Free Inspiration

The Universe Gives you What You Need
I travelled the world, only to find myself back where I began 7 years ago. It’s been 7 years since that day someone made the offhand remark, “Don’t you wish you could sell it all and

Have You Pushed PAUSE On Your Creativity?
An artist recently spoke with me about her work. She tearfully admitted that she’d been too busy to create new work of any substance. She was afraid. Afraid she won’t be able to connect with the

He Did It His Way
Jack was 90 years old and still the town rascal. I first met Jack when he came to my rescue in the pub. I had just moved to England, to Tunbridge Wells, a small town

College Art Students Ask These Questions
Say what you will about Millennials, this generation makes my heart sing for the future of the planet. Over the past few years, I’ve worked with hundreds of university art students all over the world. I’ve

What’s the gift?
I have always been right! Handed, that is. It’s my dominant side and I’ve often shuddered at the thought of having to change. Life must have heard me and had a chuckle at my expense. Last

It Takes A Village
As this extraordinary year draws to a close, every artist I know is looking forward in hopes that 2021 will bring happier surprises than 2020. But I want to take this moment to cast my gaze

How Will Your Art Save The World?
I believe in the power of art. I believe that artists are leaders. And I believe that there has never been a time in our history when art has been so desperately needed. This is a

The Best New Year’s Resolution for Artists
I don’t know about you, but 2020 has taught me some painful lessons. These lessons marked my soul so deeply that they should be tattooed into my very flesh. They are the lessons of faith, grace,

Validation
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,

The Start Of His Journey
His name was Henrik. He’d been an artist in Hungary until he faced the stark reality that there were no opportunities there. London has the biggest art market in Europe so, like many of us, Henrik

How To Be The Greatest
I imagine that you’ve heard of the boxer named Mohammad Ali. When he passed away, the whole world mourned. But Crista, you’re probably asking, what does a boxer have to do with art? A lot, actually.

She Looked Like Georgia O’Keeffe
Every family has a story. They called her “Grandma Ach” because of her habit of beginning each sentence with a guttural sound of disapproval. “Ach! What is this?” But her name was Mary Anne. She was the

The Artist Who Gave Away His Dream
“I used to have a band,” he told me. He’d played lead guitar and sang. It was the 80’s and he worked hard, toured the country, and started to gain a small following. But he never

Have You Ever Felt Lost?
It’s been nearly 20 years since I first spent time in France. Nearly 20 years since I met a beautifully talented artist from Hawaii named Maria Lee. Maria was teaching at a small art school for

A Lesson Learned From an Old Lady’s Tears
I drove to the Mediterranean Sea to look at the water. I

So You’re An Artist. Now What?
So you’ve taken the jump and chosen to be an artist. Now what? Where’s the fabulous gallery opening in New York City? Where are the international collectors to lavish praise and money on you? Where’s the

How Artists Achieve Breakthroughs
This picture of me is not the most glamorous, yet it’s my favorite. Let me explain. All my life I’ve been terrified of sharks. Truly terrified. My fears grew so big that I became unable to

I Challenged These Artists
As artists, we challenge ourselves because that’s how we find The Muse. The Muse doesn’t just sit around waiting for us. We have to get to work to find her. Sometimes that means opening ourselves up