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Free Inspiration

illustration of an angel in a keyhole

My Landlady is an Angel

I’d moved to England three years earlier, living in a small town in the country. It was pretty, but also pretty lonely. Facebook was my closest friend. And it was on Facebook that I first met

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The Wise 11-Year Old Artist

My nephew Phoenix turned 11-years old yesterday, though I’ve always secretly suspected him of being 41. I’m visiting to help him celebrate his 11 years and see what new things he can teach me. He didn’t

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CristaCloutier

Men Like Him

He thought his career was over. Bill Jay had been a professor of the History of Photography. He’d published dozens of books and hundreds of articles. He’d founded two majorly influential photography magazines. He’d travelled, given

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Portrait of Artist Leslie Jean-Bart

Meet Working Artist Leslie Jean-Bart

“Becoming a working artist has literally saved my life.” So admits Haitian-born photographer Leslie Jean-Bart. Now an avowed New Yorker, Leslie has spent the past few years as the sole caretaker of his mother who suffers

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Portrait of Crista Cloutier on a mountain

Watch This Space!

It’s been exactly seven years since I stepped on that airplane to France. I was so frazzled that when I arrived, I slept for 24 straight hours. Selling everything you own, saying goodbye to everyone you

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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

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Portrait of Artist Summer Lydick

Meet Working Artist Summer Lydick

Summer Lydick is a Working Artist. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and a Master of Arts in painting, Summer continued her work in fine art while developing The Painted Wall, a

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Photo of stamped poem

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

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Hand drawn map for Crista Cloutier

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

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Portrait of Artist David Foster

Meet Working Artist David Foster

Artist David Foster has had a passion for nature photography for nearly fifty years. He focused heavily on photography during his twenties. Then life carried David through cross-country moves, marriage, kids and thirty years of employment

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Portrait of artist Tom waters

Meet Working Artist Tom Waters

In a world that often thinks being an artist is not a responsible thing to do, The Working Artist course gave me the ‘permission’ and the confidence to pursue being a full time artist. – Tom

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Young boy with boxing gloves

How To Be The Greatest

I imagine that you’ve heard of the boxer named Mohammad Ali. When he passed away a few months ago, the whole world mourned. But Crista, you’re probably asking, what does a boxer have to do with

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