Every artist’s journey tells a story. And every story has an antagonist. The story of your artist’s journey is no different. The antagonist is the adversary, the opponent. It’s what comes between the hero and her desire.

What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you think we ever stop asking ourselves that question? It seems to be one of life’s great mysteries. When I was young I yearned to

One of my favorite writers is Seth Godin. I’ve been reading his books and blog for years because his advice for creatives is paradigm-changing. But life was throwing me some challenges. I wished I could ask

“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

I believe that the best artists are Artist Warriors. But instead of taking up arms, we take up brushes and cameras and clay. Artists are warriors of the spirit. Like any warrior, artists must be tested,

  Is your life’s journey a true expression of your self? Too many people just follow what’s right in front of them, without discernment. They choose what’s easy and available. They don’t realize that we can

How do you prepare for the artist’s journey if you don’t know where you’re going? Spend wisely. When I was selling other people’s art and not making my own art, I filled that empty space inside

I’m always encouraging artists to JUMP. But what does that even mean? The jump is about following your heart. If you recognize your heart as the very best of yourself, and you acknowledge that this is

I went all the way to France to write my book. But that didn’t make it any easier. Chapter One. Page One. The bright white of the paper glared accusingly. How do I begin?   At

I was 17 years old and had never met a blind man before. Every day, he sat at the counter of the diner where I poured coffee. The first time we met, he pulled out paper and

Artists live in the realm of magic. But we also live in the real world, often at the fringes of culture. It’s difficult to navigate both worlds and our unique situation gives rise to challenging questions.

It’s not about whether you succeed or fail as an artist. It’s about the kind of person you become as you do the work. Does it make you feel more authentic? Are you coming from a

Who do you think you are? How many of us are afraid to say who we are and what we want? Afraid of disappointing our parents, our friends, lovers, colleagues? Almost every artist battles the accusing

Procrastination is a word I often hear artists use. But procrastination can be about more than just postponing tasks and projects. It sometimes becomes a reason to turn on yourself, and bring all of your doubts to

As artists, we are CREATORS. And your life is your greatest creation. In his brilliant book Negative/Positive, Bill Jay wrote that artists are people who strive to become actually who they are potentially. To become actually

Do you have a mentor? An Elder Artist who encourages you and shares words of wisdom?  I do. My friend Jaune Quick-to-See Smith is a Native American artist whose powerful paintings have been awarded and featured

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a lot of art critiques in my day. Even though artistic taste is subjective, even though everyone has their own aesthetics and set of experiences and education that

Has anyone ever told you that your creative work sucks? If not, just wait. It’ll happen. And when it does, avoid the urge to hide in a hole. Instead, consider it a rite of passage… I’ve