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Being an artist is not easy - I have always said that to the students I have taught over the years. It's a huge sacrifice.

You just have to know that the more successful you get as an artist, the less of a normal life you have. It's a trade-off.

You don't make any money being an artist. Writing and producing? You get your money from that. You live comfortable.

I hate to sound like a romantic adolescent, but I believe artists don't generally see art as a career choice; they simply can't overcome their desire to make art, and will live on little income for as long as they have to, before they start to sell their work - or give up and get a paying job.

It's true that there are people who live the idea of being an artist, as opposed to the idea of making art.

I can't really see myself as an artist. Now, to step out here and there, do it when I feel like it, that's a possibility. But for me to be a full-fledged, full-time artist in the industry, I don't think so.

I make a good living and I've never looked at myself as being an artiste.

It's really easy to project this whole ideology of what being an artiste is, and I'm just not down with intellectualizing it. I just think, if you feel like doing something, then do it.

One of the greatest things about being an artist is, as you get older, if you keep working hard in relationship to what you want the world to be and how you want it to become, there is a history of interesting growth that resonates with different moments in your life.

So it's hard to be an artist and be true to the reality of the world you want to create and also make it entertaining and successful financially.