‘Rules to Keep the World away: Do not listen to people (more than is necessary); Do not look at people (ditto); Have as little intercourse with people as possible; When you come into contact with people, talk as little as possible …’

3 March 1912, Gwen John Papers, National Library of Wales

‘As to being happy, you know, don’t you, that when a picture is done, whatever it is, it might as well not be as far as the artist is concerned – and in all the time he has taken to do it, it has only given him a few seconds pleasure … People are like shadows to me and I am like a shadow.’

[?] March 1902, Gwen John to Michael Salaman