in the caves of my heart, where pain taps out its rhythms and sorrow sets its loss, i am without direction.

Letter writing is an excellent way of slowing down this lunatic helterskelter universe long enough to gather one’s thoughts

Our old experiences, memories and fears guide us down the present path. It's not so much that you are the artist; you are the conduit.

Every one of us sees 'green' differently. So everything is an approximation of understanding.

Art becomes a spiritual process depending upon the degree of commitment that you bring to it. Every experience becomes direct food for your art. Then your art teaches you about life.

I don't think I am scared of intimacy, but I am frightened of making a mistake. offering more than I have, or expecting more than you can give. - Matt Sedon

It's the nasty and the accident that form the foundation for elegance that comes later.

You cannot separate art from life or spirituality. They are bound together in a single unit.

Pain and beauty, our constant bedfellows

She who licks her lips knows the taste of her lover's desires

Art is like therapy; what comes up is what comes up. It may be dark, but that's what comes up. You may want to keep some of it in a drawer but never judge it.

Some people do everything, some do something, many do nothing - which is bad enough - but the worst of the lot are those who break down what others have built.

Five of the most dangerous words I know: ‘What’s in it for me?

One day you men will learnto pay attention and all the world willtremble.

Kiss me with your eyes.

There are none so superstitious as the educated, for often they see in their own time - as an article of faith unsubstantiated by experience - the final end of human progress.

Death reveals that the world is not as it should be but that it stands in need of redemption. Christ alone is the conquering of death.

I can't think of another writer who can move me as surreptitiously as Vian does

I choose not to give energy to the emotions of revenge, hatred or the desire to subjugate.

My approach to gymnastics in Beijing was heavily based on the amount of difficulty I could do.

You know that when you suggest something on the page, it's going to be there, plus more. It's a great luxury to know that you don't have to push it. You just lay it out, and it will be there.