I Love The Passion You Go Through

As I Turn 91... I Have To Admit My Hours At The Easel Have Diminished.

I Have Always Said To Young Artists That Scholastic Training And The Studying Of Art History Are Crucial To Fully Developing As An Artist.

The Big Shock Of My Life Was Abstract Expressionism - Pollock, De Kooning, Those Guys. It Changed My Work. I Was An Academically Trained Student, And Suddenly You Could Pour Paint, Smear It On, Broom It On!

I Guess I Created Leroy Neiman. Nobody Else Told Me How To Do It. Well, I'm A Believer In The Theory That The Artist Is As Important As His Work.

Throughout My Life, Cigars Have Played Different Roles For Me. They Fit Easily And Well In The Various Stages And Experiences Ive Had -- Like A Companion, Almost. If Youve Smoked A Long Time, As I Have, They Become Part Of You.