What’s Your Why?

We asked some of the most creative folks we know to open up to us about why they chose a creative career path. Check out their responses below.

Khelly B | Los Angeles Music Artist

Why did I pursue an artistic career? It kinda picked me if I’m being honest. Music has always been something I used to express myself or get me through a day. Since a young age whether it was playing the drums at choir rehearsal wit mom or singing and rapping in front of the tv like I was Mike or Snoop Dogg. Read more>>

Ruohan Li | Multimedia Artist & Filmmaker

I was born in a small city, Anshan, in the northeast of China. I fell in love with painting when I was 6 and had kept on it since then for almost 20 years. when I was 15 years old, I went to an art high school in Beijing and stepped on my art road thoroughly. Read more>>

Jonathan Agustin | Actor & Dancer

I decided to choose a career in Acting/ Dancing for one simple reason. It’s fun. I’ve always lead a life where having fun was always important to me and if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t do it. I wanted to live a life I enjoyed personally and I found that love and passion through performing arts so I decided to take the leap and pursue it full time. Read more>>

Rochelle Brown | Visual Artist and Storyteller

I pursued an artistic career because as a Jamaican woman from a small town in Port Antonio, Portland growing up I never saw anyone around in such a career. The people who surrounded me were doing work that was more out of necessity than it was about doing something you truly enjoyed and being able to make a living doing so. Read more>>

Caitlin Alejandre | Artist & Illustrator

There were never any other career options for me- art is what I was to do no matter what. As long as I can remember, I have always drawn, painted, and experimented with everything art-related. It is what I love to do! It also helped that since I was a kid, I was aware that artists created my favorite cartoons and books. Knowing that people did that for a living pushed me to want to do the same. Read more>>

Natalie Katona | Podcast Host and Producer

Honestly, the pandemic and period of the pandemic where we had to stay sheltered in place kind of just threw me into it. I had been working as an administrator for the education department of our local theater organization.  Read more>>

Athena Cheris | Independent Filmmaker & Writer

Creativity is communication, and that’s what made me pursue a career in film. When I was a pre-teen, I was obsessed with PowerPoint and I loved giving presentations. iMovie entered my life and I realized there were more engaging mediums than presentations. Read more>>

Anne Duya | Content Creator

The main reason why I fully pursued this journey on my different platforms, starting from TikTok with sharing posts about God, Christian/Apostolic Pentecostal relatable content to posting reels for fun on Instagram and realizing that I could also share the gospel on my Instagram. Read more>>

Shanie Blais | Professional dancer

Dance was my passion since I was 4 years old. Growing up all I did everyday was go to my dance studio for hours. I always wanted to be the best dancer and wanted to do the coolest jobs like going on tour with an artist.  Read more>>

Kelly Elsas | Actress & Model

to leave a legacy. Read more>>

Kyla Williams | Singer, Voice Teacher and Executive Director of the San Fernando Valley Youth Chorus

Ever since I was a kid, I was just drawn to the arts, from jamming out to Whitney Houston on the radio and obsessing over movies like Annie and Little Shop of Horrors. I had these big dreams back then – I wanted to be a teacher, a singer, a wife, a mom, and even run my own beauty shop (which, by the way, my bathroom cabinet totally resembles!). Read more>>

Botai Wen | Visual Development/Concept Artist

My family is a very traditional Chinese family with simple values and outdated expectations. From elementary school to junior high school, our teachers and parents would hammer us to study hard and taught us that we could only achieve happiness in life if we got the best grades and went to the best university. Read more>> 

Sun Zu | LA based psychedelic jazz, avant-soul, and experimental hip hop artist

Ultimately, I want to be apart of the wave of creativity that can make an impact on young spirits, and anyone at any age really, to reflect on themselves and why we all go through the things we go through. My music is pretty dark, especially this record I’m working on. Read more>> 

Allyson Roche | Writer & Artist

I am a writer and collage artist, but I don’t see the two roles or endeavors as separate. While my writing work ranges from fiction to nonfiction, from poetry to literary criticism, it always takes on a collage-like nature, the boundaries between genre dissolve, and I immerse myself in a space of in-betweenness. Read more>>

Ian Robinson | Master ZBrush Trainer & Digital Sculptor

I wanted to pursue a artistic/creative career because there is this need to want to create. When I was younger, I would draw a lot. There was this need to escape into my creations. With TV shows like Dragon Ball Z, Spider-Man, Batman, X-Men and TMNT, I would see how so many friends of mine would just fall in love with this characters and collect the toys. Read more>> 

Chris Garbutt | Writer, Director, Executive Producer working in Animation, Books, and Comics

I’ve been excited by drawing, writing, and creating characters, stories, and worlds, ever since I was very young. It all comes from spending hours and hours reading comics, watching cartoons, loving being in those worlds, meeting those characters, and then wanting to create ones of my own.  Read more>>

Kory Alexander | Creative Director & Filmmaker

Becoming a creative has been one of the most rewarding and freeing decisions that I’ve ever made. What drives me every day, is the ability to develop and tell stories that feel near and dear to me, and share them with all my supporters. Read more>>

Boy Bennett | aka Hunter Bennett Ney: Songwriter, Producer and Artist

From an early age, I was invested in anything related to art, whether it be music, animation, filmmaking, etc. My parents, being creatives themselves, were extremely supportive. I was also homeschooled, so I had a lot of time to practice music and film, which became my two passions. Read more>>  

Alfonso Juarez | Artist, Designer, & Sweetheart

I have a degree in software engineering and work full time as a data analyst. For a majority of my academic life all problems had exact answers. Art is so infinite there isn’t room for right or wrong. I think thats why i kept coming back to do art everyday because everyday i could go anywhere i wanted with it. Read more>>

Nin Wang | Concept artist & Illustrator

I’ve been into art since I was a kid. Started out doodling romantic manga and passing it around in elementary school. I remember thinking, “Hey, maybe I’ve got something here. Maybe I should stick with this art thing.” My dream kind of shifted from manga artist to wanting to do animation, directing, illustration, concept art—all stuff related to art. Plus, I’m pretty bad at math. Read more>>

Ryan Rena | Ryan Rena-Producer & DJ

I chose to pursue an artistic career because I wanted to express myself and connect with people through music. I believe music is a universal language, especially in dance music. When I am in my creative space making music, I feel the most aligned. Read more>>

Gretel Munday | Actress

Ive always felt a strange ease in Acting. Growing up I didn’t enjoy going to after school activities like tennis, hockey, dancing – the list goes on- but any acting troupe I was involved in I looked forward to and fought so hard to be in every amateur show in school & spent my weekends at a performing arts center. Read more>>

Julie breaux | Painter who uses bright bold pops of color, in abstract , landscapes and floral paintings!!

So 20+ years ago we built our home and after it was completed and time to move in and decorate I wanted to add artwork to my walls.. I knew I loved color and texture so I decided to take a leap and buy some supplies and creat my own artworks!! Read more>>

Noah Cousineau | Graphic Designer & Artist

I decided to go into a career as a graphic designer and artist because I knew I had to do something creative with my work. My background was in aerospace engineering, a field that is interesting but can become stale with tedious calculations and a lack of creativity. Read more>> 

Michelle Nunez | Videographer/Content Creator

I grew up in a household where showing your feelings was pretty much seen as a sign of weakness, immature. My dad, wasn’t around much, and when he was, kindness wasn’t his strong suit. But, he loved movies, action, sci-fi, drama, you name it. Read more>> 

Ronnie Tan | Artist & Designer

I’ve been drawing a lot since I was four or five years old. I can’t help but be fascinated by the beauty of everyday life around me, and I never limit it to a single subject. Be it the nature, the people, the buildings, the crowd and the soul of the places, I simply embrace them all. Read more>> 

Yasmine El-Azzeh | Writer and Visual Artist

I stepped onto the creative path at a young age and never questioned my direction until I was presented with this question. In a few words, it was unavoidable. In a few more, it fed my self-expression, interests, and curiosity. Read more>>

Brian Sicurella | Photographer

“I pursued an artistic career because it provided me with a creative outlet and a means to express myself, especially during a challenging time when I was unhoused.” Read more>>

Tsz Chung Lau | Concept Artist

I pursued an artistic and creative career because of my passion for art and its profound impact on my worldview. Growing up surrounded by the works of comic artists like Takeshi Obata and Toriyama Akira, as well as being immersed in a vibrant comic and animation culture, broadened my imagination and love for creativity. Read more>>

Liam Stewart | Photographer | Videographer

I pursued a “creative” career because it is what fulfills me. I’ve had many of different jobs such as: Realtor, Software Developer, Restaurant Manager, Barista. All of which paid the bills, but always left me with the feeling that something was not right and or was missing. Behind the camera is where I belong. Read more>>

Ashley Chavarria | Dancer, Performer, Teacher, Choreographer

I have always had a hyperactive imagination. I sometimes concerned my family growing up with how often I could be found unabashedly having a conversation with something that wasn’t there. Every regular trip to Costco was an epic adventure and I never just walked… Read more>>

Canaan Dewey | Actor & Entrepreneur

I pursued an artistic career because, as a 20-something, I never felt at home in more corporate fields, despite having held many jobs. In my community, many opt for government positions, delivery services, or jobs that demand conformity. However, I’ve always felt out of place with such expectations. Read more>> 

Mister JT | Singer, Songwriter, Producer

My main thing is, I wanted to pursue a whole creative career doing what I love because of my mother. I’m a singer, songwriter; I dabble in writing raps as well. My mom used to also be a singer back in the early 90’s, and I just wanted to basically pick up where she left off and continue the legacy. Read more>>

Sahr Julian Rashid-Noah | Graphic artist & Designer

The reason I decided to pursue a creative career is due to the fact that out of all the other things I’ve tried, art or creativity in general has always made me felt the most comfortable and free. I’ve always gravitated towards art since I was a little kid, and surprisingly I’ve been pretty good at it for a long time. Read more>>

Kwame Wiafe | Actor, Writer & Storyteller

Everything I’ve ever been interested from as long as I can remember has dealt with some sort of creativity. Studio art. Theatre and Acting. Drawing. Painting. Ceramics. Writing. There has never been a time when I have not been either involved or interested in any of these.  Read more>>

You Zhang | Motion Designer & CG Artist

Pursuing an artistic or creative career was a natural choice for me, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a profound passion for visual storytelling. From a young age, I was fascinated by the power of visual media to convey complex emotions and narratives, drawing me towards the realm of motion design and computer-generated art.  Read more>>

Sibtain Raza | Stand-up Comedian

I’ve always had a knack for making people laugh, so I figured, why not make a career out of it instead of sitting behind a computer desk for the rest of my life. You only get one life. And let’s be honest, what’s better than making a room full of people laugh, except maybe motherhood. Read more>>

THE FALLN1 | RNB artist

Art is the best way to express your emotion and to get across what you feel. Pursuing music has been a childhood dream for me. Being able to create something that can make people feel something and even relate to it which in the long run might help them overcome hardships is something that makes me wanna pursue a creative career. Read more>>

Cube Li | Photographer & Artist

My interest in photography started in middle school, but I never wanted to make it my main profession. I have tried different fields in high school. At that time, I mainly studied science, and I found myself interested in biology and physics. In my third year of high school, I began to study media, learning about filmmaking and screenwriting, etc.  Read more>>

Ajah Muhammad-Hays | Dancer, Painter, Model

I pursued an artistic career because I knew deep down that whatever type of work I did in life, I wanted to love it. I didn’t desire to work ONLY to make money, alone. I didn’t want to do work that I wasn’t attached to because I knew that my life would be unfulfilling, dull and will cause me to lack purpose and a sense of direction in life. Read more>>

Juan Delgado | A poet = one who makes or shapes

To write what enables us to develop into artists and have creative practices is a construction, a kind of fiction. At first glance, I could mention the belief that we have uniqueness as individuals and that we have gifts, special skills and talents, and that we should respect those “gifts” by working hard in shaping them. Read more>>

Wreck The System | Rap band

Cam: I always felt attracted to the malleability of the creative arts, whether it’s expressing myself on stage as a rapper, in the studio as a producer, or being able to breathe life into different characters and tell their stories as an actor.  Read more>>

Saniya Assembek | Motion Designer & Character Animator

I pursued an artistic and creative career for several interconnected reasons that resonate deeply with my personal journey and aspirations. Growing up in Kazakhstan, I encountered societal expectations and gender inequalities in STEM fields, which fueled my determination to challenge norms and pursue a path aligned with my passion for animation. Read more>>