I am not strictly speaking mad, for my mind is absolutely normal in the intervals, and even more so than before. But during the attacks it is terrible - and then I lose consciousness of everything. But that spurs me on to work and to seriousness, as a miner who is always in danger makes haste in what he does.

To paint nature you must be in it a long time.

If one truly loves nature one finds beauty everywhere.

If your inner voice is telling you that you can't paint, by all means, hurry up and paint and silence the voice.

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.

It is good to love many things

What I need is courage, and this often fails me. And it is also a fact that since my disease, when I am in the fields I am overwhelmed by a feeling of loneliness to such a horrible extent that I shy away from going out. But this will change all the same as time goes on. Only when I stand a painting before my easel do I feel somewhat alive. Never mind, this is going to change too, for now my health is so good that I suppose the physical part of me will gain the victory.