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.

Tori Boykins | User Experience & Digital Design Manager

I’ve loved art and design since I started sketching cartoons in every notebook I owned in elementary school. As I began to better understand what I wanted to do professionally, I knew I would find the most joy in pursuing a career where I could have artistic freedom and be challenged creatively. Read more>>

Alex Gibson | Artist & Designer

The artistic & creative realms are where I’ve always felt most “me.” I had an awesome art teacher in second grade at Bells Mill Elementary in Potomac, MD (circa 2006?) that awakened my love for art. She was enthusiastic, curious, and wanted us to be excited about what we were doing. It felt really good, and I’ve been following that feeling ever since. I suppose that working with my hands – with shape and color – just felt natural to me. I could do the other stuff like math and science just fine, but it never made me feel alive in the way that art does. Read more>>

Daniel Peralta | Artist & designer

From a young age, I’ve been deeply passionate about visual art. As a child, I was constantly drawing. Whenever I’ve attempted other creative pursuits, I inevitably find myself returning to drawing, illustration, or painting. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about taking a blank canvas and transforming it into something captivating. This process of creation is my absolute favorite feeling, and I relish every step. I couldn’t imagine devoting myself to anything else – visual art is both my hobby and my true passion. Read more>>