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.

Mikey Clavel De Vera | Musician, DJ, Photographer, Illustrator, Underground Actor, Fashion Designer, & Creative Director

I question my pursuit in the arts nearly everyday; most strongly towards the 1st of every month when the rent and bills are due. To be direct and answer the question, I have no idea and have no choice. Sometimes I wonder if I’m physically incapable of pursing other options. Sometimes my 1st generation guilt weighs in and I ask myself, “Am I just lazy?”. Read more>>

Michelle Bezuglyy | Singer/Songwriter

This is a great question to start with. Music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up in choir and always had a strong passion for singing and writing at a very young age. I began to take myself more seriously as an artist when I was 19 after my grandma passed away because she would always encourage me to sing and follow my dreams and I wanted to make her proud. I began seeking producers and one of my deer friends who is also an artist (Ian blakley) introduced me to Seattle producer Jay Battle (aka Qreepz) who made my visions come to life and made me feel more then ever that my crazy dream could be a reality. Long story short, the rest is history and we have been creating music since. Read more>>

Brinna Kelly | Filmmaker, Screenwriter, and Actor

I started out in the entertainment industry as an actor at 11 years old. When it was time for me to go to college, I had to make a decision: do I continue pursuing the arts, or do I go into one of the fields my parents wanted me to study. I decided that artistic pursuit was my passion and I was not going to give it up. So I went to film school at UCLA and studied to not just be an actor, but a screenwriter and filmmaker as well. Read more>>

Joyce Hii | Actress

I pursued a career in acting because it was the only thing I truly wanted to do. I actually started out in accounting and worked at a CPA firm, but I felt so miserable. One night, my sister asked what I actually wanted to do and off the top of my head, I said “acting,” but to me, it seemed like a silly, unrealistic dream. She told me to just try it and it dawned on me for the first time that it could be a real career and so I did. Now I’m 4 years into my acting career and I’ve never wanted to turn back. Read more>>

Xochii De La Noche | Burlesque Artist, DJ, Photographer, Videographer, & Producer

I’ve always been a creative and artistic soul from a very young age. My dream was to be a singer and I was heavily involved in choirs and musicals from elementary schools up until I graduated from high school. Being first-generation American, I didn’t really know any creative professionals growing up. I thought once I graduated high school, my artistic career was essentially over and I needed to focus on a “serious” professional career path. It wasn’t until many years later after working in interactive media that I started to come back and explore my art and creative passions, particularly around movement and music. Read more>>

Erin May Cochanco

I pursued an artistic career because of the profound connection I feel between my personal work and my professional path. For me, creativity has always been a way to explore themes of identity, heritage, and emotion, while also allowing me to express ideas that feel deeply personal. I’ve found beauty in how individual we all are as artists—how multiple people can look at the same object but interpret it in completely different ways. It’s that uniqueness, the ability to see the world through others’ eyes, that inspires me. Each artist’s interpretation offers new perspectives, and that exchange of ideas helps shape my own work.  Read more>>

Malachi Ledo | Music Producer known as Kana Beats

I decided to pursue an artistic career because it really felt like the only thing that was going to make me happy. I had tried regular office jobs before of course, and it just felt like hours crawled by, days blended together, and every weekend just became filled with dread for the upcoming work week. As soon as I started music though, that was when I discovered how much fun work could actually be. Music is the only job where I’ve found I can start work on a project, and then look up at the clock and six hours has flown by and I didn’t even realize. I want that feeling for the rest of my life, I never want to dread having to go somewhere for the rest of my life ever again. Read more>>

Eline Van Den Storme | Special Effects / Fashion Make-up Artist

Since childhood, I have always been captivated by cinema and the art of storytelling through images. I have always felt a deep need to express myself creatively, and I quickly realized that conventional careers were not for me. The idea of creating something false that appears real is fascinating to me. This ability to make the imaginary tangible is what drives me every day in my work. Read more>>

Ellen Ancui | Writer, Director, Producer

There was never a question about pursuing an artistic career because from a very young age I considered myself a ccreative person. My parents were avid theater goers and took me and my two sisters from the time we could sit still in the audience – which for me was 4 yrs old. My dad was a jazz musician and my mom was a museum curator for the public schools, so we were exposed to music and art daily. Plus, they encouraged us to sing around the piano nightly, mostly Broadway tunes but also lots of folk music.  Read more>>

Tangila Lee | Writer, comedian, actress

I’ve always been inspired by the artistic process. How one can take something from a bare bones idea and build and develop it into a story, a joke, or even a song that moves people and makes them feel something. I do entirely too much so to have anything I make; be that a song I wrote, a play I’ve written, or a joke I say on stage move people to tears or laughter I think is the best possible outcome. I think everyone wants to know that their art matters no matter what that medium is, and if I’m able to do something remotely close to that then that’s remarkable. Read more>>

Ashlie Kègo | Artist, Teacher, advocate for Sickle Cell Disease

I chose to pursue my artistic career because it allows me to connect deeply with my cultural heritage and express personal experiences in a way that resonates with others. Through my art, I can inspire and engage with the world, advocating for causes that matter to me, like raising awareness for Sickle Cell. It’s also a powerful medium for storytelling, providing an outlet for my creativity while giving back to the community. Ultimately, my art is a reflection of my passion to make a difference through beauty, meaning, and connection. Read more>>

Marian Sarkisian | Realistic cake artist & Content Creator

Growing up, I was always a part of an artistic family. My father played instruments, my mom was a fashion designer, my uncle painted the most beautiful paintings. My sisters and I grew up in a home that was focused on art. In my college years, I did not connect with any career paths that I was looking into because I always felt I belonged in the creative space. Once I realized that being creative was a big part of my identity, I dove in the the world of making cakes. Read more>>

Kelsey Boyle

At the beginning, this was never a question for me. It was just something that my younger self had an innate need to do. From the moment I began dancing, and even before I began dancing (but just begging my parents to let me dance) I knew it was the career I wanted. It feels ironic because I did quite well in school, got accepted into good universities, but without hesitation chose the step forward in my dance career that was presented to me at that time. There was no other answer. Read more>>

Muling Shi

I pursued an artistic career because storytelling and creativity have always been at the core of who I am. From a young age, I was fascinated by motion—something as simple as the spinning of bicycle wheels sparked a lifelong passion for motion graphics and animation. The ability to bring stories to life through visuals and connect with audiences on an emotional level deeply inspires me. Read more>>