In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking of a tightrope.
Source: In Artists in Quotation, by Donna Ward La Cour, 1989.
-- Henri Matisse, (Dec 31 1869-1954), French artist, author; He was pioneer of modern art of room interiors, vivid female nudes, and still-lifes, e.g., The Red Studio, 1911.