We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Matthew Seeds | Jeweler & Metalsmith

From an early age I knew I wanted to pursue a life in the Arts. With both parents and an older sibling all working in creative fields, my family has always had a deep appreciation for creative expression of all kinds. My own artistic experiences and interest in geology led me to the world of metalsmithing early in college, building on years of mechanical interest and working with metal. I enjoy being able to express myself through the medium of jewelry. Read more>>

Harry Foreman | Creative Wizard

Creativity keeps me alive & safe. During my teenage years I was hellbent on facing fears, making mistakes, & getting into trouble. A couple of close calls with death began to make me think, “Maybe there’s something keeping me here (in this life).” Drawing was my escape, my medicine, & soon began to turn into my favorite skill. Read more>>

Johannes Winkler | Film Music Composer and Label Owner

Over the course of my career i have worked in many environments which where all part of the decision working towards a creatively centered live. I think I am by nature an expressive person and have always felt a strong connection to music. The biggest lesson in trying many jobs was to learn that no matter what one does, passion is the one thing that can make the difference between being good at what you do or failing at something when loosing the drive. Read more>>

Christina Holbrook | Author

I have spent much of my professional life in creative businesses. I worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was a freelance consultant for art book publishers, and finally the publisher of a company in New York called The Black Book. Although I did some personal writing, and writing for work, looking back I feel that a lot of what I was doing was supporting other artists. Read more>>

Jacqueline Wilson | Bassoonist

I saw an artistic career as an opportunity to build relationships with others. As a performer who who largely interprets the compositions of others, I can use programming as a method with which to teach my audience about the way I see the world and/or the things that are important to me. Specifically, within Classical music, I spend the majority of my time elevating music featuring underrepresented perspectives and lived experiences with a special focus on collaborating with and performing the works of Indigenous composers. Read more>>

Bijou Leavins | Artist | creativelybijou

I never intended to pursue any artistic endeavors in my life. I had always had the small voice in the back of my head that whispered silkily in my ear about the “starving artist”. I personally had no ambition to be starving myself so I believed I would steer clear of the “artist” avenue. Having said that I continued to spend much of my spare time zoning into my sketch pads, canvases and crafting projects. It was not until Covid hit that I began to really allow my mind to formulate a half formed plan of putting my work out there for others to see. Read more>>

Sean Yarbrough | Painter, sculptor and athletic coach

I never felt like I had to chose, for me creativity is a divine and spiritual process. Being creative is a way of life and I try to apply it in my relationships, and my other day jobs (coaching). I have been evolving a body of paintings and sculptures that depict the human experience since childhood and in the last decade created painting and home decor businesses with my wife, and an outdoor sculpture business with my Dad. Ive always seen collaborations as one of the greatest ways to become a better artist and human, so doing it with those close to me is a blessing but of course has hardships. Read more>>