Pearl meets girl

I've been recovering and starting to think ahead again. My life is split into two parts: 'work' and 'the rest'. 'Work' causes me anxiety (the rest does too but it seems more manageable). I should explain that in this case I am using the word work as a name for my paid employment rather than my work as an artist. I still cannot bring myself to use the word practice which makes my neck itch. Anyway I've been looking through things to apply to and wondering which ones are worthwhile and which I stand a chance of getting. I was looking at some and worrying that, in a recession, perhaps more famous artists might be forced to enter more lowly shows and residencies in order to make a crust. If so, what will the rest of us do? How can I be expected to compete with Sarah Lucas for the first prize of the Kings Lynn: Eastern Open?