Soul sucking jobs are a pain, and the whole mortgage and California issues are damn near life threatening. But being unemployed for 8 months with no end in site has its downside, too. I speak from direct and immediate experience! I do have the astounding luxury of time and space to work in and am doing my best to paint/draw every day, realizing that something miraculous could happen and I’d be back at the daily grind. Financially better, but I’d be loathe to give up the time to make art.

I’m certainly not going to tell you to cheer up, or see the bright side or any such tripe. I will say that I think that there are cracks (or major abysses) in the system that present the possibility of rethinking our personal economies and opportunities. Thinking small, frugal, and meaningful may become the new American way. At least for some of us who want to make some sense of the nonsense around us. Check out the Business Plan at http://ancientartist.typepad.com/ancient_artist_developing/ May not be exactly what you’re looking for, but Sue Smith provides a very insightful and humorous guide to the business of art. Perhaps it will give you a mental shift and expose some workable possibilities.