Edward Hopper- Pennsylvania Coal Town
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I believe that the great painters, with their intellect as master, have attempted to force the unwilling medium of paint and canvas into a record of their emotions. I find any digression from this large aim leads me to boredom.
–Edward Hopper
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Emotion is that intangible quality that separates art from craft. Emotion does not have to be at the extremes of rage or depression or giddy elation. It is often subtle and calm or densely introspective. Hopper’s work was imbued with quiet emotional undertones that make his paintings, even those scenes of the most seemingly mundane moments, truly memorable.
Art is, at its foundation, emotion.
Redtree Times 
That quotation reads just a bit differently in the context of this article about Edward and — Jo. I found it fascinating: not least the fact that she was his model. The insight it offers into their lives together doesn’t particularly affect my view of his paintings, but it certainly reminds that the artist’s work and the artist’s words about the work need to be seen in as full a context as possible.
Thank you so much for the wonderful article about Jo Hopper’s life and work.
Like you, I find it interesting to put the life of the artist into the context of their work and their words. Even so, it’s hard to measure the whole of a person’s life this way. In the case of Hopper, I think his work is right in line with the life of the Hoppers as described in the few snippets from Jo’s writings contained in the article. It certainly contains the same kind of melancholy that you imagine Jo may have experienced.
There is definitely a lot in this article for one to consider.