It took me time to understand my water lilies. I had planted them for the pleasure of it; I grew them without ever thinking of painting them.

To see we must forget the name of the thing we are looking at.

Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.

I must have flowers, always, and always.

It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.

All I did was to look at what the universe showed me, to let my brush bear witness to it.

The light constantly changes, and that alters the atmosphere and beauty of things every minute.

Light is the most important person in the picture.

Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad. I have such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it.

It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.

I would like to paint the way a bird sings.

History is too much about wars

A huntress never stabbed anything she didn't want to.

If it doesn't come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don’t do it.

The best advice I've gotten in terms of that was someone who said, "People will surprise you if you let them."

At 78 years old, I am not surprised at much anymore. Germany has taken divergent positions before, so has France, so has England, so has the US.

The difference between passion and addiction is that between a divine spark and a flame that incinerates.

President Obama came up with tremendous ideas, but he was blocked by the Republicans.

I decided I wanted to be a physician when I was seven years old.

If you take a deep breath and look around, 'Look what's happening to me!' can become 'Look what's happening!' And what's happening? The incredible drama of life is happening. And we're in it!

Everything's happened to me. Nothing can happen to me now.