Artists and creatives face innumerable challenges given that their career path often doesn’t come with a playbook, a steady paycheck or any form of safety net. It’s definitely not easy and so we asked a few of the artists and creatives we admire to talk to us about why they chose to pursue an artistic or creative career.

Regan Stewart | Country Music Singer/Songwriter

When I was in college, I was a promotions intern at a radio station. I had written songs for fun in my room and to express my feelings, but never thought of it as more than that. At the time I was still considering what direction I wanted to take as far as career path and jobs out of school. One day while I was interning, a country artist came into the station for her radio tour. Read more>>

Nader Hanna | Mentalist & Hypnotist

I’m a mind reader and a hypnotist and my special skills could have been something I only did as a party stunt but I decided to take the leap of faith to perform for a living. Following your dream is never easy and you really have to count the cost to make it work. Read more>>

Jay Light | Comedian & Writer

Because I feel most at home when I am trying to make people laugh. Read more>>

Neil Rambaldi | Guitarist / Vocalist / Recording Artist / Songwriter / Touring and Session Musician / Guitar Instructor

Music (and specifically through the guitar and songwriting) has given me a vehicle of joy and expression like no other path, so it felt only natural to pursue an artistic career. This path has also raised my vibration spiritually, because I have followed my “calling” to make music my life—or perhaps better stated—I have aligned with my true purpose, which includes music. Read more>>

Chelsea Best | Destination Wedding & Elopement Photographer

Creativity has always been the most important thing to me. Since I can remember, I grew up with a camera in my hand. Whether I was documenting family vacations, or making little music videos with friends, there was a feeling behind it all that was just unmatched. I felt free. Read more>>

Aura Busigó | Wardrobe stylist

In my high school days, I always had a thing for fashion, loved watching runways and doing outfits for my “casual days” at school. When graduation came, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. So I asked myself, “what’s the thing that I love the most?” Read more>>

Paris Holland | Model, botanist, graphic & web designer

Being a creative is limitless. There are absolutely no limits to what you can create and all of the ways to do it. I’ve learned a good number of ways to create and tell stories – through modeling, fashion, and tech and I truly enjoy the process as well as the results. This is what truly brings me joy! Read more>>

Michelle Cuevas | Makeup Artist

I actually was a model first before I became a makeup artist. Being on multiple sets with various makeup artists made me realize how confident I felt on camera. So now that is one standard I strive to achieve with all my clients. I love seeing all my clients feeling their most confident and empowered selves. Read more>>

Turjemia (Pretty Kurvz) | Boutique Owner & Fashion Influencer

My drive for pursuing the arts & fashion industry is inspired by my love for the freedom of expression. I feel so elevated and uplifted whenever I paint or draw a new piece of art. It gives me a sense of sensation and it also brings me joy. Also, the fashionable side of me is in love with being unique, therefore both, the art & fashion are my first loves. Read more>>

Jorge Alvarez | Advocate, Creator, & Social Impact Strategist

To be quite honest, although it’s been just over a year since I “entered” the creative world it still feels a bit odd to say that I’m now pursuing a career in this space because I didn’t come from a traditional creative background nor am I going down a traditional creative career path. Read more>>

Xhuljo Zere | Musician

The reason I pursued an artistic career is because I was placed in the industry as soon as I could speak. I grew up in Albania in a very musical family, my father is a guitarist and my aunt is a folklore singer. Having these two around me made me fall in love with music, I wanted to go with them to every concert, tour and I loved every second of it. Read more>>

Terell Stubbs | Artist/Small Business Owner

I pursued an artistic career because I feel like that’s our true purpose here on Earth. We go to work because we need money to survive, but I believe everyone in this world has a creative gift that we have to tap into. I feel like the creator made me to be creative, make memories with people I love & return home with my human experience. Read more>>

Qiyue Zhang | Illustrator

I’ve been fascinated with drawing since I was a child. Because of the picture book of Andersen’s fairy tales that my mother bought me, or perhaps I’ve been addicted to the comic strip Dream of Red Mansions for a long time, I anticipate painting similar works in the future. Before I knew it, painting became an integral part of my life due to these works. Read more>>

Brianna Rubio | Content Creator & Influencer

Pursuing a creative career has been a dream of mine for a very long time, but I had no clue where to even begin because being a social media content creator/influencer did not exist when I was growing up. I definitely love the flexibility and freedom of being able to work whenever I want, although I am technically working 24/7, it doesn’t feel like work because I LOVE what I do! Read more>>

Piper Durabo | Musician/Songwriter/Producer

I am a glutton for sweet melodies and abuse of all kinds! Read more>>

Zerquera Eduanis | Musician, guitarist and composer

It was obvious to me. Music is my joy of living. Music is everything: it’s the only thing that really makes me happy, distracts me, and in the saddest days it has opened many doors for me to feel alive and escape. For my first original song, I had the chance when a young person asked me to do an artistic and musical collaboration for his high school project. Read more>>

Robert King | 3d Animator & Videographer

Back in 2019, I had a dream to fulfill something that was not of this realm. The idea of not having a reason in this reality made feel conflicted and left me restless. Progressively, my heart had sent out for me to satisfy duties that no one has encountered before. When I began to study my craft in videography, my art began to fill the void of emptiness I felt in the middle of college. Read more>>

Julia rose davidson | wardrobe stylist

In my life there have been many different things I was always interested in. Whether it’s performing, dancing, or doing art. I was able to dissolve into my own little world and that gave me such a purpose, no matter what was going on in my life the creativity of this pulled my mind to a different place and I was truly happy. Read more>>

Anna Yoshinari | Animation Student

Animation has had a huge effect on my life. When I was in third grade, I transferred to an international school in Vietnam from Japan. When I had a hard time communicating with my classmates with different cultural backgrounds, cartoons were something we could talk about and bond over. Read more>>

Sya Warfield | Artist & Photographer & Videographer

For me, it’s about a connection to something greater than myself. I see art as a way to channel all that is going on around me and to create work to see the world in a new or different way. Read more>>

Marc Delouvrier | Landscape Architect

Being raised in New Jersey, my mother would often take us into New York City. One time I noticed kids not much older than me hanging out and playing on the street. At which point, I told my mother that I wanted design parks for kids to hangout in. Read more>>

Davonté Burse | Actor

I have always been both artistic & creative. I recognized this at an early age. Growing up I didn’t always feel seen or heard. I didn’t always I feel like I had the space or opportunity to share my thoughts, ideas & gifts. So if the last several years have taught me anything, it’s that life is short, do everything you enjoy and embrace new opportunities. I want to experience people, places and things I never have before. I want to be an experience to others myself. That’s why I pursue my career. Read more>>

Steve Yurko | Illustrator & Storyboard Artist

Creating art was the only thing that came natural to me. I don’t particularly believe in destiny, or subscribe to the phrase “I was put on this planet to *Insert profession here*,” but I just can’t see myself doing anything else. Picking up a brush, pencil, pen, crayon, marker, etc. just felt like second nature to me at such a young age. Read more>>

Keisha Okafor | Illustrator

Creating art makes me happy and I enjoy enjoy making art that brings joy to others. Part of me wishes that I wanted to be an accountant or something more stable haha! The other and bigger part of me enjoys illustrating so much that I can’t imagine doing anything else. Read more>>

Ally Schnaidt | Photographer

Honestly, everything else seemed so boring. I watched an unhealthy amount of tv so that has contributed to me being a visual thinker for sure. Read more>>

Evan Rashby | Film and Media Composer

Although this is cliche, I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. Yes, there are many careers that provide security and stability which are of course enticing, but I would rather have a life full of exciting and random ventures and opportunities that feed my passions. Read more>>

Eden Jones | Mom & Artist

I pursued an artistic and creative career because that’s truly what I love to do. I have been doing art most my life and it’s just what I know. I also love being hands on and trying new mediums. I have worked with many different mediums, and I’ve found that I love oil painting, the way the paint smoothly glides across the canvas is really beautiful and more vivid then acrylic. Read more>>

Lynn Grant Beck | Screenwriter, Playwright and Professor

It takes an incredible amount of courage to be an artist in this country. There isn’t a huge amount of respect for art for art’s sake. Like most things in America, art is valued by its commercial success, not by its inherent value. But the world needs art, perhaps now more than ever to help inspire and connect people, and heal the world. Read more>>

Joshua Marcus | Author

Nothing is more satisfying to me than expressing myself with authenticity. I have a creative way of thinking that I manifest in a unique style of writing and artistry. Making that into a career was something I did not believe possible growing up. I saw the adults around me working in professions which provided a sense of financial security, whether they enjoyed them or not. I thought I had to do the same. Read more>>

Erika Montoya | Hairstylist

I am an artistic person who loves to paint and create, so finding a field we’re I can be creative and make people feel beautiful was my goal. Read more>>

Isabella Thatcher | Actor, Singer, Writer & Musician

I consider myself very lucky that the arts have been such a huge part of my life ever since I was born. I learned to play a musical instrument as soon as I could walk, I took art, voice and dance lessons from a very early age, and discovered my passion for acting by the time I was twelve years old. Read more>>

Nuñez Rojas | Painter

Hello and thank you for your question, in all honesty I feel a person with the ability to create something beautiful or meaningful does not have the choice it’s is life and the pursuit to push it past the idea of creating art. The goal to me is to place art within the spaces of human interaction, a person’s work can soak into the everyday person and create an energy that is needed in human culture. Story telling in a context even. Read more>>

Beyza Çelikbaş | Graphic Designer

I can not fully explain the direction of this. In my opinion, it is not clear when and where the artistic impulse will emerge in a person. It is very important to realize this. This instinct is certainly guiding. Even your perspective on life is getting different. For some people, art begins in the family, for others it is innate. Read more>>