About this Event
Danielle Krysa, the artist behind The Jealous Curator and author of Big Important Art Book (Now with Women), presents her book Real Artists Wear Black: And Other Lies About Being Creative, a rallying cry and blueprint for creatives everywhere, this boldly unapologetic handbook is The Artist's Way meets Steal Like an Artist—with unfiltered, honest advice for what it really takes to build a creative career.
Registration is not required, but helps us anticipate audience size.
Real Artists Wear Black is a no-nonsense survival guide that tells it like it really is, exposing the raw truth about pursuing an artistic life. This guide tackles head-on the very real obstacles that derail artists' careers and dim their creative lights. Drawing from thousands of artist interviews and her own journey from disillusioned art school grad to successful (money-making! gallery-showing! lecture-giving! not totally disillusioned!) artist, Danielle shatters the 20 most damaging myths in the art world: "Serious artists don’t have day jobs,” “Mothers can’t be artists, “Self-taught doesn’t count,” and more. Each chapter combines a sharp analysis of the origins of these lies with practical strategies for overcoming them, supported by success stories from renowned contemporary artists including Amy Sherald, Petah Coyne, and others who've faced these exact challenges.
Having survived the full spectrum of art world bullshit in her decades-long career—from brutal critiques to patronizing opinions about "worthy" materials and themes, plus plenty of ageism and sexism—Danielle is done being polite and accommodating. She's ready to reveal what really happens when you pursue a creative life. Written with feminist fire and a glint of anti-establishment wit, Real Artists Wear Black delivers the candid mentorship that emerging artists are starved for.
Danielle Krysa has a BFA in Visual Arts, and a post-grad in graphic design. She is the writer behind the contemporary art site, The Jealous Curator (est. 2009), and has curated art shows all over North America. Danielle is also an artist herself, and her mixed media work is held in private collections worldwide. She is the author of several art books, including Creative Block, Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk, A Big Important Art Book - Now with Women, and two children’s books; How To Spot An Artist and Art and Joy. Her newest book, Real Artists Wear Black ~ and other lies about being creative will be released October 2026. Danielle has had the great pleasure of speaking at TEDx, PIXAR, Creative Mornings, and was interviewed in series of video segments on Oprah.com about breaking through creative blocks and self-doubt.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Avenue, Seattle, United States
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