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.

Ivy Lynn | Freelance Photographer

My path to a creative career wasn’t intentional at first…I thought I wanted to be a private investigator; you know like Magnum P.I. living in Hawaii, driving a Ferrari. In real life this career choice proved to be a lot less glamorous. I found out the hard way that dumpster diving for evidence and process serving would be enough to turn me off. Luckily, I also studied photography in college at ASU so I decided to follow my artistic side and become a professional photographer. It was very convenient after my daughters were born to have an in-home photo studio. My lens has taken me in many directions. I started as a portrait photographer, then worked in editorial photography for a newspaper which led me into music. Read more>>

Iveth Muniz | Wedding & Travel Photographer

I’ve always been drawn to art- it’s just part of who I am. I used to take my coloring books to friend’s homes as a kid, spend hours scrapbooking, I was the one who always had a camera on hand at every event, and I always signed up for art classes in school. For the longest time, I didn’t want to turn it into a career because I was scared it might take the fun out of it. But honestly the opposite happened. Now, I get to have fun doing what I love, and how many people can say that about their job? Read more>>

Stella Witcher | Curator & Creative Director

My journey toward a creative career began intuitively and evolved into a more strategic pursuit. Arts and creativity have always been central to my enjoyment of life. After university, I found myself gravitating toward artistic spaces in London—galleries, nightclubs, museums—and the people within them. I needed these environments to thrive like a fish needs water. I was captivated by individuals who saw the world differently and reshaped it through their creative vision, whatever the medium. To me, these are the people driving change in our world, connecting with the core of what it means to be human. Read more>>

Morgan Blair | Write and Mental Health Therapist

I don’t know that I chose to pursue a creative career path so much as it chose me. No matter what I’m doing—whether working as a mental health counselor, writing psychology articles, painting, drafting my novel, or simply existing in the world—I’m approaching the experience through an artistic lens. For me, art is the act of tapping into our spirits, and our spirits are the most expressive, authentic, and vulnerable pieces of us. My spirit is the guiding force that moves me forward while also keeping me from getting flooded by the expectations that a “career” looks like one thing. A career, for me, is wherever I’m moving next. Read more>>

Adian (pronounced: Add-in) | Christian Hiphop artist and producer

Music has always been a big part of my life. My relationship with it changed when i began making the music. It was as much of a release and outlet as listening if not more. At first i started out in what we call “battle rap”. Many battle rappers also make music (songs) or even produce. I started making music with friends i met online in the community, and at some point i suppose i couldn’t really stop. I cant imagine not creating today. Read more>>