The only way to survive is to intently focus on how the art world operates. Once you understand how things work, you can find a solution to the problems you are facing.

The only way to survive is to intently focus on how the art world operates. Once you understand how things work, you can find a solution to the problems you are facing.

I have lost my faith in goals. At one time, they were like a religion to me. But I am starting to realize that goals by themselves are nothing more than an arrow pointing in a certain direction. The real magic is in the systems you create.

I think the artists of the recession will end up being a very strong force in the future. They learned about survival.

I realized that I could have been in galleries much sooner. I just needed to get past the fear of rejection. I still feel nervous when I approach a new gallery, although it has become more like a job now. The first step on this long road was getting past that initial fear.

If you look on the history of art you observe how the most popular forms trample the rest. The abstract expressionists destroyed figurative work for more than 30 years.

I realized that the artists who managed to fight through this recession have a better shot at longevity than most. The recession was a test of your resolve and passion. I think as we come out of these rough times we will be more adept at survival and will have gained the skills necessary to make a long fruitful artistic career. There will still be those that fade away but we are more likely to grow and bend with the times and prosper.