna be like a kid playing a video game.

Just don't do things that depress you. I realized if it depresses me, then I just don't want to get close to it. If it brings me down, I just really can't get into it.