We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Minh B | Freelance Content Creator & Growth Social Media Strategist for Startups and Small Businesses

It all began with my appreciation for exceptional food! Whether dining out or preparing a dish at home, I wanted to capture the artistry, dedicated craft, and effort behind each meal. To preserve these culinary creations, I started documenting them on my iPhone. As my storage quickly filled up, I launched a Foodstagram account, on Instagram to showcase the dishes I made and the ones I enjoyed from my favorite restaurants. This platform allowed me to share my favorite recipes and culinary discoveries and helped me connect with other food enthusiasts and creatives. Read more>>

Lexie Doehner | Photographer & Content Creator

Being creative has always made me feel whole. I have had a difficult past, and art was a way for me to escape reality. I knew growing up that I wanted to pursue art, whether it was drawing, sculpture, painting, etc. I didn’t start picking up photography until my college career. I saw the world differently through a lens. Throughout the years, I started to appreciate the fine details and really notice the things we take for granted. Read more>>

Jratmonster | Multifaceted Artist and Entrepreneur

My decision to pursue a career in the creative arts is deeply personal. I’ve always had a knack for art and music, creating melodies and visual ideas from a young age. I believe that my purpose in life, alongside being there for my children, is to create music and art. I’m a strong advocate for learning and self-improvement, and I’ve been resourceful in using online platforms like YouTube to educate myself and acquire the necessary skills for composing music and graphic design. Read more>>

Yibin Yang | Architectural Designer

from primary school through middle school, I always wanted to work in computer science. I grew up during the advent of information technology in China, and catching up on all the latest tech news constituted a large part of my childhood pastimes. However, as I got older, probably under the influence of my parents who worked in advertising, I started to become conscious of the things that shape our culture and living environment. Eventually, I chose to study architecture, a field where creativity meets practicality. Read more>>

Crystal Park | Content Creator & Entrepreneur

I pursued an artistic and creative career because it aligns perfectly with my passions and background, and it brings me immense joy and fulfillment. My journey started with a love for the creative side, as I studied fashion, but I initially didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had a series of corporate jobs in e-commerce, marketing, and retail, but none of these roles brought me any joy or satisfaction. Read more>>

Umut Ipek | Screenwriter

Are you ready for the most cliché opening to an answer ever? Well, from a young age, I’ve always been artistically inclined and captivated by the power of stories. I know, I know. But it’s true. Their ability to transport, transform and connect people was something I was in awe of. For me, it was writing as an art form. I found the power of words to be the closest thing we have to magic. Read more>>

Claire Duncan | Actor, Writer & Aerialist

I pursued a creative career because it’s my true passion and what I envision doing for the rest of my life. The arts bring me unparalleled joy, far beyond what I could find in any 9-5 office job. One of the best things about working in this industry is getting to meet, connect and collaborate with amazing, like-minded people. I wouldn’t change that for the world. The ‘worst day’ in this career is better than the best day in a regular job. Read more>>

Wanye Kong | Singer & Songwriter

I pursued a career in the arts because I see art as a powerful means to understand and express myself. The process of creating music goes beyond mere composition; it’s a journey of self-discovery that allows me to delve deeper into my personal identity and life. Through my music, I gain insights into my own life and experiences, which in turn enriches my personal growth. Read more>>

Diana Pimienta | Dance Instructor & Paint Party Host

I pursed a creative career because I believe that creativity brings people together and it has the power to build communities. Through my creations, I have found that once I lay it out in the dance floor or on a canvas, it is no longer mine. It is for the person who is meant to connect to it. If my creations helped someone in anyway, then I did my job. I find that not only does it bring people together, but there is a healing aspect to it that I find rewarding. Read more>>

Steven Oriee | Actor & Content

My creative side started at a young age. My parents notice around the age of six I would watch movies and recite whole scenes back to them as performance. That’s when they thought lets put him in acting and see what happens. Booked a gig that would’ve taken my family to NYC at the same time my dad was accepted into the training academy for law enforcement and my parents thought it would be best to follow that route instead and not go to NYC. Read more>>

Brandon Ferguson | Music Producer & Multi-Instrumentalist

It was partially out of obligation, being classically trained, & the son of parents who require their children to go to college. While studying at Berklee, my love for it grew, as well as the realization that a career in music isn’t impossible. Read more>>

Elaine Chen | Character and Prop Concept Artist

I wanted to draw characters! I started drawing when I was young, and I think I just latched on to it ever since. Also, art was the only thing I felt that I was good at. I was super inspired by anime, manga, and games too and I wanted to do something related. So by pursuing concept art, I could think of worlds that I could escape into! I could design those worlds too! Read more>>

Tianyi You | Illustrator

I chose to become an artist because a part of me can be preserved through my work. This “part” might be my observations of life, my growing pains, my insights, a beautiful period I experienced, or my love for someone. Creating art is my favorite way of recording these moments; recording—preserving memories—is the essence of my life. Additionally, being able to connect with others through my work brings me the greatest happiness. Read more>> 

Katya Awar | Writer

I started writing from a young age in order to process some deep and confusing feelings I was having about myself and life in general. I think when you’re young, people doubt the severity of your issues, so I relied on the online community I found through Wattpad.com. Being able to publish a chapter of my novel every week and have people immediately comment and resonate with my writing was a great source of comfort. Read more>>

Barry Under Your Bed | Monster and Chaos Demon / Horror Fanatic

Mostly because I’m not good at anything else! I have so many ideas and my furry little brain never turns off. I am constantly thinking of new bits, new skits, new songs, new events, and so on…I feel like my life wouldn’t be fulfilling if I wasn’t creative! Read more>>

Yuxi Liang | Futuresight studio Founder&Photographer

Choosing to work in the arts and creative fields was a natural decision for me. I’ve always had a deep interest in beauty and forms of expression. Through photography and video production, I am able to capture and share the diversity and depth of the world. It’s not just a profession; it’s a way of life and a means of self-expression. Read more>>

Paul Davis | Writer/Director/Producer

The simplest way to explain why I chose to pursue an artistic career is that I didn’t see much of an option to do anything else. Telling stories and making movies is all I have ever wanted to do, so it has never been a question of “why” for me as much as “how.” I knew that I wasn’t going to find satisfaction in any other career path, so the truest thing I could have done for myself is pursue this artistic journey. I made a choice early on not to have a backup plan, which I will admit, was very dumb and I don’t suggest it. Read more>>

Luke Apodaca | Luke A. Apodaca | Musician & Artist

My pursuit for a creative career was ignited by Frank Ocean’s disappointment at Coachella in 2023. It was a visceral feeling of without that I left with that night. I thought, if people love his art but he can still fail his fans, then I can make art and try to do my fans justice. Even if at a small scale. Read more>>

Sadeq Alkhoori | Filmmaker, Cinematographer, Colorist, Fulbright Scholar

I pursued an artistic career because storytelling and visual expression have always been at the core of who I am. From a young age, I was captivated by the power of imagery and narrative, often losing myself in documentaries and animated films. These early experiences planted the seeds of creativity within me, shaping the path I would eventually follow. Read more>>

Hanna Kazeka | Motion Designer

I’ve always been passionate about art and visual storytelling from a young age. I remember spending hours sketching and experimenting with various forms of media, always finding joy in the process of creation. This passion led me to pursue formal education in motion design, where I could combine my love for art with the technical skills required to bring ideas to life. Read more>>

No One | Photographer

I got into photography growing up freedom of expression was big in my house.. there was always things you do for money and things that you love doing Photography has always been something I just loved doing, so let’s just see where that goes. Read more>>

Edward Nguyen | aka damnboy! | Musical Artist | Creative

Life is short. I never was happy working in other professional spaces. I was a fine dinning chef in a past life. Although i love food, i just never saw a happy ending to it. Both my parents were immigrants due to the Vietnam war. I thought if i didn’t go towards my own happiness, then i would be failing them. Even if my parents never understood my path in the beginning. Music is my reason to live and to make a living. I am also a rebel and punk at heart. I simply don’t care what others think. Read more>>

James Shechet | YouTube Content Operations Manager & Voice Actor

It just didn’t feel right not to. I had a nearly decade long break from performing before I jumped back into it. The first week I committed to doing this, I remember I started sleeping better and feeling more energized in the mornings. There was a hop in my step and I was just smiling more… it became so obvious to me that this was missing in my life. Read more>>

Natasha Powers

I wanted to pursue this type of career because I wanted to be able to share my vision with the world. Not only did I want to do that but i wanted to to be able to create something to help people and create things that people can relate to and use to heal themselves. I grew up wanting away to express myself and that so happened to be the creative arts. Read more>> 

John Civitillo

Great question, I’m still discovering the answer to that myself! I was always a creative at heart growing up, but the path to being an artist really began in middle school when I put down the sticky note doodles and decided to really apply myself to getting better at drawing none other than Sonic the Hedgehog. Since then, I haven’t put the pencil down when it comes to creating art and stories alike. Read more>>

Sutichai (Chai) Savathasuk

At the intersection of being an introverted, autistic, 3rd-generation Thai-American middle child, I had a myriad of factors contributing to my being a silent voice. I was talked over, ignored, and bullied for most of my childhood. As a kid, I never pondered why I needed to take speech pathology classes or why my name became slang for words like ‘puto y chino’ on the playground, being the only Asian surrounded by Latinos. Read more>>

Chris Arnold (A*)

Pursuing an artistic career was not just a choice for me, it was a necessity. Simply put, I am not sure I could have done anything else. When you have a passion for something so deeply ingrained inside you, there is no other option than the lifelong pursuit that follows. For me, that passion is art. Art is not just a profession; it is the lens through which I experience and interpret the world. Read more>>