Deciding to pursue an artistic or creative career path isn’t for the faint of heart. Challenges will abound, but so many of the artists we speak with couldn’t be happier with their choice. So, we asked them about how they made the decision in the first place.

Dennis Sengthong | Dennis Sengthong | 3D Artist

I pursued an artistic career not only to express myself through art but also to feed my curious side regarding technology. 3D design is a unique mix of texture exploration, lighting challenges, and dimensional composition. It’s a never-ending canvas, and I love that. That’s what ultimately drives me to create every day. Read more>>

Tyler Morgan | painter, henna artist and designer

To be creative was always in me. I wanted to be a lawyer because that’s what I thought everyone wanted me to be. Not to be cliché but, doing something that you enjoy waking up to do even if you aren’t paid, when you’re sad , when you’re happy , when life is stormy and even when you feel stagnant, was and is a blessing. Even though I’m not quite doing art full time, art is escape that the Lord ordained for just for me. Read more>>

Charlie Herndon | Writer, Filmmaker, and Photographer

Much of my work stems from the critical voice inside my head. At first I turned this critical lens that I had towards art and media, thinking extensively about the meaning and quality of movies. This led to writing filmic essays, which got me into my dream school. There, I studied screenwriting, which is an art form where words are married with images. A sentence evokes an image. A series of images triggers an emotional or intellectual reaction. Read more>>

Rikki Valentina | Singer & Songwriter

Growing up, I was surrounded by talented people. My mother moved to Los Angeles to be an actor which resulted in me being thrown into the world of show business. I loved the idea of being able to entertain others as a career. My dad was a drummer in various bands so I was raised around mostly musicians. Music feels like family and I just want to encapsulate that familiar feeling from my childhood. Read more>>

Elizabeth E=laine | Concept Artist & Illustrator

When I first took art classes at a local art studio I was ten or eleven. I was so impressed with myself that I took a blank piece of paper and made something out of it. I keep going to that studio and improved my traditional drawing skills over the past eight years. I won many awards and have had my work in museums I felt very accomplished but I knew I wanted to take my art to the next level. When I started to teach myself digital art, which was around 2016, I found my new favorite medium. It’s not because there’s an undo button, It’s because I wanted to start making digital illustrations and concept art. Read more>>

Yongqi Tang | Artist

I believe I chose painting more out of necessity than pleasure. Painting is one of the most engaging and challenging activities for me. Occasionally, it causes me more anxiety than joy, yet I continue to paint because I feel it necessary to. I compare painting to eating and drinking. Similarly to how you cannot survive without eating and drinking, I cannot survive without painting, which is just natural. Read more>>

Margot Bennett | Singer-Songwriter, Music Video Producer & Director

I was a shy kid growing up until I found theater. Once I developed a tight-knit group of friends who loved producing and performing in musicals as much as I did, I realized I could connect with people through a common creative goal. I think this collaborative spirit is what led me to continue my artistic path into adulthood. I got into songwriting after college, and much to my surprise, I realized I could tailor that process to fit my collaborative nature. Read more>>

Boyu | Singer-Songwriter/Recording Artist

Being an artist and singer-songwriter gives me purpose in life and I feel extremely fulfilled when I create and share my music with others. In tandem to my music career, I have a corporate finance career that I hold down which funds my music journey. Balancing both can get difficult at times but ultimately, when I log off in the evening from my 9-5, there’s nothing else I’d rather do with my free time than write new songs, attend and play shows, meet and collaborate with other creatives, & build up the empire of Boyu Music from the ground up. Read more>>

Qian Ling | Illustrator

For me, art means a way of pursuing freedom. Since I was a kid, a lot of novel ideas always came out in my mind when I was feeling new things or listening to music. When I grew up, I started to consciously record those thoughts and try to draw them out. The process of creating, especially letting my virtual ideas come true, makes me feel the freedom and enormous pleasure. Because imagination and thinking are endless. Thus, compared to some other jobs, I enjoy the process of soaring in my head and realizing my ideas more. Read more>>

RODERIKO POP | singer-songwriter

I developed an artistic career because all people should be true to themselves and listen to their instincts. I believe that all people who have some artistic gift already know it since they are children. In my case; I always knew since I was a child that I liked to paint; sing and make songs and act in theater; and for this reason I developed in all the disciplines of art that I felt came in me. Read more>>

Alysha Grace | actress- singer/songwriter-performer

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. Ever since I can remember myself I had an intense curiosity to discover art along side with a big need to perform. To create anything from nothing by using my imagination. I started performing from a very early age. I think at first, it was just something I used to do to spend my time because I felt like I had to- whilst attempting to understand and/or express my emotions. Read more>>

Meirav Zur | Actor, Producer, Writer, Director

I love creativity, joy, and learning both about and from other people. I think that art embodies all of those, and creativity is the spark for artistry. I’ve always wanted to have a career doing what I love, so that’s why I’ve pursued an artistic and creative career. Read more>>

Shelby Anderson | Gallery Director & Artist

As a child I was always intrigued by the mystique of the artistic lifestyle. I was drawn to creativity and fierce and free personalities. I would go to the art institute of Chicago with my mother. She would sit with me as I would draw familiar paintings in my sketchbook. I never thought it was a possibility for me to go to school at the Art Institute of Chicago. At that age, it seemed impossible to reach, however I continued to pursue my dream until I was accepted with a scholarship in 2012. I was then fully committed to the arts. Read more>>

Mandy Hoffman | Composer

I always knew I would have to have an off-beat job that would bring me fulfillment. Both of my parents really hated their jobs and I saw the toll it took on them. I vowed not to settle for a job just to pay the bills, to keep searching until I found something I could be excited about. Music had always been a part of my life, but I hadn’t considered a career in it until I was living in LA and met some film composers. Suddenly everything clicked and I thought I this was something I could happily do for a very long time. Read more>>

 

Nic Brownlee | Artist

Art and design have always been a central part of my life. As a kid, I was always drawing, painting, and creating. This pursuit followed me through high school and onto art school. Turning my creative endeavors into a career came naturally. Don’t get me wrong it definitely has been a long learning curve but I’m not sure doing anything else would fulfill me in quite the same way. Read more>>