Have you ever found yourself questioning if you’re good enough? Or maybe you overthink something you did or something you said? Sometimes we get stuck in those thoughts, wondering about the judgments and opinions of others. I’ve learned that it comes down to a CHOICE. Believe me, making this one choice has given […]
How Artists Create Self-Confidence Read More »
An artist recently told me that for years there was a battle inside her head as both hemispheres of her brain struggled to control her fate. The right side of her brain screamed to be an artist. It wanted to play, to make, to create. But the left side of her brain had other ideas.
Are You Choosing Through Fear? Or From Truth? Read More »
It was Day 16 of my crowd-funding campaign and I had only cried in public once. Twice. Online crowd-funding is not for the faint of heart. This was a several years ago, when I was raising the funds to create The Working Artist. It was my dream to create an online business school for artists
The 8-Year Old Artist’s Message Read More »
Artist Luis Jimenez died tragically in an accident in June of 2006. At the studio where I worked, Luis was the first artist I knew to pass away. Artists Fritz Scholder and Keith Haring had also worked with us and gone before him, but Luis was on my watch – and he was family. Luis Jimenez
The Artist Who Couldn’t Be Tamed Read More »
I guess it won’t surprise you know that I’ve always believed in magic. I look for those small moments of synchronicity that let me know I’m not alone. I don’t know Who or What it is that walks beside me, but by dropping that penny in my path, I’ve felt that everything is going to
Are You Giving Your Power Away? Read More »
I found myself at a crossroads when I was eighteen years old. I’d grown up in a family where science and mathematics made proper courses of study for university. But my behavior gave my family reason to pause. We didn’t have the vocabulary to understand what was wrong with me, why I was different. I
What Will Become of You? Read More »
I recently suffered a crisis. My relationships weren’t connecting, my creativity wasn’t flowing. I was overwhelmed and overwrought. It felt like the work was stagnant and it became a battle to get through all the stuff that needed to be done. Have you ever felt like this? In times of crisis, I look for those
Overcoming Overwhelm Read More »
Artists are dreamers. Often we operate in two different worlds: the vibrant, colorful, mystical world inside of our heads and…well… the real world. The real world isn’t as fun. Bills demand to be paid. Responsibilities need to be met. And people? Well, people aren’t always as supportive as we’d like them to be. How often
What’s your Artist Dream? Read More »
One of the first questions I ask aspiring artists is, “What is it that you want?” Invariably the answer has to do with wealth and fame. Heroes named include Damian Hirst and Andy Warhol. And then I sigh, collect myself, and try to explain that when your focus is on wealth and fame you are getting your validation
“But Crista,” the artist asked, “How can I make a living from my art?” “I wanna be wealthy! I wanna live on a beach! I wanna be dripping in jewels! And I want my art to pay for all of it!” Then I reply with something that artist Kiki Smith once told me: “Your art doesn’t exist to support
Is Your Art Making You Wealthy? Read More »