Truthfullness to life-both fantasy life and factual life-is the basis of all great art.
Maurice SendakIllustrations have as much to say as the text. The trick is to say the same thing, but in a different way. It's no good being an illustrator who is saying a lot that is on his or her mind, if it has nothing to do with the text. . . the artist must override the story, but he must also override his own ego for the sake of the story.
Maurice SendakAnd it's one of the sexiest things you will ever read of how slow you should take the peach. Don't rush it.
Maurice SendakI'm writing a poem right now about a nose. I've always wanted to write a poem about a nose. But it's a ludicrous subject. That's why, when I was younger, I was afraid of [writing] something that didn't make a lot of sense. But now I'm not. I have nothing to worry about. It doesn't matter.
Maurice Sendak