William Blake really is important, my cornerstone. Nobody ever told me before he did that childhood was such a damned serious business.

I had a brother who was my savior, made my childhood bearable.

My big concern is me and what do I do now until the time of my death. That is valid. That is useful. That is beautiful. That is creative.

A whole new world of Italian music was springing up, and [Giuseppe] Verdi was seen as old. Boito got Verdi all excited about the possibility of doing another opera, another kind of opera. In fact, Verdi composed his two best operas, Otello and Falstaff, in his eighties.

My life in Brooklyn was in constant danger because of my bad health.

I did not know how to paint a mural. I did not know how to prepare the surface. There was nobody from the Renaissance around who could advise me, and I did the best I could.

I wanted to be acknowledged as an artist, not just some kiddie-book artist.