James Thurber

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

Well if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone.

The harder I work, the luckier I get.

From my point of view, which is that of a storyteller, I see your life as already artful, waiting, just waiting and ready for you to make it art.

A museum has to renew its collection to be alive, but that does not mean we give on important old works.

Mother’s taste was eclectic and ranged from the ancient world to the contemporary from Europe to the U.S.

I think of art as the highest level of creativity. To me, it is one of the greatest sources of enjoyment.

Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.

The essence of all Art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.

We’ll buy some drugs and watch a band and jump in a river holding hands.

I got more publicity for not doing a festival than for doing the festival.

Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.

If you hold onto the beauty and inspiration and the clarity that is music, you will have an anchor, you will not be too far swayed by what the world is.

Life is tough and if you’re creative, it’s tougher.

The Japanese have a wonderful sense of design and a refinement in their art. They try to produce beautiful paintings with the minimum number of strokes.

A poem is a naked person… Some people say that I am a poet.

In the field of art, to be able to have lunch with Kirk Varnedoe is thrilling. I met him at Si and Victoria Newhouse’s dinner one night. Barnett Newman’s widow was there. That’s the part of me that’s a fan. Like when I was a kid and went to the Brooklyn Paramount. Well, my interest has expanded, and it’s not just rock-and-roll.