I didn’t start to be an artist myself until I was 24.

It’s fun, in a way, to explore what’s risky in one’s life.

Our culture seems to believe that it’s entertaining to teach women to be frightened.

In our family, there wasn’t anything else besides art. Nothing else in the world existed. My father never spoke about going to a movie or listening to music, other than my mother’s singing.

I like Betsy Ross as a model, too, the quilting bee, sitting around with your friends making art, asking what they think, so that you get the benefit of everyone’s opinions and so it’s not just about you in your you-dom.

Many people don’t have relationships to their siblings in adulthood, or they have superficial ones. It’s sort of unfashionable, particularly in America, to be close to your family.

The point isn’t to know what you’re doing. The point is to have an experience doing something.

As a child I prayed that my calling be revealed – but not with expectation and not with a destination. I became an artist because I didn’t know what to do and I thought it was really fun to make things.

My work life makes much less sense now than 20 years ago. It’s Humpty-Dumpty-like in a way; I can’t put the pieces back together.

I always say I’m Catholic – but a cultural Catholic. I wouldn’t say I’m a spiritual person, although I pray every day.