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.

Rafael Serralheiro | 3D Environment artist for Games

Embarking on my artistic and creative career was not a right-away calling but a passion that evolved over time. As Maya Angelou (American writer) beautifully said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” My journey into the world of art was a gradual awakening. In a family that predominantly worked in the business world, my early affinity for creativity often found itself in the form of play. “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” Pablo Picasso said. In my case, I grew up playing many video Games, watching Animated movies, and shooting small stories with an old Camera with toys. As I played with toys and embarked in my imagination, after all these years, I now began to understand that during that time, I was expressing my artistic abilities, even though it was a distant reality for me. Read more>>

Bria DéShaun | Producer and Film Editor

It’s interesting because I always, in a sense, been a creative person. When I was younger I danced, sang, starred in the school play as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, I wrote stories and scripts in my free time at school. It seemed like every other weekend I was begging my mom to take me to Joann’s Fabrics so I can do an arts and crafts projects. So needless to say, thanks to my parents, I was always allowed to live my life in a creative and artistic way. But I didn’t consider my creative gifts as a career until it was time to make those big decisions and answer these life altering questions my senior year of high school. “What do you want to study in college?” and “What do you want to do when you get older?” Read more>>

Cicely Carr | Artist, Author, and Educator

Art and creativity are such a freedom, to create things that bring you joy is a blessing. I spent a lot of time working for others, and they would give me creative “freedom” with rules, guidelines, stipulations, and so much more that it caused a lot of stress. Even when asked for commissions, I would stress out because deep down, I knew they had guidelines that hindered my creativity. So I decided that I would create what I loved and if others loved it too then that is awesome! I wanted to make sure that stayed true to myself and not try to create what others were creating. Being an illustrator allows me to be able to create many things offering a variety of beautiful products. Read more>>

David Applebaum | Architect

I do not think I really had a choice. You see, I have always seen things differently. By that I do not mean that I couldn’t see myself crunching numbers all day or reading contracts, I have a great deal of respect for the people who perform those tasks, but I just think differently. Many people might see a doorknob, but to me it is a handshake that welcomes one into a new space. Once one sees things from this perspective, nothing else is ever the same. And this opens up interesting conversations about columns, windows, steps, scale, balance and the myriad of elements that turn a space into something not just beautiful, but magical. I believe life is better if you love what you do, and this is a joyful way to experience life. Read more>>

Laquan Copeland | Film Director & Actor

As an artist, I feel it’s our job to show a reflection of what the world looks like, through our stories, music, our ideas and more. What fueled me into pursuing a career in entertainment and the arts was the passion I felt when creating. It was the first time that I truly felt alive. When I wasn’t creating, I felt lost, as if apart of me was not living. That was when I knew I wanted to pursue a career as an artist. Read more>>

Colin Warling | Luthier

Having attended two universities and a city college by the time I was 23, I still hadn’t graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. It just seemed expected that I was supposed to know my life path by graduation from high school, and then attend college, and become a fully functional human being. I’d changed majors multiple times, and felt like I was going to end up ultimately behind a desk. I had a crummy job waiting tables at an Italian restaurant down the block from Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks, and felt like my life was failing to launch. Meanwhile, I watched several friends who had successful college careers become miserable people with monotonous jobs. Read more>>

Roya Mahdavi Hassas | Sculptor/Painter

Art has forever been a profound aspect of my being, and an innate compulsion to create forms an inseparable part of my identity. In my family, I was the one who embraced the role of the artist. My fascination with colors and shapes has been with me from a young age. However, life took an unexpected turn when I migrated to America which led me down the path of an engineering career. Paradoxically, this detour only fueled my longing to pursue a career in art with even greater passion. Creating art is a calling that fulfills my soul and allows me to share my perspective, experiences, and emotions with others. The act of sculpting or painting allows me to explore my innermost thoughts and ideas, enabling me to communicate with the world in a way that words often cannot. Read more>>

LingYan | Writer/Director

The funny thing is — I studied computer science in college. I had always been drawn to writing and filmmaking, but I never thought about it as a career. I still remember very distinctively at some point into my college journey, I had reached that age of constant self-discovering and self-reflecting, with the sole hope of explaining myself to myself and embracing a certain level of self-consistency. So very naturally, I looked back, reached out, reconnected with my past and current life until an epiphany struck me abruptly. I came to a sudden realization that all the closest friends I had, some of whom I hadn’t talked to for years up to that point, were pursuing a certain form of art and devoting their passion and belief into their works. There should be a reason. Read more>>

Ricardo Araya | Arquitectural designer

That jorney start very long time ago, my search for form and art starded when I was 8 years old with my mom, as a child my mom take me every day to hers ateliers, for some reason I was only interested to draw houses. At the age of 18 years old I created a desing company dedicated to computer furnitures, while studying at university, 8 years later I deside to start my business in Los Angeles (1986). beside all that I have a deep-rooted love for painting, art and reading about architecture history through all my life. Read more>>

Crisanto Santa Ana | Artist

I pursued an artistic and creative career because creativity, for me, is not just a choice; it’s a calling. From a young age, I found solace, excitement, and purpose in the world of music and film. These mediums allowed me to express my emotions, thoughts, and ideas in ways that words often fail to capture. Art and music have the unique power to evoke emotions, challenge perspectives, and inspire change. As a DJ, music producer, and filmmaker, I have the privilege of crafting experiences that resonate with people on a profound level. Music, with its universal language, has the ability to unite diverse audiences, creating a sense of community and belonging. Read more>>

Kristina Oganezz | Artist, painter

I pursue artistic or creative career because of my passion for creativity. A deep passion for creating and expressing myself through different medium. I find joy and fulfillment in the process of making art. I like personal expression in the process of making art. Art allows me to convey my thoughts, emotions, and perspectives in a unique and personal way. It’s a means of self-expression and communication. And with my last art project I like the Impact and Communication which it created. Artists often use their work to communicate important messages, provoke thought, or raise awareness about social, spiritual, cultural, or political issues. Read more>>

Emily Booher | cellist, composer/arranger, and producer

I decided to pursue a career in music because I was so driven by it, and I never ever wanted to feel bored with my job, or my life. My background is classical music, and for most of high school, I really only wanted to work in the classical world, and to play in big symphonies when I was older. I guess I eventually started to feel like I was missing something, but I didn’t know what it was. The classical world began to feel too competitive and rigid, and it had started to affect my confidence as a cellist. The day I walked into a recording studio for the first time, my eyes were opened to new possibilities, and I felt like I was home. Read more>>

Carson Ezell | Drummer & Producer

My aspirations ever since I was a kid was to be a part of the popular music community. It started with learning drums at the age of 9. From there it transferred into learning piano, guitar, and music production throughout high school. Artists like blink182, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, and Tool pushed me to continue practicing and grinding at my craft. As I continued to practice, I realized this is my true passion. Once I realized this, moving to Boston to pursue music at Berklee, and now moving to LA working as an engineer and drummer was second nature. Truly, I do not gain as much satisfaction than when I do when I am making music. Read more>>

Kai Boogie” Mahalyn | Choreographer & Dancer”

My Mom said I was born dancing. As a baby he nicknamed me “Boogie” because anytime music played I would dance. When I 3 years old I started walking on my toes all the time so my parents started showing me Misty Copeland videos on YouTube. At 4 years old I started taking ballet, jazz and tap classes at the local dance school. The teachers kept saying I was very serious about dance for my age. I kept telling my parents that I wanted to take Hip Hop but there weren’t any classes for my age. One day I showed my parents a dance I had learned. They were shocked to discover that I learned an entire dance routine by LA Celebrity Chorographer Brooklyn Jai off of You Tube. That is when my parents realized I was a dance prodigy. Read more>>

Xiao Han | Film Director, Editor, Videographer

I have always had so many ideas in my head, and being a creative filmmaker really helped me in pouring them out of my brain. I see the growing need of the audience for more compelling contents that push boundaries of filmmaking. With a certain style of approaching visual storytelling, I received appreciation and approvals from clients and communities, they are the power sources that keeps me going till today. Read more>>

Benjamin Shiloah | DJ & Producer

I wanted to pursue a creative career because ive always had this idea in my head that a 9-5 was just not it. I didn’t necessarily know that i wanted to be involved in music from a very young age but all that changed once i started djing and producing when I was 16. I heard Dubstep for the first time and my body reacted in a way i’ve never felt before, it literally melted my brain, I couldn’t think straight at all. it was the first time my whole world had seemed to be contained within one medium. it was in that moment i knew i wanted to be apart of this amazing EDM world, I wanted to give back to the community what it has given me. Read more>>

Lena Ruth Schwartz | Artist, Performer, & Educator

Ever since I was a child I have always been reaching my tentacles towards different disciplines in art. I would hop from drawing to knitting to acting to singing to guitar and piano, and then back to crochet or ceramics. I have always felt the need to expand, to keep trying something new, drawn to handicraft and storytelling. I was also very lucky to have been raised in a family of artists, in New York, a city full of art . My father is a classical bassoonist, my mother is a photographer, my aunt was a jazz singer performance artist, my other aunt is a mixed-media artist, and my uncle is a painter. When I was at Skidmore College, I discovered fiber arts. Having grown up a knitting and crochet enthusiast, I was amazed by all of the disciplines within the umbrella term, “fiber arts”. Read more>>

Juliet Annerino | musician & writer

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the magic of story-telling, how imagination gives us wings to other ideas, people, cultures, and worlds. I always knew that to be fulfilled I had to pursue some artistic, creative life. Storytelling took on many forms for me. At first, I fancied myself to be a future novelist. When I discovered music, and entirely new potential for communication was opened to me. The way I see a song is that the message of lyrics is the precious cargo of a carriage, swept gracefully, swiftly and powerfully into the psyche of the listener via the movement of music, as a galloping stallion. I became a musician for this reason, but I remained a storyteller outside the field of music as well, writing poetry, short stories, copy, content for tech (blockchain) startups and even ghostwriting for individuals and nonprofits. Read more>>

Dario Soto | Vice President, Global Partnerships at Stage Front

I pursued a career in the sports industry because I’ve always loved sports and the business that drives it. From a young age playing or watching sports was a passion of mine. I always dreamed of what it would be like to play in front of sold out stadiums or it or how it would feel to make that important decision that impacted the sport. Once I realized I didn’t have what it takes to become a professional athlete athlete I really zoned in on looking to make an impact on the business of sport. I’ve been blessed to work with some of the top global athletes and teams, many of whom I could have only imagined to be working with growing up. Read more>>

Carys Vanessa | Musician + Fire Dancer + Poet

I can’t think of any time in my life when I wasn’t an artist. Sometimes there are pursuits or interests that call to us later in life, but everything in my adult life has a thread that can be followed to things that have inspired me since I was very young. My childhood was an abundant mix of both playful and deeply challenging experiences split between two countries – the U.S. and Mexico – and I found poetry, music and movement to be essential tools for digesting and processing everything that was happening within me and around me. I did not grow up in a community that really fostered fine arts or supported creative careers. Music is considered an extracurricular activity, one that you eventually trade in for “a real job.” Read more>>