I think that at its best you just have to respect each arena for what they can do well.

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.

I am only a spark: Make me a fire.

Education and morals will be found almost the whole that goes to make a good man.

Silence is the garment of light.

The print on canvas is the closest to the original work. I personally sign them as well.

You must speak loud to those who are hard of hearing.

Success is made of 99% failure.

There's always down time when you're an actor, especially a character actor.

The greater a man is in power above others, the more he ought to excel them in virtue. None ought to govern who is not better than the governed.

If I could not go to heaven with but a party, I would not go there at all. Therefore, I am not of the party of federalists. But I am much further from that of the anti-federalists.

Never put a man in the wrong. He will hold it against you forever.