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.

Josh

I was five when I saw my sister act on stage for the first time. She wasn’t just my older sister reciting some lines, she was a storyteller who immersed the audience into another world, I was completely entranced. She provided an escape for an audience (in an elementary school cafeteria, of all places!) and I was hooked. Before I knew it was even a career option, I wanted to tell stories. Read More>>

Michelle Lopez

Since this is where it all began, I find this question to be sweet. The year was 2005. It was time for our yearly spring production when I was in kindergarten at Assumption school. I was determined to play Dorothy in this year’s Wizard of Oz production. I was fortunate enough to be selected for the role out of the five girls that auditioned.  Read More>>

Justin Bell

 

From a young age, I was drawn to creativity, though my primary goal was aviation. Life, however, had other plans. At five, I won my first costume contest in LA as a clown, applying much of the makeup myself with some help from my mom. That early spark stayed with me. In elementary school, I joined the Theatre Club, initially focusing on tech roles like lighting and sound. In middle school, I continued with the club until they needed an extra reader for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Read More>>

Michael Sullivan

The short answer is that I didn’t, at least not for a long time. I’ve had about a dozen careers, ranging from a noncommissioned officer in the US Army to the owner/operator of a packing/shipping store to a private tutor to just about every title one can hold in the administrative and accounting fields. I even have a master’s degree in education, not that I’ve done anything with it to justify the time and expense of grad school. Read More>>

SARAH BEN3T

 

I have been dancing since I was 3 years old. Music was always a necessary part of my life. In my teen years, I found that I had an ability to turn written poetry into song melodies. I developed a passion for writing and began creating lyrics and integrating them with electronic music. I love to feel inspired and have a passion for exploring and expanding my consciousness through art and meditation. I have created Tonic Toning, a sound therapy that scans the energy field with Vocal Toning and Crystal Singing Bowls.  Read More>>

Alyssa Sherman-Ordaz

 

From an early age, I was immersed in the world of dance, thanks to my mother, who enrolled my sister and me in classes as a continuation of her own passion. I fell in love with dance immediately, and as I grew older, my commitment deepened. By the age of 13, I began interning as a dance instructor, and by 15, I was teaching full-fledged classes in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Hip-Hop. My artistic interests expanded in high school when I enrolled in Drama, sparking a new love for theater and inspiring me to pursue a professional path as both a dancer and actor. Read More>>

Janessa Mercado

I pursued an artistic and creative career because it’s a part of me that I simply can’t ignore, even if I tried. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always been drawn to music and anything artistic. I’ve been singing since I was three years old, writing songs in my room and then running out to the living room to perform them for my mom and dad. If I had to explain why I chose this path, it would be because my heart and soul truly longed for it. Read More>>

Amy Owens

Well, I took the scenic route to get here—I took the “play it safe” path first. Growing up in a conservative rural town, I was encouraged to choose a practical career, so I went straight to college to get a business degree and then into the workforce and spent 20 years in Hospitality and Human Resources. I worked hard and built a stable career, but I always had this nagging feeling: I wasn’t doing what I was meant to do. and, honestly, there was no joy in it. Read More>>

Alissa Wilstein

Because when you ignore your calling, your calling comes knocking. Themed entertainment arts has been my dream job since childhood, though I spent a good chunk of my life trying to convince myself otherwise. I thought art was something I needed to keep on the side, worried that if I tried to do it professionally, it would turn into pressure, burnout, a grind. Turns out the real burnout was pretending I didn’t want this the whole time. Read More>>

Lauren Poole

 

Pretty much from birth, we are told to be productive contributing members of society. For the better part of our lives we are focused on establishing a career. If you’re lucky, you find something to do that you tolerate and pays the bills. I wanted more than that. I wanted to feel fulfilled, impassioned. I wanted a career that was on my terms. For me, art is not only fulfilling, but it is the truest expression of myself. It is my preferred method of interacting with world. Once I got the idea in my head to pursue creating more seriously, I couldn’t shake it. We all live one life, and I wanted my life to mean more than just the 9-5 rat race. Read More>>

Chris Pittas

Short answer: I had no choice.

I’m not stupid (at least I’m pretty sure I’m not) but I never did good in school. Or well. This was in large part due to a portion of my brian being dedicated to coping with a succession of serious traumas during the first couple decades of my life (abuse, violence, self-harm, we can get into details over drinks sometime). Traditional, safe, “normal” paths to success, like getting a degree and finding a stable, comfortable career, were not an option. Read More>>

Ethan Cohen

It was never really a conscious decision so much as an inevitability. I begged my parents to let me take piano lessons when I was five, which definitely raised some eyebrows in my not-so-musically inclined family. From a developmental perspective, starting my musical journey at such a formative age had a profound impact on how I process information, emotions, and life as a whole.  Read More>>

Téana David

The muses work in mysterious ways, and I would say it’s more that they pursued me, which I’m sure many creatives reading this can relate to. While my main focus growing up was competitive gymnastics, many different styles of dance came into my life at an early age, such as tap, ballet, jazz, and modern, which led to theatrical training. As a young teen, I acted in Canadian TV as well as films for the National Film Board of Canada. Read More>>

Daphne Love

I’ve known since I was really young that I’d end up doing something creative. I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making something, whether it was drawing, painting, sketching fashion designs, or even baking. I found my way to tattooing after my mom’s tattoo artists left a special impression on me. She used to bring me with her to appointments, and the tattoo artists were always so kind and welcoming. Even as a 7-year-old, they’d put stencils on me and make me feel like the coolest kid in the world. Read More>>

J. Eddie Martinez

In college, I auditioned for a school play to get extra credit for a speech class, that’s actually how I started acting. In the beginning, I kept acting because it was almost like permission to feel. At that time, I was in the Marine reserves and it felt like anger was the only emotion I had permission to express, but when I was being different characters while acting, I could explore different feelings. That was my why in the beginning. But through the years, I stayed pursuing a career in this art form because I love stories and storytelling. Read More>>

DJ Bateeza

I chose to pursue a creative career due to my lifelong passion for music, which started in my childhood and led me to study music in college. This musical foundation naturally transitioned into my work as a DJ, where I could express my creativity. Embracing my artistic side, I developed a brand centered around the color pink, allowing me to engage in a variety of exciting and artistic events. This journey has truly turned into a dream job. Read More>>

Cathy (Huiyun) Cao

Becoming a creative content creator wasn’t exactly my “original plan,” but it also wasn’t an accident. It happened very naturally – I’ve always been an artistic person. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved expressing myself through music, writing, painting, and over time, I discovered the joy of filming and producing videos. Sharing stories, capturing moments, and documenting personal experiences has always been a passion of mine, and in today’s world, that kind of storytelling is almost synonymous with being a content creator on social media. Read More>>

Kiya Christine Barczyszyn

I think I was born to perform! As a little girl, I was never interested in playing with toys. All I wanted to do was sing and dance. My older sister was a dancer and when I was a toddler she and I would play Just Dance on the Wii and also make up our own dance routines. My mom put me in my first dance class when I was five and I was immediately hooked.  Read More>>

Laura

I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, even before I knew that’s what it was. Growing up in Aruba, I taught myself English by watching American TV shows and movies. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was studying the craft; the emotions, the timing, the way a scene could make you feel something so deeply without needing words. That’s what made me fall in love with acting. Read More>>

Frank Lao

I get asked a very similar question to this often. People assume I grew up in art or had this talent or fascination with art. The truth is, I have 3 older brothers. 2 are building mechanics and my other brother (master mike) is the life long artist.

I remember when I was about 7 years old my brother Mike would draw these cool skulls on my forearm with a pen. Then he’d scratch it in there with a sewing needle. It would go away after a few days but for those few days. I felt like the coolest kid in the playground. So I’ve always loved tattoos. Read More>>