I need to be working with the art world in N.Y.C. as much as I need to be working in my studios in Chicago and rural Wisconsin.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Now almost every artist outside of New York is connected with some school or some museum school, and even in New York the majority are. That's an interesting fact when you take the idea of making money, making a living selling paintings. Only a dozen or two painters do that.
There are certainly some artists in New York that I would love to work with. One is Sarah Michelson.
Many artists who don't go off to art school come to New York. It's about what you learn when you're here.
New York is a great place to be fed in the arts. The arts in general are a large part of my life. The city was my postgraduate course.
In New York, I get a tremendous amount of ideas by looking at the paintings and the sculptures, adapting artistic endeavors to crafts. There is a lot of inspiration around us that we can see every day and turn into projects.
I used to live in New York, and I know a number of people who have friends who work at galleries. I spent time hanging out with them, going to openings. It was a good way to do research, to hang out and to look at the art that was present.
I respect the system out there in Hollywood, I really do, but I'm very intent on art versus commerce. I want to do it all - film, TV and theatre - if it's the right job.
When I am in New York, you know, my studio is big, about 20,000 to 25,000 square feet, and I have painting rooms and rooms I do etching in, rooms I do lithographs.
I am interested in art as a means of living a life; not as a means of making a living.
I only made two studio movies, that was a long time ago and obviously I removed myself. I think some of that is geographical. I live in New York and I want to work there, it's as simple as that.