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.

Vanessa Matic | Writer

I’ve always been interested in creating a space where artists come together and become more successful while pursuing their efforts together. It’s something I’m really passionate about and what I desire to do is create as much as I can in all fields which I please to dabble in. Read more>>

Reda El Azami | Actor, Director and Writer

Since childhood, I have found that my lifestyle greatly facilitated my artistic and creative exploration. As a child of five or six years old, I was fortunate to have a small theatrical laboratory in my childhood home.  Read more>>

Calder Campbell | Visual Artist

My childhood environment was very creative. My mother is a visual artist specializing in sculpture and I have many memories of spending time in her studio- tinkering around with her materials and odd knick knacks (like bronze-cast Barbies from college projects and giant foam bananas).  Read more>>

Pablo Cuen | Actor, painter, writer

I was born in a household of classic ballet and flamenco dancers, musicians, painters and writers. From a very early age I developed love and passion for theater, painting and literature. I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to art. To do so, I knew it was important to be disciplined and creative, always looking beyond the evident, and question everything. Read more>>

Sandy Cheng | Curatorial Fellow & Art Administrator,

The genuine answer would be I don’t know what would I be doing other than being in the arts–curating and caring for artists… I started my artistic career from oil painting and graphic designs, however, after spending long times being in the studio creating my own work, I found myself more interested in getting to know and learn other artists’ practice, delving into their thoughts and experiences became my primary focus. Read more>>

Cory Evan | Singer ,actor ,model

Haha, You’re hilarious. It chose me and I received and receive it infinitely lol .My first time on set was at 2 to five years old somewhere around there on FX TV a speaking role, they asked me back simply, because not only did I do their lines I made up my own improv on the spot and then from there my first time in a recording studio, I believe I was maybe 13-15ish. Read more>>

Charles Tatum Jr. | Artist

Pursuing an artistic or creative career can be a powerful and transformative choice, especially for someone who has experienced trauma and spent a significant portion of their life behind bars, like an African American male Charles Tatum Jr.  Read more>>

Chéna Verony | Actress

An artistic or creative career is like a roller coaster. It has it’s ups and downs and doesn’t really bring many promises or any stability, unless we put in the extra effort to stand out and even then, we might face unpredictable challenges. Read more>>

Huamin Wen | Motion Designer & Vis Dev Artist

Hi everyone! My name is Huamin Wen, currently a motion designer and illustrator at American Honda Motor Company. I help define the opening animations and UI motion on HMI (Human Machine Interface) for the next-generation Acura and Honda vehicles. Thanks so much for the feature! Read more>>

Danny Hackin | Actor, Write, Poet and Producer

I pursued an artistic/creative career cause I felt a sense of acceptance. As a person born with a physical difference/disability everyday I step out into this world to prove my humanity, prove that I’m like everyone else and when I’m creating and performing I feel I’ve accomplished that acceptance.  Read more>>

Rachel Burnstein | Artist & Designer

Before Bad Glass, career wise, I was working to build up other people’s businesses or brands. That work experience, since the age of 15, was a mixture of positive and negative but ultimately made me realize I wanted to shift my energy into building up myself. Read more>> 

Laura Ballesteros | Director, Writer and Editor

Movies have been my safe space since childhood. Growing up in Colombia, where the film industry is centralized and soap operas dominate, pursuing a career in film felt like a distant dream. However, living in Barranquilla exposed me to a rich cultural and artistic environment that fueled my passion for storytelling. Read more>>

Dree Mon | Singer, Music Artist, Songwriter and Creator

Some say that it was all in the cosmos, as an Aquarian baby, we are prone to finding our way to the arts and creativity, but … of course I didn’t know this information and correlation when I got started. I have always been drawn to the arts, and I found expressing myself thru the humanities was my preferred path. Read more>>

gr3ys0n | Hip hop artist

When i was 10 years old in brooklyn NY my older brother, uncle and their friends made a group called H.U.M.P. Squad, but due to the fact i was to young i wasnt able to rap with them and for the next 12 years something always came up to stop me. Read more>>

Enea Sernesi | Designer and researcher

The short answer is curiosity. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been incredibly curious about the world around me. Growing up in an artistic and international family only fueled my passion for exploration. Read more>>

Emily Merletto | Farmer & Florist

The opportunity presented itself as my experience in farming matured and I found my passion for growing flowers. Flower farming and floral artistry meet at this perfect intersection where my love of the natural world meets my inherent drive for artistic expression.  Read more>>

Orchid Cameron | Standup Comic

https://shoutoutla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/c-PersonalOrchidCameron__IMG2451_1710966307185.jpegMy mission in life is to heal as many people as possible and ignite and maximize their fun and pleasure. I do this directly through yoga and lifestyle coaching, but my art casts the widest net. Read more>>

Jeremiah Locke | Interior Designer, Actor & Model

I love this question!! For myself, I grew up constantly feeling the need to be creative and expressive. I was a natural born performer, with a passion to create. Living in a creative and musical household, when the time game to decide the path that I wanted to take as an adult, there were no questions as to what I wanted to do. Read more>>

Kate Bera | Actor & Photographer

Back in school, the things that came most easily to me were always math and science-related, things that were very analytical and logical. However, being someone that deeply craves challenges and growth, I found myself much more drawn to creative pursuits, specifically those involving live performance and collaboration. Read more>>

Xianglong Li | Artist

During my teenage years, the kids around me often sought their own identities and sense of belonging, sometimes gravitating towards specific cultures or groups. Many of them chose to align with non-mainstream and gang cultures, expressing their personalities and uniqueness through various behaviors and appearances. Read more>> 

Gillian Galang | Visual Development Artist and Background Painter

Growing up, I always loved to do art whether it was in the form of crafts, playing the violin, or even poster making back in high school, It gives me so much joy to create and just tell my own stories through art. Read more>>

Chewei Chang | Audio Engineer

When I was young, my brother introduced me to BB King, Jon Bon Jovi, and Linkin Park CDs. This launched my passion and utmost interest for music. Because of this experience, I began to learn guitar when I was fifteen years old and started playing in an alternative rock band. Read more>>

Monica Salazar | Poet and Artist

Ever since I was a little girl I always had a journal. The first journal my mother gave to me she wrote, “One day I will see your writing published. really believe in you.” I wrote my heart out in that journal filling it with poetry, stories, daily interactions, heartbreaks and have filled many journals since. I always knew I wanted to be a writer of some sort. Read more>>

Brandon & Meredith White & Meyer | Music Artists (Easy Dreams)

Brandon: My earliest memories are of creating songs, drawings, stories, anything. I think most musicians are lucky in that they don’t find music so much, as music finds them. With that, I feel like I have to do it. Pursuing music as a creative career gave me a path in life, and it’s a great thrill to get to still follow that path. Read more>>