>> I never really know what to say when students come up to me and say, "I want to be an artist.
My parents said I won't make any money."
And
I wish I could say if you do X, Y and Z you'll be able to support yourself,
but I tell them my story and I tell them
that I wasn't the kid anybody thought would make anything of themselves.
You know, and I'm not rich.
I'm still struggling and still grateful when I get a commission, even with a full-time job.
But I'm 58 and I'm still painting, which, I think that that's incredible,
because that's what I set out to do, this kid from Southern Brooklyn who never went
to a museum until her teacher at Brooklyn College sent her to write a paper.
I mean, I've been able to make a life out of it.
And I tell students, you know, if you want it badly enough, you'll figure out how to do it,
you know, even if it means working a junk job.
Some people just can't do it.
Some people have to have their nails done every week.
Some people say, "I don't care."