"What moulting is to birds, the time when they change their feathers, that's adversity or misfortune, hard times, for us human beings. Instead of giving way to despair, I took the way of active melanch…"

"...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?"

"I'm doing my very best to put all my energy into it, for I long so much to make beautiful things. But beautiful things require effort — and disappointment and perseverance."

"Next, I'm attempting to do dusty thistles with a great swarm of butterflies swirling above them."

"I would sooner paint people's eyes than cathedrals, for there is something in the eyes that is lacking in a cathedral - however solemn and impressive it may be."