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.

Gaby Manzanares

Being anything other than an artist never really felt like an option for me. From a young age, I was fascinated by visual art in all its forms, and it was just a matter of figuring out which medium could truly hold everything I wanted to express. Read More>> 

Nourah Al Hasawi

I’ve always been drawn to filmmaking, but producing is where I ultimately found where I’m truly suited. I love the creative side of the industry, but I’m at my strongest when I’m building the structure that allows a project to function. Read More>> 

Summer Voelker

My whole family is very creative. We all played musical instruments growing up and my mom taught us sewing and crochet and knitting (and a ton of other arts/craft focused things). We were encouraged to be creative. It was a great outlet for us. My older sister went to school for music, I went to school for fashion design at an art school. Read More>> 

James Brownrigg

I’ve always had a creative streak and always been a bit of a dreamer. But instead of heading straight into a creative path, I went to university and studied business – it seemed like the smarter choice at the time and definitely something that helped me greatly in my career. Read More>> 

Jaklen Alkyan

I pursued a creative career in a very natural way. My primary career has always been in Human Resources. I’ve been an HR professional and executive for over 20 years, and I truly love the work. HR is all about people, but it’s also about supporting the business, aligning talent with organizational goals, and helping companies grow in a healthy and meaningful way. Read More>> 

Emmanuel Aggrey Tieku

Right at an early age I was curious about the world around me and still am. The idea of self discovery was new and exciting to me, but more importantly was this hunger to know more about people just like me and the world I was living in. Read More>> 

Georgina Elizabeth Okon

When I was growing up in Nigeria, I was always sketching and filling my schoolbooks with drawings, colors, shapes, fabrics, and textures. Art was my natural language. But when it came time to choose a course of study, I took the “sensible” route and enrolled in Animal Husbandry because I had strong grades in math and science. Read More>> 

Martin Dupuis

Growing up, my dad was creative. He played clarinet and a lot of his vinyl albums were around for me to discover and listen to. My mom was also creative – she painted and went out of her way to get me high end drawing materials. Read More>> 

Kasi Liz Hyrapett

I saw a need for better marketing in real estate around 2013 as my appraisal job was coming to an end. I thought I wanted to become a Realtor, but had a creative itch to scratch instead and didn’t want to wait for commission checks that may or may not come. Read More>> 

Monét Ravenell

I didn’t pursue a creative career because it felt safe or glamorous — I pursued it because it was the only way I knew how to make sense of the world and myself. Storytelling has always been how I process identity, power, and freedom — especially the invisible prisons we build in our own minds. Read More>> 

Polina Krasykova

Life is too short not to create your own imagination. I chose a creative path because it allows me to explore the unknown and continuously question what’s possible. As an artist and designer, I’m driven by curiosity, purpose, and the desire to transform ideas into experiences that connect with people and add meaning to everyday life. Read More>>