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.

Joe Schicke | singer/guitarist/songwriter

Why did I start West Side Joe & The Men of Soul? Read more>>

Jennifer Wilde | Personal Brand Photographer and Branding Strategist

I’ve always been a creative, so I didn’t really make a choice to go “the artistic route” with my career, it was just in my DNA. However, I did start out in one creative field and then branch out into other creative adventures along my path. Read more>>

Sam Valladares | Singer-songwriter

When I was young, I had no intention of being in any spotlight. In fact, I shied away from it. As a super introvert I did everything I could to avoid interactions and attention. But it wasn’t just introversion, it was timidity and fear. This extreme isolation policy caused me to feel very lonely, and I turned to expressing my feelings privately through writing. Read more>>

Sarah House | Ceramic Artist and Arts Educator

I’ve always been an artist, from the moment I could pick up a crayon I’ve been making. I completed both a BFA and an MFA and had been happily making art and teaching up until 2020. When everything shut down, I knew I wanted to make a big change, to scale back my teaching and make art more full time. Read more>>

Ryan Sinner | Creator, Engineer, Scientist

Well, initially it was out of necessity due to the pandemic spreading to the US. I also didn’t anticipate it doing well enough to support myself during months of lockdown. Back when I was in high school, I had made the decision to not pursue art professionally, as I didn’t want the pecuniary pressure to add anxiety to creating, an activity that I liked to use as an escape. Read more>>

Chloe Potter | Photographer and artist

Growing up in an artistic family, I was constantly surrounded by inspiring music, art, theatre- and I knew from a young age that I also had an instinctive, artistic drive in me, and the need to say something through my photographs. I was also interested in psychology, but after starting to study it Bard college, I realized that I could also explore related topics through my art work, and that is where my strength was. Read more>>

Marco Galindo | Music Artist/Producer & Photographer

I pursued an artistic and creative career because to me it feels the most natural to me. I have always had an affinity for music, photography and visuals. I grew up watching a lot of music on MTV and VH1 as a kid, and of course listening to music through CD’s and Cassettes. Read more>>