The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves it in nothing.

The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves it in nothing.

As for types like my own, obscurely motivated by the conviction that our existence was worthless if we didn't make read more

As for types like my own, obscurely motivated by the conviction that our existence was worthless if we didn't make a turning point of it, we were assigned to the humanities, to poetry, philosophy, painting -- the nursery games of humankind, which had to be left behind when the age of science began. The humanities would be called upon to choose a wallpaper for the crypt, as the end drew near.

When Michelangelo finished the painting of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, he spent the rest of his life trying to remove read more

When Michelangelo finished the painting of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, he spent the rest of his life trying to remove the paint that had poured into his sleeve.

Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.

Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.

The arts are not just instantaneous pleasure -- if you don't like it, the artist is wrong. I belong to read more

The arts are not just instantaneous pleasure -- if you don't like it, the artist is wrong. I belong to the generation which says if you don't like it, you don't understand and you ought to find out.

Great art picks up where nature ends.

Great art picks up where nature ends.

Pictures must not be too picturesque.

Pictures must not be too picturesque.

From the shore.. one looks
upward to the sanddune grass..
10,000
green brushes attempting
where they laid
to paint read more

From the shore.. one looks
upward to the sanddune grass..
10,000
green brushes attempting
where they laid
to paint the blue sky
jade.

Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper the photographer begins with the finished product.

Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper the photographer begins with the finished product.