As I listen to the silence, I learn that my feelings about art and my feelings about the Creator of the Universe are inseparable. To try to talk about art and about Christianity is for me one and the same thing, and it means attempting to share the meaning of my life, what gives it, for me, its tragedy and its glory.

The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness.

You cannot take credit for your talents. It is what you do with them that counts.

One cannot be humble and aware of oneself at the same time.

I can't think of one great human being in the arts, or in history generally, who conformed, who succeeded, as education experts tell us children must succeed, with his peer group.

A book comes and says, 'Write me.' My job is to try to serve it to the best of my ability, which is never good enough, but all I can do is listen to it, do what it tells me and collaborate.

If we are not willing to fail we will never accomplish anything. All creative acts involve the risk of failure.