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Any sort of pretension induces mediocrity in art and life alike.

I think the key to great art and great artists is to just fully be yourself and not be scared of that, and be the extremes of your personality. Show the extremes of your personality and embrace the imperfections. Embrace the things about yourself that you might not like.

Artists were always referred to as great artists. I thought that's what the profession was. One word: great-artist. There wasn't one moment in my life when I thought I wanted to be anything else.

Great artists are the ones who have put their entire selves out there to be adored, humiliated, to be picked at, cherished, all of those things, and haven't shied away from that.

I do not feel any artist can produce great art without putting great personality into it. It is always a piece of you that goes on the screen or the canvass.

There are different kinds of artists: the ones that inspire you, and the ones that overwhelm you.

I think it's pretentious to create art just for the sake of stroking the artists ego.

If you try to go beyond your interests just for the sake of pretensions or wealth, your art becomes less legitimate.

Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.

The great artist is the man who most obviously succeeds in turning his pains to advantage, in letting suffering deepens his understanding and sensibility, in growing through his pains.