I think the frustration you can get into as a young artist is when you realize your limitations, but you want to accomplish that rather than seeing that you don't have to do everything. Just focus on your strengths.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
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.
The art world can be very intimidating because it's just so vast. You talk to people who are really clued in to all the young artists and coming into it you're never going to be able to catch up immediately, even though there's pressure to.
I think it's harder than ever to be an artist. I think that you end up, especially as a middle-aged person, you pay such big consequences for saying, 'I'm just going to devote my life to making art,' or 'I'm going to devote my life to writing novels.' You end up with no resources.
I really just want to continue to challenge myself. And I want to continue to grow as an artist. I never want to stop.
I would say being deeply involved in the art world would help keep a young artist on track. Doing what you love, so that your focus is your artistry.
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.
When you're young and everything dramatic is exciting, you start to believe that hype that, in order to be an artist, you have to suffer. I've graduated from that school.
I think that's an important lesson for young people who want to be artists: You have to find someone who believes in you and who will help you find that time where you don't have to think about a job but just making work. If I didn't have those people in my life, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in.
I think that as an artist, the more that you can do to diversify, and kind of challenge yourself, the more you grow.
To be an artist you have to give up everything, including the desire to be a good artist.