I am a lucky girl.
I’ve spent my career surrounded by great artists, photographers, writers and poets. People whose names are known and works celebrated, others equally talented who remain unknown.
Most artists are absolutely lovely to work with, though there have been a few who were not-so-lovely. Yet something always told me to pay attention, to listen and learn. I knew that the lessons they shared would not only define myself and my own work, but that I might one day pass them on.
No matter what role I was playing in the relationship, whether I was collaborating in the studio, curating an exhibition, or selling the art itself, I always felt that my true work was to accumulate knowledge and experiences so that I might one day share them.
Share them with you, as it turns out.
Someone once told me that no one should be allowed to teach until they’re 50 years old and have acquired enough knowledge to have something to say. It’s an extreme view, but one with some legitimacy. And it may be true of artists as well.
Because real art isn’t just about pretty pictures.
It takes a lifetime to master a medium. And art is about learning to see, creating a vision, devotion to craft, acquiring the wisdom necessary to infuse the work with meaning and purpose.
For it’s only when one has ideas of value that the medium becomes important.
This can take a lifetime to learn. And an artist’s practice is an exercise in reaching for the fruits of this tree over and over again. Sometimes feasting on success, other times starved by failure.
But you never stop reaching. Ever.
This is the wisdom that artists have shared with me.
Learn how to approach to art-world decision makers, create revenue streams, and get paid more being who you are – an artist.
Join my list, it’s FREE, and I’ll share everything I know about working as an artist.
Working in the international world of contemporary art, Crista Cloutier has spent her career selling art and marketing art to art galleries, museums and private collections.
Using her professional experiences, Crista has created The Working Artist Masterclass, where she’s developed a global reputation as an artist’s coach. Crista can teach you how to be an artist; including how to sell your art, how to sell art online, how to sell photographs, how to price your art, how to succeed at art fairs, and even how to find your art style.
Crista has worked with established, blue-chip artists to raise their profile and attract greater opportunities. And she’s also helped thousands of emerging artists to build a professional art practice. To learn more, visit https://theworkingartist.com