From the Air Force to the Art Studio
Crystal – Founder / Executive Director
Crystal has spent nearly four decades in the Department of Defense, serving as a project manager over the B-52 weapons systems and major programs. She’s also a 100% disabled veteran, a wife, mother, grandmother, and mentor.
Along the way, she found herself coaching fellow creatives for free — helping them:
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Set up LLCs
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Navigate contracts
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Get their work into print
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Make smarter business decisions
She saw the same pattern over and over: incredible talent, but very little structure.
Jaren – Artist-in-Residence & Lead Creative
Jaren is a career artist: drawing, painting, and creating highly detailed work in pencil, charcoal, and paint.
Over 20+ years, he has:
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Shown in galleries
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Completed dozens of commissions
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Built a body of work rooted in history, heritage, and faith
Most recently, he received a $75,000 Christian art residency grant allowing him to create full-time — with no strings attached on his ownership.
That experience lit a fire:
If one artist can be launched through strategic support and funding, why not many?
Kreative Kollective is their answer to that question.
Our Mission, Vision & Values
Mission:
To empower emerging and established artists with the business, funding, and community support they need to build sustainable creative careers.
Vision:
A world where artists are not starving, but well-resourced, well-positioned change-makers who support their families, communities, and the Kingdom through their gifts.
Core Values:
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Faith & Integrity – We are faith-rooted and value-driven, open to serve all.
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Excellence in Craft & Character – We expect artists to grow in both skill and discipline.
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Ownership & Empowerment – Artists keep their voice, story, and intellectual property.
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Stewardship & Sustainability – We help artists build wisely, not recklessly.
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Community & Collaboration – We believe in lifting others as we rise.
Our Why
You Don’t Just Need Exposure. You Need a System.
We’ve Seen Too Many Brilliant Artists Quit Too Soon
Some of the most gifted artists in the world never get seen — not because they lack talent, but because they lack:
A business model
Mentorship
Funding and access
People who understand both art and systems
Kreative Kollective was born out of one simple belief:
When you equip artists with structure, strategy, and support, they don’t just survive — they thrive.