We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Fernando Gregório | Visual artist & AR Designer

I think I know better how than why I became an artist. I started believing I was an artist early on, probably influenced by my father. He was a poet and actor, as well as a toy salesman. We used to play a lot of theater. When I was a kid, I used to enjoy spending time creating performances, rehearsing with my neighbors, and inviting adults to watch the show. I grew up in a very conservative environment in the countryside of Brazil. Over time, in my teen years, creating art became a refuge or a place where I could express myself. I was beginning to understand myself as queer and disagree with most of the heteronormativity surrounding me. The internet played an essential role in this process. Read more>>

Sarah Mc Ginley

I am from Ireland and grew up around generally a system where the goal is to get married have kids and have a stable 9-5, and while that is all great I just never felt I fit in here I never desired any of that. My first job was in retail a sports shop and I remember thinking of every and any excuse I could to not go into the job, I had many part time jobs like this and felt the same about every single one, and I was fortunate at a young age to think “I MUST do something I love, I want to love going to work if this is going to be literally the rest of my life” I was training in dance a few days a week back then and LOVED it so I started to talk to people about how I could make it happen and never looked back. Read more>>

Leonardo Vargas | Fine Artist, Choreographer & Music Producer from Palo Alto

I always grew up with art, with the biggest influence being my mother, which made art a fundamental element throughout my whole life. Art has always been everywhere in the world for tens of thousands of year, but it still has been understood constantly. But, by spending years of my life studying it, understanding it, and personally experimenting its boundaries, I have always keep getting surprised by what art can do and the impact it can have. Read more>>

Bryan & Greta Brandon

Bryan: I was very interested in cinematography since college, took some classes in Pasadena City College (that sadly I did not finish due to financial issue). Got to try my friend’s camera and I enjoyed it very much. I saved some money and my Dad helped me to chip in some money to buy my first ever camera. Starting my photography journey from landscape photography, then to urban city, exploring downtown LA and cityscapes. I wanted to learn more especially shooting portraiture, so I attended photo meet community in LA and area to learn more how to photograph people. Helped my church friends to take their wedding photos. The fact that people can see a photo and take them back to the memory/ moment where it happened is very fulfilling. Read more>>

James A. Burkhalter

Film was my first love. My very first childhood memory is watching “Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon” (1985) on my uncle’s VCR, and thinking, “How did they do that? I want to DO THAT!” While my siblings were outside playing, I was bonding with my Grandpa Wes over his love of MGM musicals, like “My Fair Lady,” and other classics of Hollywood’s golden era. Creative writing has been my main hobby since I was 4 years old, and now I’m doing what I’ve always loved. I enjoy writing stories, sharing true experiences, and connecting with & empowering audiences, especially those who identify as outsiders. Read more>>

Arthur (Peiyao) Wang | Composer

Firstly, as a classical composer and music producer, what attracts me most is that I can build a brand new sound world by writing down a bunch of notes on the staff. Like all other kinds of arts, painting, sculpture, and writing a novel, I would like to see my music could give the audience enough space to imagine. I hope they can connect my music with their experience, which is exciting. Without a creative career, I won’t build this connection between art and someone else. Also, during the process of composing, I understand myself even more profound, exploring various perspectives of myself I didn’t notice before. Read more>>

Alexa Zaro | Model & Musician

All of my creative pursuits are fueled from a deep fire within. It’s a need for me. For my music, it’s a way for me to express myself when words fail. As someone who often struggles to find the words to express my emotions, this is crucial for me. It’s the communication, community, and love that I can feel with music that’s unlike anything else. And with modeling, I found a deeper connection to my self worth. I went through a huge change in confidence before I began my career in modeling. I wouldn’t be where I am today without those changes. Read more>>

Hana Azim | Illustrator & Brunch Enthusiast

I’ve always been an artist. One of my earliest memories was going to my weekly sculpture class as a 5-year-old and glazing my clay creations. I grew up always taking art as my elective courses or extracurriculars so pursuing an artistic career seemed like the natural progression. Read more>>

Miles Jones | Musician & Content Creator

To be honest, I think for me pursuing an artistic career was kind of inevitable. I definitely contribute a lot of this to my upbringing and the environment I was constantly around at a young age. Up until high school I was in a homeschool co-op, which was basically like being homeschooled with 30 different kids. I think this really helped me cultivate my creativity because the curriculum I learned growing up placed a heavy emphasis on the creative arts; so at a very young age I became accustomed to embracing my creativity. I’m also insanely lucky to grow up with two older brothers that are extremely talented and creative. Read more>>

Karissa Lorinne | Professional Makeup Artist & Hairstylist

I am a creative person by nature. I love all art from music to paintings, and incorporate art in my life wherever I can. It made sense for me to pursue a creative career path since I am not what most would call “traditional”. I truly believe having a 9-5 type career would literally be a slow a painful death for me because that’s just not me. I excel in a fast paced environment, therefore, chose to specialize in bridal makeup and hair styling. Read more>>

Gabriella Giardina | Actor and Model

Ever since I was a child, I remember being mesmerized by the stories and lives I would watch on tv. Be it a film, tv show or animation. After watching tv, I would go to my bedroom and re-play everything I just saw and add my own twists to it too. My mom then also explained to me what it meant to “create” everything I was watching on tv, what making a movie meant, and I just fell in love with it and wanted to be a part of it. I soon realized that I wanted to be the “voice of the character”, leading me to embark on my journey and career as an actress. Read more>>

Lisa Maria | Character Designer & Illustrator

When I was in senior high school, people often said something like this: “It’s nice that you don’t have to think about what to choose for a career”. Those words struck me because I agree and it comes to my realization that my whole life, I already know that I want to pursue a creative career. I want to draw and tell my story through my art. Being an ” artist” has become my identity since I was little. So, maybe this is a bit cliché, but pursuing a creative career is my childhood dream and my whole life’s dream. I truly enjoy the creative process of creating from nothing into something, and I always know that I want to pursue it. Read more>>

Bossi | Singer, Songwriter and Advocate for the Arts

I have always been an artist. I grew up on piano & voice lessons, dance classes, painting and school plays. Some of my earliest memories in life are of holding choir practice in my closet with my stuffed animals and sitting on the organ bench next to my grandmother as she led the church in song every Sunday. I was fascinated by, and in love with creativity; this magical ability that some have to imagine something new into existence. Read more>>

Abril Aello Fregozo | Production Assistant for SpongeBob SquarePants & Illustration/Visual Development Artist

My name is Abril Aello Fregozo, I was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, currently living in Los Angeles, CA. As the youngest of three, I didn’t really have other kids my age to play with which helped me rely heavily on my imagination by drawing a lot of mermaid comics, mostly romantic stories that I l gifted them to my family members. In my senior year of high school I was getting ready to apply to med school, but I felt empty during that time like I was trying to impress my parents by being someone else. So in my last spring break as a highschooler, I did some research and had the opportunity to travel alone for the first time in my life. Read more>>

Bevin Victoria | Actor, Dancer, Musician, Producer, Writer, Fight Choreographer, Director

There is something really special about ending the day knowing that, not only did you work hard at a craft your truly enjoy, but also, you bore something into life, breathed it into existence. I knew for certain I wanted to pursue a creative career as a very young child. I remember various moments throughout my childhood when I would be telling a story and the rush of having everyone’s attention but also the enormous responsibility that comes with was fascinating to me. Read more>>

Amber Buenaventura | Session Singer, Worship Leader, and Voice & Piano Instructor

In a world that is divided in so many ways, nothing brings people together the way music does. Music can convey the emotions and feelings we share as human beings no matter where we are in the world or how far in our lives we’ve come. Without even speaking the same language, there is shared ground and understanding when two different people listen to one piece of music that moves them. Some people live their lives never finding something that lights their hearts on fire or really moves them. Singing has been that one thing for me. It has been the vehicle that brought me into many different music-making spaces and communities of like-minded people who love making music too. Nothing in my life has been more rewarding than creating and the process leading up to the final masterpiece. This is why I chose to pursue a creative career in studio session singing and private voice and piano instruction. I may sound cliche to say “I have been singing my entire life for as long as I can remember”, but this feels so true for me. I have years of experience singing pop, musical theatre, a cappella, worship, R&B, classical, and vocal jazz under my belt. I am pursuing a career as a Studio Session Singer as well as having my own business for Private Voice and Piano instruction. The world is like a big puzzle and I am like a small puzzle purposely fitted into it. This is where my purpose lies as I create music with my voice and pass the torch to the next generation through private teaching. I absolutely love being able to foster quality in my work whether it be songwriting, singing in the studio, or teaching a student to reach a high note they weren’t able to before! I love what I get to do because it’s fun, rewarding, and allows people to connect with each other on a deeper level. Many people do not think music is necessary, but music is integrated into who we are as human beings. It is in our DNA and I just want to bring quality into any music-making I am a part of! Read more>>