Falling in Love with Art: How It Shapes an Artist's Career

Do you remember the first time that you fell in love with art?

I do.

I was just registering for college, trying to find who and what I wanted to become. Totally lost, I registered as a pre-law student.

Me. Can you imagine?

But then everything changed.

I was visiting friends in LA who took me to the Getty Museum to see the Monet exhibition. As we walked toward the show, we passed through a smaller exhibition space.

It was darkened and mysterious. The images on the wall showed historical 19th century photographs of African slaves and included text that spoke to the heart of their pain.

The exhibition was called “From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried.”

The artist was Carrie Mae Weems.

I was riveted. I don’t even know if I ever made it to Monet, so bowled over by this powerful work. I remember that I cried from the raw beauty and tender response that Weems created.

Suddenly, I knew that I wanted to be an artist.

Fast forward several years later. I got that art degree but I’d put my dreams of being an artist on hold. Instead, I became the director of a prestigious art studio where I collaborated with world-recognized artists. It was a dream job, I could work with any artist I wanted to.

I wanted to work with Carrie Mae Weems.

I made the invitation and to my delight, she accepted. I got to work with my art hero and she didn’t disappoint. She made me laugh. She made me think. She stunned me with the depth of her brilliance.

I spent many days working closely with Carrie on a lithograph I’m incredibly proud of.

A self-portrait, it speaks through the voice of black women, so long invisible in art history:

It was clear
I was not Manet’s type
Picasso – who had a way
with women – only used me
& Duchamp never even considered me

Fast forward again to the recent past. I was in London visiting the Tate Modern. I wandered through its wide halls and winding galleries as I considered the changes I wanted to make in my life.

I was finally ready to step fully into the role of artist. But what did that mean? What would I say? Where was the spark that wanted to ignite? I was full of doubts and fear.

But then everything changed.

I turned into a small dark gallery and gasped. It was that same Carrie Mae Weems show I had seen at the Getty Museum all those years ago: “From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried.”

And I did cry.

What a generous gift The Universe gave me that day. A touchstone to the very work that set me off on this journey. I could now see my new way forward. I am an artist.

When was the first time you fell in love with art?

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

Frequently Asked Questions

1 How can an artist find their initial spark or inspiration?

The author found her initial spark unexpectedly at the Getty Museum, encountering Carrie Mae Weems' exhibition. Years later, a second encounter with the same exhibition at the Tate Modern reignited her artistic path, suggesting inspiration can come from powerful, resonant experiences.

2 What role does encountering powerful art play in an artist's journey?

Encountering powerful art, like Carrie Mae Weems' exhibition, can be a pivotal moment that clarifies an artist's direction and passion. For the author, it was a "touchstone" that set her on her journey and later helped her see a new way forward.

3 How did the author transition from being inspired to actively pursuing an art career?

After her initial inspiration, the author pursued an art degree. She then worked as a director of a prestigious art studio, collaborating with world-recognized artists, including her hero, Carrie Mae Weems, before fully embracing her own role as an artist.

4 What challenges did the author face when deciding to fully embrace her identity as an artist?

The author experienced doubts and fear when considering stepping fully into the role of an artist. She questioned what it meant, what she would say, and where her spark would ignite, before finding clarity through a renewed encounter with an influential artwork.