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.

Beatriz S. Gonzalez

I choose to live a life that doesn’t have boundaries to how far I can go. Art is subjective and I appreciate that no idea is limited, everything can be challenged and interpreted differently. If I cannot create then I am no longer here, I find it to be not just my own souls purpose but everyone’s. Whatever you believe in spiritually, we all carry a responsibility to cultivate a better world by creating. Read More>>

Le Aja Christine

I chose an artistic career because for as long as I can remember my favorite thing to do is art. From making paper mache in kindergarten to drawing my first portrait in highschool. Arts always been an important factor in my life my sister, uncle, father and grandmother all were artists and I wanted to join the club so I would draw, paint, craft, pretty much anything that was artistic I’d get my hands onto it. Read More>>

Dare Hickman

I know this is probably said all the time, but I always wanted to do something creative, even as a toddler. My first dream job was designing video games, but that required a lot of computer skills and math that I didn’t have the time or concentration to do (Yay ADHD). From then on I always found myself pursuing the arts in some capacity, whether that was writing poetry in my room alone, making music, even when all I had was GarageBand on my phone, or playing D&D with friends to share in the passion of collaborative storytelling. 2020 provided me (and the rest of the world) with a lot more freetime to focus on things I liked, and tabletop games were one of the big things that occupied my time already, I just never thought there would be any sort or money or space for me to pursue it, but I managed to find the niches that I can shine in. Read More>>

Anna Rudz

I have always been drawn to the world of drawing. For me, it goes far beyond just a hobby; it’s a vital form of expression that allows me to channel my deepest emotions, thoughts, and feelings onto a blank page. Whenever I read a book, I can’t help but imagine the characters coming to life in my mind, envisioning their expressions, the details of their clothes, and the surrounding world they live in. This creative spark is what drives me to bring those imagined scenes and characters to paper, with the hope of inspiring others through the worlds I create.  Read More>>

Aaron Lavanchy

I worked a factory jobs for years. While the income is reliable, I felt my mind numbing and needed more of a creative thought process. It was starting to affect my mental well-being, so after such a serious thought, I felt it was time to leap into a more artistic career, something I was passionate about. It was exactly what I needed. Read More>>

Justin Green

As far back as my memory can serve, I was always inspired (and mesmerized) by nature. I had the privilege of growing up in a beautiful area that put me in touch with the outdoors, and a neighborhood safe enough for a 6-year-old to wander alone. I also had an obsession with cameras, leading to my first at age 9. I’m sure I annoyed some family members! Read More>>

Dillon James

I have recently changed career paths from an environmental attorney to pursue my passion for photography full-time. My first exposure to photography occurred while I was in high school. It was during this time period that I absolutely fell in love with photography and knew that it would be life-long passion for me. Read More>>

Rachel Powell

I’ve always been drawn to both the artistic and problem-solving sides of design. My background is in advertising, but I initially went into media sales, which gave me valuable business experience but took me too far away from the creative process. Later, when I started my own eCommerce business, I had to build my own website, which reignited my passion for design and introduced me to the technical side of web development. Read More>>

Fleeka

I pursued a creative career because music speaks to people’s hearts in a way that conventional careers can’t and has a reach that others don’t. It has the power to evoke emotions, challenge perspectives, and connect with people on a deeply personal level. Choosing anything else would have felt like denying a fundamental part of myself. Creativity is how I make sense of the world, express my truth, and leave an impact that words alone cannot. Read More>>

Kristin Gruenberger

Imagination can take one to such magical places and in my own journey, has led me to a career in clay. I feel that I was always meant to work with my hands. Ever since I was a child, I was creating something. Taking things apart and reconstructing them in an artistic way was a common activity growing up. As a child, into adolescence and all the way to where I am now- there is creativity that emerges everyday. Through painting, drawing, music metals or mud- there was and continues to be an art project in motion and a head full of ideas. Read More>>

Angelica Martinez

When asked the question “Why did you pursue this career” my younger self comes to mind.
When I was about 10 years old my grandma taught me the basics of crocheting and from there I fell in love with crocheting as a hobby.
I had no idea crocheted flowers were a thing until I saw a post with some beautiful flowers on Instagram, after seeing those flowers I knew I wanted to make some of my own, at first it was only for fun I had no intention of selling them, even though I was gaining more customers and followers I knew I just wasn’t ready to commit full time. Read More>>

Jayden Ward

I didnt really have a choice in pursuing an artistic career- art chose me in a way. From a young age, I was always doodling instead of taking notes in class. My brain processed information more abstractly, and I actually found that I could follow lessons better when I was creating. As I grew up, I explored other career paths, but nothing ever felt quite right. Even in undergraduate school, I initially attemmpted to pursue a different field of study, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise, I always found my way back to art. Its where I feel most at home and I realized that embracing my creativity wasnt just a passion- it was a necessity. Read More>>

Brooke Morman

From a very young age I expressed interest in digital arts and the environment. When I was 10 years old I made my first YouTube channel, regularly uploading goofy content. I deleted it after I was bullied for it, and started a new one at age 12, with the same outcome. In high school I took a surplus of video communications classes, and even a college course that sent me to a film festival across the country. It wasn’t until after college I decided to try out TikTok, where I truly found my community. Read More>>

 Hans Ho

Why not? Life’s too short to not be creative, to paint within the lines, to not venture and explore the world. Being artistic allows me to be present in the moment, to focus on the details and capture that spots of time that I wish to look back on. The feel of wind as it blows through you, the purples and pinks of a coming sun, and the first rays of warmth as it finally breaks the horizon of dawn. These moments are special and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Read More>>