Alan Lee Quotations

I keep drawing the trees, the rocks, the river, I'm still learning how to see them; I'm still discovering how to render their forms. I will spend a lifetime doing that. Maybe someday I'll get it right.

When I draw something, I try to build some kind of history into it. Drawing an object that has a certain amount of wear and tear or rust; or a tree that is damaged. I love trying to render not just the object, but what it has been through.

To draw a tree, to pay such close attention to every aspect of a tree, is an act of reverence not only toward the tree, and toward the earth itself, but also our human connection to it. This is one of the magical things about drawing -- it gives us almost visionary moments of connectedness.

I spend as much time as I can sketching from nature, Dartmoor contains such a rich variety of landscape, as many boulders, foaming rivers and twisted trees as my heart could ever desire. . . . When I look into a river, I feel I could spend a whole lifetime just painting that river.

The power of both myth and art is this magical ability to open doors, to make connections — not only between us and the natural world, but between us and the rest of humanity. Myths show us what we have in common with every other human being, no matter what culture we come from, no matter what century we live in. . .and at the same time, mythic stories and art celebrate our essential differences...

I'm drawn to characters who bear similarities to the protagonists in myths and legends. (...)

He must teach evolution exclusively observable scientific fact, not beliefs or religion. I fully believe he will comply. He just stepped over the line.

Most are extremely embarrassed and humiliated. They're not used to asking for help. We've given them some purchasing power to go out and get things they need.

The first day when I saw the scores I knew I could have the win because only three people shot in the 70s with the wind. It was tough. I tried to play with the wind. I was surprised the scores were that high. So I knew I had a chance.