What the Great Artists Taught Me

I’m so lucky I’ve spent my career surrounded by great artists, photographers, writers, and poets people whose names are known and whose works are celebrated, others — equally talented who might remain unknown.

Most artists are absolutely lovely to work with although 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 wouldn’t only define myself and my 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, maybe curating an exhibition, or even selling the art itself,

I always felt that my true work was to accumulate the knowledge and experiences so that I might one day share them.

Share them with you as it turns out.

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,

and acquiring the wisdom necessary to infuse the work with meaning and purpose.

Because it’s only when one has ideas of value that the medium even 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 we feast on success, other times we’re starved by failure.

But you never stop reaching. Ever.

This is the wisdom that great artists have shared with me.

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

crista-cloutier

June 2, 2025