We asked some of the most creative folks we know to open up to us about why they chose a creative career path. Check out their responses below.

Emily Dorman | Artist

When the air is blowing with inspiration and I am seeking my purpose for being alive, so close I can almost taste it….. BOOM! Maybe not that intense, WHOOSH!A slight wind sends shivers down my spine and I know my purpose.
To create. With creation, we need a muse, and mine is myself.I am my ancestors and everyone who came before me, thus adding up to a shiny curation of my family’s generational exhibit. Always asking, “What’s next?”I create to live, and live to create!. Read more>>

Lana Blum | Visual Artist and Jewelry Designer

I started drawing when I was about 10 years old – it was somewhat of an obsession. I stayed up very late every day to complete a piece. I was a very shy child and I believe it was my only way to communicate with the outside world. My mother recognized that talent early on and hired different teachers who helped me to explore different way of creating art. I never stopped learning – I love learning new 3D modeling techniques and working with different mediums. I was going through a divorce few years back and I stopped making art for two years. It was a dark, empty period of my life. One of the days when I was traveling during that time I went to a Modern Art Museum in Prague and saw a beautiful glass art exhibition. I started crying when I was looking through the art pieces as a part of my soul just came alive with an urge to express. Since that moment I promised to myself that I will never stop creating because it is part of me essence. Read more>>

Joana Gomez | Film Producer & Director

I decided to pursue a creative career because I want to make a difference. Films have always comforted me as a child, and still today, many create memories with loved ones that we keep forever. Coming from a family of immigrants, a creative career wasn’t in mind. My family wanted me to become a Lawyer or doctor because that was the American dream. Early on, I found my passion in film because it helped me understand the American culture better and kept me company. Movies can help you understand certain emotions, make you feel understood, and overall create an impact. I want to be a part of that impact where I help create movies that make a difference. Read more>>

Ben Treat | Multimedia Animator

I grew up in a family of creatives and growing up a moved all over the country and the world. In order to fill that time and have consistency I turned to art and quickly realized that I wouldn’t work a 9-5 job. I wanted to make my own scedual doing what I loved!. Read more>>

Jaxon Stunden | Guitarist

As kids, there was nothing we liked doing more than playing shows and listening to music. Noah Khorey (singer) and I (Jaxon Stunden, guitarist) have been in a band together since early high school. When we realized we wrote music we loved together, we knew there was nothing else we wanted to do. Read more>>

Jared Pitts | Cannabis and Creative Professional

I’ve been drawing and creating for as long as I can remember, and I always knew that I would grow up to do something outside of the box. I’ve always been obsessed with comic strips and illustrated cartoons, and during college I even went so far as to write my senior thesis on the history of comic strips and their enormous influence on American society. Around that same time, I also discovered the magic of cannabis and became determined to combine these two disparate passions of mine into something resembling a career. It has always been important to me to live my life on my own terms and to be as independent as possible, and I’ve never approached anything where the first motive was profit. I’ve always believed that if you just follow your passions and work hard, everything will eventually fall into place. The greatest success you can achieve is to make a living doing what you love to do. Read more>>

Leelee 2X | Recording and Performing Artist

I feel like my career chose me. All my life I have been a Performing Artist either through church “Christ Church Apostolic” of Aurora, Colorado, through school “Denver School of the Arts”- vocal major or through my Hobbies kids skits Performing Arts and creating my own sound of music. My gifts always stood out most about me. A lot of people tell me that I sound like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Monica ; and Nicki Minaj. I never thought that I even compared, but I work hard and believed that they paved a way for women like me to be able to share my gift as a vocal artist. Rapping is just fun its another way for me to express my self. I fell in love with it the day I met my “Hiphop”. Hip-hop was never something I thought could reach me, I was a R&B girl at heart ; ” Give me a good Mariah song and Id kill it !”- but Hip-hop has saved my life gave me a new look on things and even inspired my last two singles “Harder than Mulatto” and “Ultima Oracion”. Read more>>

Liane Pensack-Rinehart | Chocolatier & Owner of Colorado Cocoa Pod

I initially started out in engineering, and was a Software Engineer for 5 years before going back to pastry school to get a degree in Baking & Pastry Arts, so it wasn’t my first career, but it is a career that I have found to be more suited to my talents. I have always been crafty, thanks to my late Mother, who used to always have some sort of craft at every event when I was growing up. She definitely encouraged my artistic side by teaching me scrapbooking, baking, and even candy making during the holidays. I used to start all these side crafts, and I’d get really into it for a few months, but then lose interest or not have enough time, but with chocolate, I realized, not only am I really good at it, but it’s a medium that I can use both my artistic and engineering brains. After 2 years of making bonbons, I’m still not tired of it, in fact, there is so much more I know I can learn and improve on, and because there are so many flavors I have yet to make, the artistic side of me never gets bored. Read more>>

Ben Siekierski | Artist

It’s something that came naturally, you honestly don’t have a choice in the matter if I’m away from the studio for too long I start unconsciously making sculptures out of anything I find lying around. There was this one slow day at a coffee shop I was working at when I just filled the whole space with little men made out of cups that I cut up. Read more>>

Roxanne Ramos | Artist

As a young teen in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I fell in love with makeup and hairstyling. I was obsessed with those Teen Bop magazines and always wanted to see the newest trend of my female role models like Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, etc. The butterfly clips were everything!!! Trying to recreate those trends on myself or my friends throughout the years, I just remember having soo much fun. In my early twenties, I finally decided to attend cosmetology school in downtown Denver at the Aveda Institute. The best decision of my life! Now in my thirties I’m only in the beginning of my career. I fell in love with not only the art of beauty but how humbling it is. Creating transformations as my clients find their inner and outer confidence is very rewarding. The opportunities are endless and everyday teaches me something new!. Read more>>

McKenna Cox | Wax Master & Certified Lash Tech

I chose to be in the aesthetic industry because it is forever changing and always kept me excited! When I was about to graduate high school, I was actually enrolled at Arizona State University to pursue a degree in journalism. Growing up, I spent countless hours watching Youtube videos of makeup and hair tutorials and would spend any allowance I received on the latest and greatest products. My love for all things beauty continued to grow as I got older which led me to enrolling in aesthetics school instead! I realized a traditional college path was not for me. Fast forward 11 years later and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else but what I am today. I am constantly inspired by the people around me and love to meet other professionals to compare techniques and best practices. There is a wonderful sense of community in the beauty world, we all learn from each other. Funny enough, I met all of my closest friends working in this industry too!. Read more>>

Allison Stock | Director of Talent & Education, Sr Administrator, Lead Stylist – Zandi K Salons

When I was little, I always did something creative; dance classes, drama, cake decorating classes, gift wrapping classes. Even in high school most of my classes were more on the artistic side; orchestra (I’ve played the violin since 4th grade), I was in the auditioned choir, creative writing etc. After I graduated I went to college like everyone says you have to. It was in my computer class of my sophomore year that I realized I just really hated what I was doing, and man I need my hair done…I was ready for my spring highlights. As I sat in the salon I just watched everyone talk and interact with each other. It looked SO fun! I could talk to people all day I thought to myself. And you can ask my dad, he knew I would do well because I can’t stop talking. That was spring of 2001 and here I am still in this amazingly creative industry, loving every minute of it!. Read more>>

Scott Brown | Chandler

In my “real life” I am a choreographer for figure skating. I have worked with athletes from 40+ countries and had athletes at the Winter Olympic Games in 2002, 2014 & 2018. In 2018, I was honored as Choreographer Of The Year. That being said, I have traveled all over the globe and with every trip I always have a candle with me. As with being a choreographer, the candle making process is also one that is very creative. Read more>>

Monique Salas | Film Producer and Actor

Ever since I was a little girl, I was very outspoken and artistic. I always wanted to be part of plays and create things. I think watching films that really brought me in touch with my emotions was something that inspired me. Watching films like The Color Purple and A River Runs Through It really made me think about how I view things and people, and I realized how big of an impact film can make on the world. I decided that I want to do whatever I can to make an impact for the better and help people’s voices be heard through art. Read more>>

Bria Hammock | Artist & Creative Director

Making has always been something I’ve loved to do. From borrowing my parent’s video camera when I was a kid and creating mock news shows, to picking up my first serious paint brush in high school and falling in love. The feeling of creating something and the process that goes it with is something I still find so much joy and satisfaction in today. I was unsure if that would translate into a successful career, but after you figure out how to channel that creative drive into an every-day thing the feeling is the same and something that I would never change. Read more>>

Casey De Bie | Freelance Artist, Photographer, Creative Director

I have been artsy all my life, but in high school traditional career paths were really being pushed. I started down the path of nursing, but going to school and working in a hospital as cool and rewarding as it was, just wasn’t fulfilling me. I found myself constantly reflecting through art again. I think art in general has a lovely way of grabbing people in whatever way they need it to at that moment and that’s beautiful. I chose to be a creative for my career because it’s something that brings me more energy once it’s down than being drained after a day of work. An added bonus is meeting and working with a bunch of incredibly creative people daily and only ever learning from them. Read more>>

Wendi Lee Richardson | Visual Artist and Musician

I have always been drawn to art and music. I started drawing pictures (of horses) from the time I was a young girl. I started playing instruments at the age of 9. After pursuing a degree in fine art, I sadly discovered that it is a difficult field to make a living at so I moved on to a business career. My saving grace was that I always had great bosses that knew of my background and put my creative side to work. I also played music on the side as an outlet. Because I was successful in my business career, I was able to retire early and pick back up with with my artistic endeavors. I’ve haven’t stopped painting and creating since!. Read more>>

Marcos DJ COS | Dj & Pod cast host

I have had plenty of 9 to 5 Jobs and they are cool and all but for me I wanna love going to work ya know. When you love what you do then it doesn’t feel like work. I love to DJ and to be 1 of the reasons why every one had a good night, and getting paid to do that is just sweet!. Read more>>

Samuel Wickey | Sculptor, Videographer and Film Producer

I chose an artistic creative career because its fun, exciting, inspiring and it gave me the opportunity to meet famous people that I idolize so I kept pursuing it. It also allows me to express my deepest emotions. I came from a dark past where I was very afraid. Growing up as a terrified Amish child was extremely difficult because I could not speak to anyone about my fears, nightmares, and personal illusions that were perceived as reality. My family did not believe in any form of expression or communication because we were in the strictest Amish sect. They did not even believe in hugging their children or saying I love you. Read more>>

Alex Cox | Hair stylist

Growing up I was fortunate that my parents could afford to put us in private school- which now as adult I can appreciate and realize how much of an expense that was for them and a privilege for me to be able to attend. Having said that, the schools were always very college focused and driven. When it came time to apply I realized how un interested I actually was at attending college. I had always been interested in styling hair, doing makeup and the idea of creating/socializing while working was much more my speed than another 4+ years of school. My choice of not attending college wasn’t a popular or “accepted” choice initially, but I am glad I stayed strong in my choice and didn’t succumb to the majority of my surroundings. Read more>>