I love the idea of engaging religious sentiment and how that vocabulary has evolved over time.

I think there's something important in going against the grain, and perhaps finding value in things that aren't necessarily institutionally recognized.

This is something that, as artists, we constantly deal with-throwing away the past, slaying the father, and creating the new. This desire to throw away the old rules.

The backgrounds by design are a very key part of the conversation, because I want a kind of fight or pressure to exist between the figure and the background.

All art is self-portraiture.

Painting is situational. And my particular situation exists within gender, race, class, sexuality, nation.

I believe that artists should be part of the culture. I think that my work clearly bears that out.

The art world has become so insular. The rules have become so autodidactic that, in a sense, they lose track of what people have any interest in thinking about, talking about or even looking at.

We have a lot of sort of received historical ways of viewing portraiture. And I suppose in some way I'm sort of questioning that by toying with the rules of the game.

We're wired to be empathetic and to care about the needs of others, but also to be curious about others. And I think that's just sort of in our DNA. And so portraiture is a very human act.

I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.

You have to choose whether to go to a restless sleep or to stay awake and fight for a blissful night rest.

I am curious. I like to know the beauty of truth.

I stopped making movies because I don't like taking my clothes off. Maybe it's realism, but in my opinion, it's utter filth.

Can you imagine saying ‘Hi’ to Sam Jackson and he goes and gives you a hug? It’s like being hugged by a lion.

Various Horsemen are abroad, doing their various Apocalyptic things.

From the the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results.

Water runneth smoothest where it is deepest.

When your life is over, the world will ask you only one question: 'Did you do what you were supposed to do?'

If you love something and if you're committed and diligent - the things happen!

I was thinking, while I was running..." He paused. "About not hitting the trees, I hope.