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.

Dinley Jones

I pursued an artistic career because for me, personally, it was the only option. I have a passion for creating and performing on stage . It gives me a feeling that can’t be replicated anywhere else. If I have one person in the audience or one million it wouldn’t make a difference. Self expression give me purpose, and it helps me to better understand myself and the world around me. Read More>>

Stockton Miller

I didn’t choose to be a filmmaker; filmmaking chose me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve seen the world in scenes and sequences. Growing up here in Barbados, with its vibrant culture and stunning landscapes, I always felt there were stories waiting to be told—not just heard, but seen. Read More>>

Ragni Agarwal

Art is my compass through the unpredictable landscape of my mind. As a kid, I struggled with social anxiety, and creativity became the place where I could fully exist without fear. Making art was never just about drawing or painting, it was a way of building my own world, one that felt brighter, more expansive, and more forgiving than the one around me. Read More>>

Musici Gemelli

Music, art, and creativity have always been the most authentic language for expressing who we are. From an early age, they have been our way of communicating, not only with each other, but with the whole world. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone who, listening to our music, feels understood, inspired, or moved. Creativity is a continuous journey that allows us to grow and reinvent ourselves without stopping. It is precisely from this desire to explore, share, and evolve that our duo: I Musici Gemelli, was born. Read More>>

Timur Khoschanov

My name is Timur. I am a Director. I chose this direction because I believe that through visual transmission of information I can tell not only about my personal – painful or dear. I believe that art educates society. Art educates me as well.
I am from Kazakhstan – it is a country in Central Asia and the stronger I become as a professional, the more I learn about myself, my culture – I become older inside – more confident as a professional. Read More>>

Aryaman Minocha

For me, creativity was never really a choice; it was the only path that made sense. I never felt at home in a traditional academic setting. In high school, I struggled with that disconnect, and there was often this assumption that I was unmotivated. The truth was that I just didn’t feel stimulated by the way learning was structured. At the same time, outside of class, I was constantly making things. I drew, painted, designed sweatshirts, experimented with AR filters, and came up with small objects that made daily life easier. Read More>>

Hyun Ji Jeon

When I was little, I did not really know what the word “creative” meant. What I do remember is that whenever teachers asked us questions, I would often answer differently than my classmates. My teachers encouraged me because I was not afraid to share what I was feeling, even if my response did not match everyone else’s. Looking back, I think that was the beginning of my artistic path: seeing the world in my own way and having the courage to express it. Read More>>

Paul Hart

I decided to pursue a career in the arts – specifically in film and television, because I was drawn to the bond created by a collaborative effort – a common goal. I went to a wrap party of a theater production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in college. I had zero involvement in the play – I was just invited to the party by proxy. I witnessed this closeness – a bond not present to those outside of the project, and I was instantly drawn to that. Perhaps that was the inciting incident, as it were. Read More>>

Di Tian

I pursued an artistic career because from a very young age art was the most natural way for me to express and understand the world, beginning with drawing and painting at age five and evolving into international exhibitions, publications, and charity projects by the time I was a child; over the years I came to see art not only as self-expression but also as a space to confront social realities, Read More>>

Dipesh Yadav

My creative career began with a joke from my mom. As a kid, I was obsessed with video games, and she teased me to create my own. That playful taunt challenged my ego and led me to learn coding. While working on a game, I discovered that I was more fascinated by sound design than by the game itself. This pivot wasn’t planned; it was an organic shift to a new, all-consuming passion. Read More>>

VEDANT DAVE

For me, choosing a creative career wasn’t just about following a passion, it felt like answering a calling. From a young age, I was drawn to cameras, light, and the magic of storytelling. What started as making fun YouTube videos with my best friend slowly grew into a lifelong pursuit of visual expression. Read More>>

Truls

I was always an active kid, but I never found something I was truly passionate about until I got my first DSLR as a gift. I became completely hooked on learning everything about cameras and spent all my free time experimenting and teaching myself. This was something that I litterlary couldn’t stop doing without getting restless. Read More>>

Lorena Placeres

I’ve always been drawn to the world of art and creativity. For me, it’s about expressing emotions, telling stories, and connecting with others on a deeper level. My artistic journey is a way to explore my own identity, challenge societal norms, and inspire others to see the world from different perspectives. Read More>>

Santino Padilla

No matter what, I’m going to have something creative going on in my brain. I was a communications major at Sacramento City College, but I spent a lot of my spare time making beats. Music had been a hardcore hobby of mine for a few years but as far as school was concerned I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do by majoring in something that would lead to a “good job”. I was encouraged by my wife to change my major to music, since it was obviously my passion.  Read More>>

Simon Victor Linsteadt

I come from a creative family, and I’m grateful that pursuing the arts was always encouraged. My father is an architect, my mother is a potter and writer, my sister is a writer and mythologist, and I have a long line of grand and great grandparents playing in orchestras, singing in musicals, and even building violins in Germany. Read More>>