"These are the shoes of old Yde, a bachelor. He has worn them for forty years. He repaired them from below and above, …"

"I used to paint some things a few times, but I stopped, because I didn't get an answer. If the work has nothing to sa…"

"In 1973 I suddenly came into major private problems. I was completely thrown back on myself. Then I found those trous…"

"..because of self-preservation, selfishness and the urge for happiness love has prevailed in me, and in that way ever…"

"I worked for months on this painting [title 'The Stone-wheelbarrow of C. Adema', 1977], for instance that well-bucket…"

"The smaller the world, the better I feel. When the reed is around me, evil has disappeared from the world. I really s…"

"In 1946 it was the first time I saw a Van Gogh, a painting from his years in France. It was excactly what I had alway…"

"Just six kilometers – never my world was bigger than that, actually. That starting time [of his painting & drawing, c…"

"Father was a beautiful person, Otherwise I couldn't have paint him like that [Jopie points to the portrait of his fat…"

"As far as transience is concerned.. .You see the whole story in those shoes, that's why I paint them so accurate. The…"