When I go to farms or little towns, I am always surprised at the discontent I find. And New York, too often, has looked across the sea toward Europe. And all of us who turn our eyes away from what we have are missing life.

If there was sadness in this creative world of mine, it was a pleasant sadness. If there were problems, they were humorous problems.

I just wanted to do something important.

The view of life I communicate in my pictures excludes the sordid and ugly. I paint life as I would like it to be.

I'm tired, but proud.

The '20s ended in an era of extravagance, sort of like the one we're in now. There was a big crash, but then the country picked itself up again, and we had some great years. Those were the days when American believed in itself. I was happy and proud to be painting it.

No man with a conscience can just bat out illustrations. He's got to put all his talent and feeling into them!