As much as the stereotype of the solitary painter working alone and
shutting him- or herself off from the world makes artists seem
mysterious and cool, I’ve found that artists tend to be fairly social
creatures, and their cool factor isn’t lessened by their sense of
community. Sometimes this is situational—you are in a painting or
drawing workshop or class, and you swap stories and commiserate and
encourage your fellow students because you are working through the same
issues and assignments.
...