Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

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.
I’ve been involved with music in numerous capacities since my teens. I picked up the guitar and drums at the age of 15 and was instantly hooked. I’ve been trying to record my own song ideas for almost as long as I’ve been playing instruments – and started way before these recordings sounded any good. I started out trying to record short ideas on a voice memo recorder (this was long before anyone knew what a smartphone was). Read more>>
For most people I know, including me, creativity is not a choice. It is part of us from as far back as we can remember. Sure, people can try to suppress it, ignore it, or table it. Maybe they take a job that pays the bills, Yet, even in putting together an Excel spreadsheet, art comes out. It gets designed It gets color coded and balanced. If it’s a cost sheet, it gets visuals, all neatly tagged with fonts that are easy on the eyes. Read more>>
Music, to me, is all about speaking the truth in a way that sometimes were too afraid or unable to speak on directly. I’m a dreamer, so creating stories about my future before I fall asleep is a part of my nightly routine. In the big picture, my main mission is to create art that has the power to connect, heal, and communicate for the greater good. Read more>>
I chose to follow a life path of art, and symbiosis. I realized from an early start in my professional career that as analytical and task oriented I am, I find a balance of equations and creative process in everything I do. I understood that also beyond that, bringing joy and healing to people through whatever modality I was working with was the outcome I truly craved. Read more>>
Books were a constant in my house growing up. My parents read them, my dad told me stories from them, I was glued to the pages. When I thought of what I wanted to be, a writer was ALWAYS the goal. Coming up with stories, telling them, writing them, crafting them — it all seems so silly but it was what I loved doing. Read more>>
Honestly I often times feel like it’s the only thing I know how to do in life. When it comes to mundane “normal” societal things I feel like I’m doing something tedious or hard, but when I’m performing, I feel the most at home. A commonly asked question geared towards people who are in the arts is “What would you be doing if you weren’t an artist?” To that I would ask “What would you do if you stopped breathing?” Read more>>
I think being a creative has always been a part of me, no matter what else I did, what I studied in college, what society wanted from me, being a creative has always been at the center. After graduating Dental School in Brazil and getting a Master’s Degree I had to choose: Do I want to pursue academics or do I want to pursue music? Read more>>
Choosing a creative career wasn’t a decision I made, it was more of a necessity, like breathing. Though if I had to choose a different career, I’ve always been fascinated with dentistry. The tools, the disinfectant smell, and the potential for a good income were alluring to me. I excelled in math and science classes and even considered pursuing a medical career until I realized that painting, drawing, and telling stories were my true passions. Read more>>
I pursued an artistic career simply for the fact that it brings me joy. Photography to me, is more than just taking a photo. It’s capturing a moment you can’t relive and making it a memory to always have. And it’s not only my memories. It’s others too! If you take a photo of a person with their friend at a concert and you give it to them. You see the raw emotion and what they were feeling in that moment for them to look back on 20 years from now. I feel like taking a photo is a way to make a memory last a lifetime. Read more>>
I started pursuing music when I was just 12 years old, sharing covers and original songs on YouTube that eventually gained me a following of 10,000+ subscribers. Growing up in the digital age, I quickly learned how to promote my music online and built a strong online presence as a result. However, as I began to attract the attention of industry professionals, I realized that not all of them had my best interests at heart. Read more>>
Choosing to pursue an artistic career was no accidental decision for me, it was a calling. From a young age, I was captivated by the ability of art to tell stories, to express emotions, and to inspire change. It’s the universal language that speaks where words sometimes fall short. Read more>>