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.

Saint No | Artist

There are a couple of ways to answer that question. The first is the obvious, perhaps even cliché response: I’ve always been drawing, painting, and creating since childhood. It seemed inevitable that I would eventually pursue art full-time. The more poignant answer is that I began taking it seriously when I started prioritizing my mental health. Until I was 38, I lived in a fog of antidepressants and negative thought patterns. Read more>>

Erik Melvin | Photographer

I’m a theater-kid at heart. I loved performing. I loved creating. I always thought I would either be a ‘famous’ actor or a travel agent. That’s how my brain still works – one minute, I want to the be the center of attention, the next I want to make things with my hands and then, one minute later, I’d rather be organizing receipts. Read more>>

Danielle DeRosa | Character Designer & 2D Animator

I have always enjoyed drawing from a young age. Although it was often just simple doodles, art has always been something that just clicked with me. I decided to take art more seriously once I reached high school, where I learned that art did not have to remain a hobby and that I could aim for an art career. Read more>>

Kevin Yang | Concept Artist

My story began with my family’s immigration to the US during my high school years in 2012. Adapting to a new setting, language, and culture posed significant hurdles, especially with my limited English proficiency at the outset. Read more>>

Ismael Pineda Jr. | Music Producer, Percussionist, Engineer

I chose to pursue an artistic creative career in music because it is what makes me happy. The decisions behind making it a career took its course over time. I’ve had to navigate through understanding myself and getting to know how I function which includes what I like and what I don’t like. Read more>>

Gog Mkrtchyan | CG Animator & Artist

Art has been a part of me as long as I can remember myself. I was born and raised in Armenia and as a kid I used to carry a sketchbook that was definitely bigger than me and draw everyone around me in it. Read more>>

David L Calhoun III | Artist

I chose an artistic or creative career because that’s who I am. It’s something I just do. I’ve always done my own thing, my view of the world has always been slightly or drastically different from others. I love to constantly create, it’s a feeling or satisfaction of making something your own. Read more>>

Jingge (Ginger) Zhang | Interdisciplinary Artist

My pursuit of an artistic career stems primarily from my passion for photography and my curiosity about both the inner self and the external world. Personally, my artistic journey has unfolded in three distinct stages: Initially, I was captivated by the allure of commercial photography, reveling in its high resolution and vibrant colors influenced by mass culture. Read more>>

Rob Vintage | Tattoo artist and painter

I chose to pursue an artistic career after trying to start a life post military service. I consistently found that the various jobs I worked were not a good fit for me. I’ve always been a creative but it took a serendipitous opportunity for me to jump into the art world and make it a career. Read more>>

Matthew Vita | Graphic Designer & Fashion Photographer

I’ve always been drawn to the arts, which I believe I inherited from my father, who had a keen eye for capturing moments through photography and wasn’t afraid to take bold risks to cultivate his talents. Growing up also surrounded by Asian culture, I found myself immersed in its rich artistic traditions. Read more>>

Sam Rad | Composer for Film, Television and Video Games

I have always been making music growing up. As a teenager, I started to notice how much of an impact music in film and television had on me. From then on, I knew I wanted to explore screen scoring as a career and learn as much as I can. Read more>>

Sander Goldman | Storyboard Artist

As a kid growing up in Massachusetts, I didn’t actually watch a lot of the cartoons that people my age grew up on. I think because I had a sort of contrarian, baby hipster feeling that if everyone liked something I needed to think it was dumb. Read more>>

Tenzin Sopa | Concept Artist

I chose to go into the arts, specifically Concept Art, because I grew up playing video games all the time and drawing constantly–whether it was in my sketchbook at home or on my math quiz at school. Read more>>

Anna Wenger | Actor & Creative

Being surrounded by the arts has very much shaped me into the person I am today. I couldn’t imagine a life where I didn’t pursue a creative career in some way. Read more>>

Aydin Hamami | Artist

From an early age, I’ve been fortunate enough to see art and creative practice all around me. My father, who was born in Istanbul, is an industrial designer and exposed me to a lot of minimal and avant-garde design when I was younger. Read more>>

Tim McMullen | Creative Director

Pursuing art never felt like a choice but more of a calling. I have tried to work across other industries and hold positions that haven’t related directly to being creative, the results have been clear. If I’m not functioning in a creative capacity, then I’m gonna end up miserable. Read more>>

Christina Park | Storyboard Artist

Growing up, I spent countless hours watching animated films with my family and friends, immersing myself in their colorful, fictional worlds. These heartwarming films brought me endless joy and inspired me to draw my favorite characters, sparking my artistic journey. Read more>>

Yue Deng | Game Artist & Animator

It all started with a love of art because in my childhood, I could draw for hours on end without getting bored because I delighted in the characters and worlds I created, they made me feel like there is a fantasy and magic world outside of real life. Read more>>

Jassy Yuan | Filmmaker & Lightworker

I’ve chosen to pursue a path in art and creativity because I see it as a universal language, akin to telepathy among souls. The beauty of art lies in its intuitive understanding, its ability to resonate across time and space, and its power to forge deep connections between strangers through their expressions. Read more>>

Yuqi (Hazel) Gong | Technical Artist & Rigging Artist

In fact, I have loved all kinds of beautiful things since I was young, and I always try to find ways to record them, perhaps by taking photos, or by sealing these beautiful scenery in my immature brushstrokes. Read more>> 

Cesar Gamiz | Professional Makeup artist and Social Media Creator

I am not cut out for the confines of an office or the monotony of a 9-5 grind. My soul yearns for a life painted with the vibrant hues of creativity and expression. Embracing my artistic journey has been more than just a career choice; it’s a testament to my belief that I am destined for greatness. Read more>>

John Chung | 3D Environment Artist for Games

When I was a kid I always loved to draw. My main sources of influence were watching cartoons, anime and playing games. The country I grew up in never had much of an entertainment industry. Read more>>

Nicole Dailey | Dailey Draws|digital artist

Ever since I was little I have loved cartoons/animation. Growing up I moved a lot (almost every other year till I was 10) and it made it very hard for me to make friends. I struggled with severe social anxiety so I would spend my free time watching cartoons whenever I could. Read more>>

Corlie | Artist out of Chicago

I was intrigued by hip hop at a very early age. I remember Dipset being my first introduction to hip hop when I was a kid. I fell in the love with the swag, the charisma, the embodiment/poise that talented Hip Hop MC’s possessed. Read more>>

Zahir Rashed | Screenwriter and Director

I pursued an artistic career because I live with creative world and the camera is my storyteller. Art is not just what I do; it’s who I am. It’s the language of my heart, the expression of my deepest emotions, and the pathway to understanding the world around me. Read more>>

Ray Wondracek | Fashion Designer, Writer

Art and my specific goals within art have always been at the forefront of my mind. While going through school I was constantly surrounded by very talented and unique voices, so I always wondered what was going to set me apart and what was going to be my special message. Read more>>

Alina Lavrova | photographer

Remember how, in the wizard’s tale, the wand chooses the wizard? Creativity operates in much the same way—it cannot be cultivated deliberately; it is irrational and unpredictable. How can one impose order on chaos? The desire to create bursts forth as soon as it awakens within a person. Read more>>

Tamar Feinkind | Screenwriter and Mom

Being in the arts is all I’ve ever done. At the age of seven, I acted in my first play. A year later, I started playing violin and continued for ten years. Not only did I somehow participate in every school play – either through acting, doing costumes, or assistant directing – but I went to theater camp every summer. Read more>>

Sophia DeLeo | Singer / Songwriter

I was born in New York City to 2 parents who came from a theatre background. I was always around creative people, so I think it was kind of inevitable that I would want to do something creative too. Read more>>

Jayime Jean | Visual & Audio artist

Art has always chosen me, especially in times of healing, grief, or inspiration. Art allows me to share my moods and moments by expressing what’s hidden inside that’s screaming to get out, A painting, some writing, a song to sing, now even filming has found me and rescued me. Read more>>

Kayla Moore | Performer

For a long time, I had given up on my dreams of working as a professional actor. As a child, I loved performing and dreamed of pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. However, after not being accepted to any programs that aligned with my goals, I decided to explore other paths. Read more>>

Thomas Lopez | Engineer and Activist

I like to say, “I do what I do because I can’t see myself not doing it.” Today I work as an engineering manager in R&D for a medical device company but my second and longest vocation has been non-profit work supporting the multiracial community. Read more>>

Lisette Mora | Fashion Stylist

As I grew up, I came to understand that expressing myself best meant creating unique outfits. Spending countless hours styling looks became more than a hobby—it became my way of authentically communicating who I am. This insight dawned on me as I allowed my curiosity to guide my creativity. Read more>>

Shiah Luna | Actor / Singer / Songwriter

Storytelling is ingrained in my essence. Music flows through me like air, and acting is a gateway to exploring the depths of the human psyche. I couldn’t envision myself pursuing any other path. Creating brings me joy and fulfillment. Read more>>

Anthm | Music Producer / Artist

I chose to pursue an artistic/creative career because nothing else satisfied my soul. I moved to LA when I was 18 years old, only a month after graduating high school, with zero financial support. Read more>>

Cal Henry | Guitarist, WD-HAN

I chose to be a musician because it pushes and challenges me in the best ways. Take songwriting: It can be tricky. It can be a bit mysterious at times. Not every song is written the same way. Once you write a song it’s amazing. Yet there are so many ways to get to a completed song that the way you just did may not work for the next one! Read more>>

Erik Van Dam | Artist and Musician

For me, it wasn’t really a choice. I’ve been making art and music from a very early age. Creation is kind of like an itch I have to scratch. Read more>>

Jia Yu | Graphic Designer

I grew up in Shanghai, living with my parents and older twin brothers since I was young. Influenced by my brothers, I was fascinated by the manga of Togashi Yoshihiro, JRPG games from the GBA era, and bands in the post-punk, C86 and shoegaze styles during my childhood. Read more>>