“Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.”
“In general it can be said that a nation's art is greatest when it most reflects the character of its people.”
“In its most limited sense, modern, art would seem to concern itself only with the technical innovations of the period.”
“The question of the value of nationality in art is perhaps unsolvable.”
“The trend in some of the contemporary movements in art, but by no means all, seems to deny this ideal and to me appears to lead to a purely decorative conception of painting.”
“It's to paint directly on the canvas without any funny business, as it were, and I use almost pure turpentine to start with, adding oil as I go along until the medium becomes pure oil. I use as little oil as I can possibly help, and that's my method.”
“No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.”
“If the technical innovations of the Impressionists led merely to a more accurate representation of nature, it was perhaps of not much value in enlarging their powers of expression.”
“My aim in painting has always been the most exact transcription possible of my most intimate impression of nature.”
“Painting will have to deal more fully and less obliquely with life and nature's phenomena before it can again become great.”
“There will be, I think, an attempt to grasp again the surprise and accidents of nature and a more intimate and sympathetic study of its moods, together with a renewed wonder and humility on the part of such as are still capable of these basic reactions.”
“I trust Winsor and Newton and I paint directly upon it.”
“I find in working always the disturbing intrusion of elements not a part of my most interested vision, and the inevitable obliteration and replacement of this vision by the work itself as it proceeds.”