A painting is finished when the subject comes back, when what has caused the painting to be made comes back as an object.
Howard Hodgkin

I hate painting.
Howard Hodgkin

My language is what I use, and if I lost that, I wouldn't be able to say anything.
Howard Hodgkin

In England, it's thought to be morally suspect to worry about what your surroundings look like.
Howard Hodgkin

When I finish a painting, it usually looks as surprising to me as to anyone else.
Howard Hodgkin

I look at my pictures, and I think, 'Well, how did I do that?'
Howard Hodgkin

I don't look at the work of my contemporaries very much; I tend to look at pictures by dead artists. It's much easier to get near their paintings.
Howard Hodgkin