When I started, there were, oh, 8 of us. Computers that could draw anything meaningful didn't exist and I prayed for the day when I could afford something that would just let me do pencil sketches; because of the revisions the ad agancy art directors wanted. Now look what we've got. And along with it, a bunch of people doing passable work without really knowing what they are doing or why it is good or not. What makes this possible is that the buyers aren't discerning, so passable is good enough—and it's cheaper. (Shhh! No one will notice...)

For us separating out our art from other income, art is our income; though it's looking as if we may have to fragment our focus just to stay alive. We combine the engineering with our art to create the really unique. My racing background with Penske, (YAAAAYYY! We won the Indy 500 today—for the 15th time!) might seem to some to be going in the "opposite" direction from art. I just incorporate all of my knowledge together into whatever I do. There is nothing left behind. It's all too cool to ignore.

I often counsel people who are in much the same state as we right now:

"Everyone should do for a living that which they would do as a hobby. Do what you love. It's the only thing you'll be truly great at."

Sooooo, where can we see your stuff?

It could just be as artists we have to think bolder and bigger then ever before to standout. The internet is now almost creating a glut of space art making competition even tougher.
In brief my own background was Aerospace engineering for 2 years at Cal Poly Pomona then changed to art so I find yours and Joys bios particularly fascinating.
As a space artist myself trying to stand out. I am thinking bold in my ideas and cutting way back on living expenses. I try to keep my living wage/job income seperate from my art income.
That way it doesnt hurt if no one buys my art. Looking at my art the other day. I ask myself if this never made me any money would it have been worth doing?
My answer was yes. I guess personally I keep going in tough times because of the internal spiritual satisfaction I get by doing art and some belief that I am fullfilling some devine purpose.

Thank you for your thoughts. Being able to afford to do it financially hasn't been much of a problem until recently. That is the main reason for this series of articles; to question and receive feedback from outside our sphere. Difficult to see when you're in the middle of it all. When times get tough, one wonders whether they are still doing what they are put here to do. Just knowing that people out there do see value in what you do is a great help in persevering.