The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting.

The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.

When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.

As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colors enough to paint the beautiful things I see.

I believe more and more that God must not be judged on this earth. It is one of His sketches that has turned out badly.

Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile. You don't know how paralyzing that is, that stare of a blank canvas is, which says to the painter, ‘You can't do a thing’. The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerizes some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves. Many painters are afraid in front of the blank canvas, but the blank canvas is afraid of the real, passionate painter who dares and who has broken the spell of `you can't' once and for all.

My brushwork is quite unsystematic. I slam the paint on in all sorts of ways and leave each result to take care of itself.