Alice Neel worked tirelessly to redefine gender norms through her visual art, enduring both criticism and being overlooked for decades before finally achieving recognition as a feminist icon. Her figurative works depicting realistic female subjects defied the male gaze that had long objectified women in art. These words are reflective of Neel’s own rise to the top, as she strictly adhered to her often unpopular artistic convictions en route to becoming one of the 20th century’s greatest portrait artists. The quote is a reminder that even when things seem bleak, patience and faith pay off in the end, and any experience that doesn’t break us is a chance to learn.