Deciding to pursue an artistic or creative career path isn’t for the faint of heart. Challenges will abound, but so many of the artists we speak with couldn’t be happier with their choice. So, we asked them about how they made the decision in the first place.

Franklin Cole

There’s so much appeal to the arts and creative ways of thinking. I feel like my calling is to channel creative energy and utilize it in different ways. I knew I would be doing something artistic down the line but I wasn’t sure what it was at first. The most beautiful thing is that we are changing beings that are always learning more and growing and art is something that is constantly changing and expanding. Just like I am. Read More>>

Rowan Van De Mark & Sophia Schooley-Alvarado

My business partner, Sophia, and I chose to pursue an artistic career because creating art brings so much joy and a sense of magic into our lives. It’s more than just a profession—it’s a passion that fuels us every day. Through our work, we’ve found a way to share what we love most with the Colorado Springs community. Read More>>

Libby Dollar

I guess I’m one of the few lucky people who gets to do the creative thing I know I was meant to do from an early age.

The funny thing is,I’m a wedding photographer, but I didn’t actually pick up a camera until after college. The creative thing that’s always been in my heart is actually running a business–which requires me to think creatively and make things everyday. Read More>>

Sep Pouresa

I pursued a creative career because I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of art and science — and for cosmetic dentistry sit right at that crossroads. Whether it’s through dental aesthetics, sculpture, or visual storytelling, I found that working with teeth allowed me to blend precision with creativity. It’s not just about function — it’s about form, expression, and the small details that often go unnoticed. My work explores those details, turning something clinical into something deeply human and artistic Read More>>

Lauren Gotvald

I have loved to go to galleries and art markets since I was a little girl. I loved to hear the stories of the older artists and I was inspired by their creative drive. I went to college when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the world turned upside down. I watched with jealousy as others made an income from their creative revenue streams from the comfort of their home. My intense burnout led me to travel the world in the following years. I went to countless beautiful shops and art museums throughout Europe. The jealousy continued as I saw others live what I thought would be the dream life and I always thought “one day”. Read More>>

Shay Wescott

I grew up in rural, upstate New York in what I would describe as a cultural desert – and so outside of celebrities I saw on television, I really didn’t even know there was such a thing as a creative career. But the arts, and film in particular, have always been an outlet for me to make sense of things and expand my world view so I’ve always held them in really high regard. Read More>>

Stephanie Sands

I chose an artistic career because it’s the truest way I know to connect with myself and with others. Art allows me to express what words alone can’t: emotion, transformation, beauty, and truth. I’ve always been drawn to the details that others might overlook, the colors, the energy, the feeling behind a face or a moment. Being an artist gives me the chance to make people feel seen, understood, and beautiful. It’s not just what I do — it’s how I move through the world. Read More>>

Daneira Zuniga Sandoval

I’ve always been drawn to creativity, and for me, hair is the ultimate canvas. I have a deep passion for transforming hair—especially through color—and there’s something magical about bringing a client’s vision to life. Watching someone light up after a transformation is the best feeling. Being able to express myself through hair while helping others feel confident and beautiful… that’s why I chose this path. Read More>>

Cortez Holmes

Well because I got tired of working a job I did love college I went to college actually for business so me as an artist I had pursued that also as a program for profit margin also I love being a creative person music it had brought out my choreography a little bit more and I had just ran with that I love expressing myself and many other ways and music is one of them I’ve worked with Drake Travis Scott future John music so I have worked with a lot of people going down this creative career and that’s something that I always wanted to be in entertainment and the industry Read More>>

Shaunna C.

I chose an artistic and creative career because it was something that made me feel most of me. I really enjoy creating whether it is, video making, photo taking, modeling for photos and or literal arts and crafts, like painting, clay, etc.. I always knew that I was not going to fit into the “normal lifestyle“ that we are expected to live. Although no lifestyle should be considered “normal“ I think all forms of creative freedom are special and unique in their own ways and I just knew that I wasn’t supposed to reform to a normal 9-to-5 position.  Read More>>