To make money, I did portraits . The truth is so bizarre! I'm kind of embarrassed. I was like a 19th-century pirate painter. I'd say, 'Your mom would love a painting of you!' A salesman! I'd hawk paintings.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
All my forebears worked for a living. My grandfather painted portraits. My mother too. My aunt painted seascapes.
I was a terrible painter - my portraits looked like the evil chimera love-children of Picasso's demoiselles and the BBC test card clown.
I was a really lousy artist as a kid. Too abstract expressionist; or I'd draw a big ram's head, really messy. I'd never win painting contests. I remember losing to a guy who did a perfect Spiderman.
I was an artist - I fancied myself an artist - I sold paintings at bars to pay my rent.
I went to art high school and thought I'd be a painter. Unfortunately I didn't finish high school, but that's always been part of my work.
I wanted to be a painter.
I paint landscapes, figuratives. I painted all my life. In fact, I started as a commercial artist.
Painting pictures didn't make me a lot of money. I have to eat.
I had some money, I made the best paintings ever. I was completely reclusive, worked a lot, took a lot of drugs. I was awful to people.
I painted. I wanted to be a painter. I sang.