Toggle Side Panel

Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.

I Am An Artist

crista
Crista December 3, 2025
A black and white picture of hands holding a round item with text at the bottom saying "I am an artist"

A black and white picture of hands holding a round item with text at the bottom saying "I am an artist"

Quick Answer

The Working Artist emphasizes that being an artist is an identity one chooses to inhabit fully, without apology or qualification, rather than waiting for external permission. Many artists hesitate to claim the title, feeling it's too grand, but the site argues that proactively owning this identity is crucial for sharing work, commanding higher prices, and gathering real power. Author Crista Cloutier, who has sold over $10 million in artwork to major institutions including MoMA, the Met, and Yale University Art Gallery, asserts that every artist's creative work, vision, and artistic voice inherently hold value.

“I can’t call myself an artist.”

She said it with a kind of shy defiance, as if the word belonged to other people. Bigger people.

“That word feels too big-headed and too grand. What gives me the right to call myself an artist? That’s for other people to decide.”

Yet this same artist was producing beautiful work and already had an impressive CV. She wanted to share her work with a larger audience and command higher prices, but she’d gotten stuck.

Too many artists stop here. Afraid to claim the title. Afraid to be seen. They wait for the world to tell them it’s okay, to give them permission to take their place. Then, they resent it when the world fails to respond.

“But that’s not how the world works,” I gently reminded her. “You must show the world who you are. Only then will it respond.”

Here’s what I know after decades in the art world, after selling over $10 million in artwork to major institutions including MoMA, the Met, and Yale University Art Gallery:

Your creative work has value. Your vision has value. Your artistic voice has value.

The question isn’t whether you’re “allowed” to call yourself an artist. The question is: are you ready to own it?

Because the world doesn’t need more people waiting for permission. It needs artists who step fully into their identity and do the work to support it.

I am an artist.

Four simple words. A declaration. A commitment. An identity you choose to inhabit fully, without apology or qualification.

This is where everything begins.
This is where the real power starts to gather.
══════════════════

This is from my forthcoming book, The Artist’s Flight Manual – and the foundation of what we explore in The Working Artist Academy.

Enrollment open now. Spaces limited.

https://learning.theworkingartist.com/twa-academy-page/

Written by Crista Cloutier, artist mentor + founder of The Working Artist. (learn more about Crista here)

Share on:
Categories: Inspiration

Frequently Asked Questions

1 Why do many artists hesitate to call themselves artists?

The page suggests artists often feel the title "artist" is too grand or belongs to others, leading to a shy defiance. They may wait for external permission rather than confidently claiming their identity.

2 How can I overcome the struggle of owning my artist identity?

The page advises that you must show the world who you are, rather than waiting for permission. It emphasizes stepping fully into your identity and doing the work to support it, as this is where real power begins.

3 Does my creative work truly have value?

Yes, the author asserts that your creative work, vision, and artistic voice all have inherent value. The central question is whether you are ready to acknowledge and own that value.

4 Where can I find more resources to help me embrace my artist identity?

The foundational concepts discussed on this page, including fully inhabiting your artist identity, are explored further in the forthcoming book, "The Artist’s Flight Manual," and form the basis of The Working Artist Academy.