When Crystal and I first met we knew that we had a special connection. As we got to know each other we started to recognize parallel formative experiences that probably helped guide us into a very familiar way of thinking and being. Crystal mentioned art as if it were something she dabbled in on occasion so when it was time for me to see some of her work I felt a certain anxiety about it.
The thing is I got to a point a long time ago where I felt I needed to separate the artist from the work. Some of my favorite music and art was created at the expense of the person who created it. In other words, to let themselves get to the place where they could achieve such greatness in their work they had to ignore their own personal needs to some degree. Often without knowing it, but their focus was so strong they really didn’t understand so many of the things most people take for granted.
Then you have people who are such amazing people in so many other ways but they are just not able to access that part of them that lets go and trusts that inner artist to fly free. Even though they try to want it, something stops them and their art suffers.
Of course their are all sorts of artists however, and I have been fortunate to know a few that made great art and I really admired as a person but when it comes to visual art, I am seldom impressed.
The fact is I am terrible at feigning enthusiasm about anything so I gave up trying. I was afraid I was going to have to tell Crystal, who I already loved very much, that her art was mediocre. I would try to point out the things that I thought were done well, but when I am not impressed by something it is awkwardly apparent. So with it was with a fair amount of trepidation that I fist looked at her art.
My fears were immediately dissolved as she began showing me her sketchbook. I liked the way she saw things and she was able to express it very well. The art was skillful, creative, and original enough that I could see something there. Something I really wanted to see more of. It was really good. Little did I know that she was about to dive in to artist within her and begin a prolific and wildly expanding period where she turned out over 200 increasingly brilliant, expressive and confident pieces in less than a year. Halfway through this stunning development I recognized several of her pieces as art I considered to be among my favorites of all time. Let’s take a little look at some of them, shall we?
Boy Encased In Living Cocoon is an example of the work she was doing toward the end of 2024, a few months into her artist for real life. It is both abstract and photo real in some sense. There is so much going on but it does not feel busy, but rather intentional and balanced. I see it simply as a great work of art and I feel it’s a good example of her free flowing creativity and practiced skill.
Ray Charles Minotaur was also end of 2024 or early 2025 and in creativity, skill, and composition simply stands on it’s own as a great work of art. I would like to get a large print of this somewhere where I can just lose myself in it.
During the early part of 2025 Crystal started working more and more with charcoal until by spring she was using charcoal exclusively. She also started exploring darker themes and really got into her decay and faces period. Medieval Soldier Head Expansion is a good example to me of showing the simple yet elegant beauty of the part of life’s cycle we never look at too closely. The return to dust. Something about this one really soothes me.
Morning Exercises WIth Jesus And Confucius is one of many examples of the exciting creativity that makes each of Crystal’s artworks a feast for the eyes. It’s that boundless imagination and instinctive understanding of where the process wants to go next I feel that allows Crystal to surprise and amaze me over and over again. But what can I say, if you like any of what you see here you should check out her full online gallery at
She is truly an inspiration to me and I am proud to proclaim her art as some of the best I have ever seen. Check out the website and sign up for her newsletter if you want to catch us at an event or just stay up to date on the art scene here in Seattle. Hope to see or hear from y’all soon.