Anderson worked as an art director in the Twin Cities for two decades. Laid off and burned out by doing commercial work, he took up painting in 2000. In 2002, he had his first exhibition, selling several of his works.
“I learned that you can use setbacks as opportunities. I also learned that it’s really true that money buys you options. When my mom died, she left us a little money, which was enough to give us time to be able to make some career decisions. And I learned that everything depends on me—nothing happens unless I do it—and to keep your eyes on the prize, to keep those dreams alive, so when the opportunity arises, you can act on it. I also learned that being an artist is a true entrepreneurial endeavor. It’s a difficult one, because the world isn’t begging for another painting.”
