Artists and creatives face innumerable challenges given that their career path often doesn’t come with a playbook, a steady paycheck or any form of safety net. It’s definitely not easy and so we asked a few of the artists and creatives we admire to talk to us about why they chose to pursue an artistic or creative career.

Colby Ragghianti | Photographer

I pursued this path cause it was finally something that made me happy that I could do during my free time. My friends James Avalos and Joshua Cotto gave me a big inspiration to start doing photography. They taught me how to use a camera and show me all the details I could find when I take my shots. Now I have gone on to take hundreds of photos of my friends in the past few months which they have all just showed nothing but love and support which also drives me to continue this path. Read more>>

Kiera Gregory | Owner of Endless Autumn Photography

My entire life, I was under the impression that I needed a ‘real’ job. Despite photography being a passion of mine since I was big enough to hold a camera, I was consistently told that it was not a viable job to sustain nor support myself, so I went back to the drawing board. 

I worked hard in school, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with my degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice, with the hopes of working in Juvenile Delinquency. Read more>>

Amanda E.K. | Writer, Filmmaker, Creative Coach & Reiki Practitioner

A career in the arts is what makes me feel most alive. It was an inevitable path from the variety of creative pursuits I sought as a child and teenager. It feels impossible for me to just work a “job.” I need to be doing something that feeds my soul. Read more>>

Jani Parsons | Pianist, Musical Collaborator, & Instructor

When I was younger, I always knew the great fulfillment that music gave me was something that was a deeply-rooted part of my identity but I didn’t always understand my purpose. I wanted to pursue an artistic career simply because it felt right, to me. It was the only thing I really wanted to do. What I have come to realize is that feeling is much more than just a feeling or a part of my identity – Read more>>

Inka Nisinbaum | Double lung and liver transplant recipient, cystic fibrosis warrior AND author

Honestly, because I can’t help myself otherwise. No matter how busy I am, eventually I will end up in front of my pc – writing. I always loved to write, it’s just what I do. Like a tennis player can’t help but volley the ball, like the baker can’t help but fold that dough. But writing is not only something I gravitate to, it also saved me in my darkest hours. When I was waiting for my life saving double lung and liver transplant in 2002, writing was my straw to hold on to. Read more>>

Cassandra Allen – Brown | Yarn Shoppe Owner, Indie Dyer & Crochet Knit Wear Designer

What a great question! Looking back, when I started years ago, I really did not think of it as pursuing an artistic or creative career. I am a retired litigation paralegal. I worked for trial lawyers for 33 years and then before retiring, I opened brick and mortar.   Prior to my retiring I was obsessed with yarn! Lol! I just couldn’t get enough of fiber arts! Just the idea of having a skein or hank of yarn, and being able to turn it into a fabric, garment is simply mind-blowing to me. Read more>>

Daniel Johnson | The Man without a genre

Music was my first love. when I was growing up I didn’t have a lot of friends and I always found my peace in music. When I was about 13 I started to express myself through writing and realized it was something I was good at. Ever since then I’ve taken my pain and my struggles and translated them through music in a way that others can relate to. I do this to help others realize they are not alone in hopes to make my corner of the world a better place. Read more>>

Israel & Brenna Hendricks | Digital Content Creators

My wife Brenna has a passion for writing screenplays, art, filming, and poetry, while my passion is in writing and expressing myself creatively. My wife has written multiple screen plays and is constantly creating artistically. Most folks don’t know I used to write and produce hip-hop albums decades ago as a way to express myself through music. Although we are both professionally in very different fields for our 9 to 5’s our digital content is a way for us to spread our wings and continue to express ourselves through art. In our case through YouTube videos and whiskey reviews. Read more>>

Pavani Nandula | Food Blogger & Cookbook Author

I have always loved cooking and blogging gave me a chance to share my recipes with a wider audience. It gives me a lot of joy when readers comment on how they enjoyed my recipes. Read more>>

Brittany Kane | Artist

Mine is the standard cliche of most artists: I want to get paid to do what makes me happy! You never work a day if you’re doing what you love, and that for me is painting and designing. I have put so much energy into making money for someone else, when I should be the main person capitalizing off of me and my hard work. Read more>>

Alison Bozarth | Artist & Story Teller

When I was still in school, I used to say that English was my second language. I’ve always struggled to communicate with others; to get across the meaning I felt using words felt tiresome and limiting and always ended with miscommunication. Art has always been my first language. I wouldn’t say I’m art fluent, but its always been easier for me to connect to people and concepts using it. People used to tell me I wouldn’t be able to draw my way through life though, and so I worked hard to adapt to a world where my primary language became secondary. Read more>>