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.

George Danhash | photographer, videographer and Director

life, trees, air, anything that breathes really. I’m inspired by people and their own life, I’m inspired by happiness and sadness, rage, feelings in general really, I am able to capture all those moments with my camera and that makes me happy, and it lets me feel the emotions portrayed, it makes it feel less like work and more like my life, and what I am Read more>>

Gosia Machaczka | Photographer & Artist

I think it always goes back to passion and following my intuition – I don’t always have a full plan for my career goals, but I know where I want to end up and I just keep pushing and working towards it. I stumbled upon photography by accident. In high school I was trying to figure out how to get into concerts of bands I loved, but couldn’t always afford to see live. Read more>>

Zelda Diana Black | Voice over actress & influencer

Before the pandemic I was working at the Disney College Program trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I love Disney so I figured that working there would buy me some time or help me discover what I want to do. But then the pandemic hit and I was forced to go home. Read more>>

Yichun Lin | Visual Designer

Taiwan is a wonderful island where I am from. I was conscious of my distinct eyesight from an early age. I am easily influenced by visuals and images. I am always able to examine a subject from a new perspective and visualize it through drawing. I developed a career path in art and design with the help of my family and teachers. Read more>>

Ambrea Curry | Serial Entrepreneur, Artist & Creative

Creativity is the true essence of who I am, so the decision to pursue my creative passions is the ultimate gift to myself. Over the years, I’ve been able to develop my talents and gifts to a place where I can monetarily benefit from them which is usually the goal for most creatives, to merge passion and profit. Read more>>

Emore’J Couture | Event Producer & Fashion Entertainment

I choose an artistic career because it’s all I know! I am a walking, breathing example of human art. Turning this Into a career was the most natural decision for me. I can remember when I produced my 1st show in high school, I knew that day that this is what i wanted to do with the rest of my life. Read more>>

Sophia Valle-Paz | Vocalist, Opera and Musical Theater Singer, Session Singer

Before I began doing gigs, I used to sing for myself. There was no meaning behind it, I just had a pretty voice so why not? Once I began to perform for audiences, I realized the impact I have on people when I share my gift. I recently got called to do a gig in Big Bear for a celebration of life. Read more>>

SEAN AEON | Author & Artist

There’s a quote in my second book that says, “Art was how artists were able to breathe,” and I think that basically says it all. I’m not myself or at my happiest when I’m not creating. Read more>>

Amber & Asia Mason | Professional Models| Celebrity Hairstylist| Creative Directors| Entrepreneurs| Directors| Leaders of the Nu world and Founders

The artistic/creative career chose us. We both have always been extremely creative individuals growing up. We continue to embrace our inner child and allow our imagination to push and fuel our creative careers. We create art because be believe we are reflections of the divine creator which means it is our birth right to create. Read more>>

Marilyn Aracely | Everie Couture

Since a young age I was always intrigued with tapping into my creativity. As a child, I was passionate about art and would enter art contests at USC or any given opportunity. Years later, my mother taught me to sew and I learned the art of making nothing to something. Eventually, this lead to fashion. Read more>>

Rose Kang | Color Designer & Freelance Artist

I decided to pursue an artistic career because it was a passion that I’ve had since I was a kid. There were definitely moments growing up where I gave up on becoming an artist and thought about being a doctor or a lawyer, but when I tried to pursue those careers I just wasn’t good at it. Read more>>

Yingda Dong | Illustrator & Researcher

I come from an artists-teacher family, my parents teach in the Universities in drawing and art theory, so I‘ve got many influences since my childhood. However, when I was about to choose my direction for the future, art was only my second choice at that time, I really wanted to become a translator back then. Read more>>

Matti Pazmino | Mother, pet-stylist, & volunteer zoo keeper

My earliest memories of what i loved doing as a child, included creative things. I loved making animals out of clay, crafting, drawing, and playing my keyboard. The thought of having an office job never interested me, and in fact, scared me. Read more>>

Kang Ma | Human being born and raised on the planet Earth, Graphic Designer, Visual Artist

I suppose this question can be separated into how I began pursuing an artistic career and why I continue to do so. In the beginning, I wanted to be a pop singer. I tried to learn some instruments and singing when I was in junior high, but I wasn’t good at it. Read more>>

Kasandra Munoz Godocito | Make Designer – Makeup artist

My name is Kassandra Munoz Godocito i work as a makeup designer in tv/film industry. For those who doesn’t know what a Makeup designer is, basically what we do is that we design and decide the looks for the characters in a movie along with a costume designer and the director. Read more>>

Sruthi Alagappan | Producer & Project Manager

I never thought I’d pursue a creative career, I also never thought myself to be creative but I loved film and television growing up and when my high school offered a media studies subject I quickly signed up to learn more. Read more>> 

Nenah Eve | Photographer & Website Designer

My passion for photography began in high school when I would photograph my girlfriends on the weekends. My best friends Mackenzie and Allison were models and hair / makeup artists, and together we would always come up with the most creative photo ideas. Read more>>

Olivier Bassil | Multi-Platinum & Billboard #1 Producer

I was blessed to start music at a very young age. I was only 7 years old when my parents, who were not musicians, enrolled me in the local music school in the Brittany region of France where I grew up. I was very lucky to work with an incredible teacher who honestly had the capacities of one of the greats in terms of performance and compositions. Read more>>

Nzuri Soul | Singer/Songwriter

I pursued music because it was always who I was. From my earliest memory I was singing every song I could hear. As I got older music became my out let, a release and where I felt most myself. After the loss of my husband music brought me back to life and I want to do that and bring the healing to others. Read more>>