We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chryssha Guidry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Chryssha, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From as early as kindergarten, I knew I wanted to pursue a creative and artistic career. I remember eagerly asking for art supplies every Christmas, and my parents always supported me by entering me into art contests, even in preschool. I still have my first drawing that won a contest when I was just four years old. It’s truly terrible, but it holds a special place in my heart. Every time I played the game of LIFE, I would always choose to be an artist. It was my passion and my dream.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I feel like I truly stumbled into the industry I am currently in. After college, I worked various jobs, with my resume reflecting my passion for the arts and moonlighting in the service industry to fund my way. One day, a colleague at a gallery where I was running figure drawing sessions mentioned a company he thought would be a good fit for me. That night, I researched the company and discovered the fascinating world of art within the hospitality industry. Excited, I applied for the only available position, not caring what it was as long as I could be a part of it.

I was hired and quickly moved into a director role. Initially, I wasn’t in a creative position—I worked in procurement. However, my company supported my passion for art, allowing me to run R&D and stay connected to the arts. Over the past eight years, I have continued to work in this industry, gradually shifting into more creative roles. I have honed my expertise in art curation, production, and project management, skills that I now leverage to help clients develop transformative art programs.

Think of me as your art specialist best friend, here to help you find the perfect artwork for any project. Currently, I work at Indiewalls, where we help clients discover and commission impactful art collections while managing all design needs, sourcing, printing, and framing. My favorite part of the job is working on site-specific large-scale installations and putting money directly into artists’ pockets. We exclusively work with independent artists, highlighting local talent, and I absolutely love it!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I didn’t grow up with many resources, and I was the first person in my family to attend college. Despite the challenges life threw at me, I remained focused on my goals and what made me happy. I worked hard in school, earning good grades and securing scholarships to help with tuition. I double-majored and minored in college while holding down two jobs.

After graduation, I juggled up to four jobs at a time to make ends meet. I made many sacrifices, but they were worth it. Recently, my dad passed away due to an attack, and his memory motivates me to continue pursuing my passions. Both of my parents always encouraged me to follow my dreams, and even though they couldn’t support me financially, their unwavering belief in me helped me never second-guess myself and pushed me to become who I am today.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Early on, I didn’t know about the resources available for artists. I wish I had known more about the industry I’m currently in. People are always looking for artists, and it’s usually easy to send your portfolio online. I also wish I had known about the websites where you can submit your work to apply for projects in cities and galleries. Growing up in a small town, I was unaware of these opportunities, and I’m sure others are in the same boat.

My advice is to find a buddy, head to a coffee shop, and apply to everything you can find! I did this with a friend for a while, and it was incredibly rewarding

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chryssha.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chryssha/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chryssha
• Other: curation specific Insta: https://www.instagram.com/chryssha.curates/

Image Credits
First image (full body headshot) is with me and Clare Celeste Borsch’s work at Art Basel Image of mural is by Kathryn Crawford and Gus Cutty I curated with Indiewalls, second image is a large shot at a property I worked on with Molly Dillworth’s work 3rd image is me in front of a painting I did and last image is of my work. Let me know if you’d like more! I have a ton