Looking at paintings was a huge part of finding my way into the lush world of the 18th century.

Writing is still a bit of a miracle - the whole process: I see the world, filter the world, write down abstract squiggles on a page which somebody is then able to connect with. I'm still amazed by it and think I always will be.

It is really hard when the actor you pictured can't do the film.

Every work coming from the creator is about getting the demons out, and each character in those stories had a different personal crisis to get through.

I was always very curious about other people. I would always stare and my mother would say - just please close your mouth!

I was interested in the mystical element of humor - was humor part of creation? Is God laughing at us, or with us?

I was 100 percent sure when I left university that I was going to be a painter.