All authentic art is conceived at a sacred moment and nourished in a blessed hour; an inner impulse creates it, often without the artist being aware of it.

You call me a misanthrope because I avoid society. You err; I love society. Yet in order not to hate people, I must avoid their company.

The painter should paint not only what he has in front of him, but also what he sees inside himself. If he sees nothing within, then he should stop painting what is in front of him.

The eye and fantasy feel more attracted by nebulous distance than by that which is close and distinct in front of us.

I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full; I have to surrender myself to what encircles me, I have to merge with my clouds and rocks in order to be what I am.

Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first with the eye of the spirit. Then bring to light what you have seen in the darkness, that its effect may work back, from without to within.

Every true work of art must express a distinct feeling.

The pure, frank sentiments we hold in our hearts are the only truthful sources of art.

A painting which does not take its inspiration from the heart is nothing more than futile juggling.

I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full.

The feelings of another person should never be imposed upon us as a law.

Other people dream while they are asleep. I plot new book ideas.

As a friend of mine told me about Real Happiness: you wrote this one in American.

Be the slaughterhouse for sacred cows.

No reason can be given for the nature of God, because that nature is the ground of rationality.

Truth does not demand belief.

You are a masterpiece of creation.

These people [Bush Administration] are for the most part rip-off artists. Notice that they're all gas and oil men from Cheney, to the two Bushes; I think Rumsfeld also.

Many people claim coffee inspires them, but, as everybody knows, coffee only makes boring people even more boring.

The pursuit of beauty is much more dangerous nonsense than the pursuit of truth or goodness, because it affords a stronger temptation to the ego.

Who but a physicist, in the research lab or the corporation, could mix and match multiple ideas, models, technologies from different disciplines and thrive on change and new ideas...?