"No, absolutely not, I have never been what one calls a gifted child, never a dreamer. I didn't think of making fantasies with the pencil on the paper, although at school we learned to draw and play music of course. But in those days the piano was actually what I preferred most.. .But until my eighteenth year I have been hesitating long between both .."

“Acquaintances, family, posing for me? - Oh no, please no acquaintances, no nephews or nieces.. .If I need them, I take models; am I searching for myself, tripping through the neighborhoods..”

“I never had difficulties with my students, for I was prepared for their pranks, because fortunately I had often been naughty myself. We frequently made tremendous fun at the Art Academy in The Hague.. .So I still had my own experience in this area fresh in my mind.”

“Although teaching in the class is so terribly tiring.. .I continued my work perfunctorily in a way that nobody could notice it. Because I lived with that firm intention: in a few years I will start painting. And I saved for this by being as sober as possible with everything.”

“Then on a certain day I went out . I traveled to Dongen, brought some interior studies back, to try to make something good of them.”

“I'm not making any progress with the book that you were so kind to lend me ; the desire to study tie facts for etching from a book does not exist with me.. ..if you would rather give me some lessons, so that I can get some information, I will be glad..”

“images of Suze Robertson's drawings and paintings, in the Boijmans Museum, Rotterdam”