Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges. We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to pursue a creative career.

Ron Grace

My foundation, my skill set is really in construction, but I always gravitate to the more creative projects… I love it when a client asks me to design something for them. I get to use every bit of information, clients personality, likes and dislikes, preferences…designing a landscape and an outdoor living space with a greenhouse is a really personal reflection of who the client is, we like to build that in and create a space where people enjoy spending time into the evening!… I am naturally just drawn to projects where I can be creative but I’m not pushing something I created onto a client. I am designing an environment that I feel reflects their personality. Read More>>

Joseph Graves

I began my career in the legal field, earning my degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2005. I worked as a legal administrator at Denver Water, served under Colorado Governor Hickenlooper as the Director of Constituent Services and the Colorado Senate as a Policy Analyst and Outreach Director. Later transitioned into the private sector. Despite the professional achievements, I found myself feeling unfulfilled. Read More>>

Cheryl Gerde

I choose creativity in every day life because it is the part of living that feels most authentic and joyful to me. I pursued an artistic career because I am passionate about delivering that gift to everyone amidst the hustle and bustle of every day adulting. Art and play are what put beauty into living. Thus, as the owner of 8 Count Social, I empower adults to break free of limitations, to embrace their playful spirit through engaging play and art-based activities, I fully promote personal growth while eliciting the power of human connection, in the hopes of renewing a sense of vitality. Read More>>

A.E.

I decided to pursue a creative career in the arts (writing) for a number of reasons. Firstly, all I want to do is create. I love telling stories, and any chance I get to craft a story, I jump at it. I didn’t want writing as a job to be a dream, I wanted it to be my reality, so it is. The second most important reason is probably because I got sick of hearing about the “starving artist” trope. No. Pay artists for their work. I didn’t want to shy away from doing what I love because everyone was telling me I wasn’t going to make any money. I grew up poor, in a tiny town, so jobs that didn’t pay were a big dealbreaker for my parents when they talked about career choices. Read More>>

Michelle Sauer

I have always had a passion for anything that expresses beauty, individuality, and imagination and wanted to have a career in a field where I could express that everyday. I grew up in southern California and for a long while, I wanted to work in the film/television industry. But as I pursed my degree, starting with interior design and then going into Arts Education, my path took me down the road of teaching and inspiring others, who I found, are often more artistic and creative than myself. Still wanting to keep my artistic toes in the pond of the entertainment industry, I earned my Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. After a few go’s at crafting film scripts, I found that my creative calling was with writing novels and becoming an indie author.  Read More>>

Chayden Bray

I can’t say my creative endeavors are a full time career, but started as more of an outlet; a break from the grind of work. I learned photography just by taking as many photos as I can and learning one by one what looks good and what doesn’t. And while that can be completely subjective, there are ones that better tell the story of life on this ranch, which is the main way I use my photography professionally. Read More>>

Lanny Grant

I started drawing and painting around the age of ten so I have enjoyed a lifetime of creating art. My early beginnings as an artist were mostly for my own enjoyment in trying to capture images and moods of places I knew in the mountains of Colorado. When I was thirteen I was fortunate to meet a great artist named Ben Turner, who lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico but also had a summer home and studio in Redstone, Colorado. Ben was the first real artist I had ever met and he made a huge impression on me.  Read More>>