Bob Dylan, who rarely talks about his music, sits down for a chat about his art and  politics with the Times of London in advance of an exhibition of his art .
The writer uses a little too much ink explaining his state of mind at the interview,  but draws out some meaningful quotes from the generally cryptic Dylan.
On his  art education: “I was in my teens before I started to see books of paintings in the school library - frescoes or the work of Michelangelo, that kind of thing. And I didn't really see the stuff that properly had an impact on me - Matisse, Derain, Monet, Gauguin - till later on, when I was in my twenties.”
On his style:  “I don't have that facility to copy note for note. Influenced by? If I had the ability to paint like any of those guys I might see the similarity, but I don't. If there is anything it's just by accident and instinctive.”
On American politics: “Well, you know right now America is in a state of upheaval. Poverty is demoralizing. You can't expect people to have the virtue of purity when they are poor. But we've got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up ... Barack Obama. He's redefining what a politician is, so we'll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I'm hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to.”