Everyday, somewhere, there is an aspiring artist or creative daydreaming about pursing their creative career full time. Everyday, there are countless creatives thinking about whether to pursue their passion more seriously and so we wanted to hear from folks who’ve made the leap. We asked them to reflect on if they wish they had started sooner or if they feel they would have been better off if they had waited a bit longer.

Darkrose

I started creating music at 15. Honestly at the time I didn’t take it as serious as I should have. I could have created a support base early. School is the best ways to start creating music in my opinion because you can share your music to whoever is around you. You can build a fan base from there and expand locally. I was just making music for expression I wasn’t focused on the bigger picture. If I had been thinking differently earlier I probably would be more of a staple where I’m from. If I really think about it I would have changed so many things. Probably would have built more of a fan base early. I deleted my instagram a few times I wouldn’t have did that. I don’t think I would have started sooner just been smarter but I was a kid. Read more>>

James David Tabor

I lost feel like this is a trick question. I had show interest in photography and other arts even as a young kid. I developed some of my skills in High School but collage just wasn’t in the cards. Especially something more focused like art school. I restarted my journey in my 40’s with more focus and honestly money to put into my craft. Read more>>

Maycon Devon

I started my music career in 2022, with my first song, ‘All Your Fault,’ released on November 17th. Today, November 24th, I’m celebrating its anniversary, and it also marks the release of the sped-up version. The song focuses on relationships, a theme I often explore in my writing, and I’ll share more about that in a bit. Looking back, I feel starting later wouldn’t have been ideal because I’d have lost even more time. Starting earlier, though, could have put me in a much better position by now—I’d have more knowledge, a bigger fan base, more followers, and more songs to my name. Right now, I’ve only released one song, but I’m actively working on new music. Starting sooner would have helped me refine my craft earlier and build more momentum in my career. Read more>>

Keira Fleckenstein

I started being more active on social media by my senior year of high school, before taking social media seriously i definitely had a secret anime account that had over 1k followers on it LMAO! So before taking it actually seriously I had a few videos blow up and there. I believe if I had started taking my video content seriously during Covid I feel as though I may have a more growing audience. Given that a lot of accounts blew up during that time. However regardless on if I go back I’m very happy on where I am social media standing. Read more>>

Nancy Rynes

If I could go back in time knowing what I do now, I would definitely start my creative career much sooner than I did. I had known I wanted to be an artist from the time I was a young girl. But I also had a very strong interest in the sciences and studied both when I went into my college years: I went to art school first, and then I pursued advanced degrees in geology and archeology. But I got myself backed into a corner mentally. What I mean by that is even though I studied the sciences and worked as a scientist, I desperately wanted to be a full time artist. Art was my passion. But I allowed everyone around me, family, friends, college instructors, to convince me that art as a profession was not possible. Read more>>

Trinity Rivard

Having started drawing at 5 years old, all I ever wanted to be was an artist. In my early-to-mid twenties, after graduating college, I attempted to make it my primary and only source of income, but I was young, inexperienced, and undisciplined. The creativity was there, but the focus, vision, and structure needed to propel me was not. While I would like to have started earlier, I believe we are all on different paths and things can take time. We are all evolving personally and professionally, and I used to place a ton of pressure on myself which created anxiety and would stunt my creativity. Of course, it didnt help having people in my life that continued the narrative that you can’t make it as an artist or that it’s too difficult. I would admit that some of that creeped into my head and got stuck there. Regardless of life’s circumstances, I never quit creating and making art pieces- drawings, paintings on canvas, custom works for private clients here and there. Read more>>

Destinee Love

I officially started my creative career when I moved to Augusta, GA form Baltimore, MD in 2022. I was leaving an abusive relationship with my child’s father, ready to have a fresh start focusing on self love and growing my art. My mother welcomed me with open arms and right after moving, I immediately met my now mentor Baruti Tucker, an amazing Artist in Augusta and joined his artist guild, Nubag (New Urban Blackness Artist Guild). I started selling my paintings left and right from the art shows we’d have. Selling a painting for $2,000 gave me the confidence and confirmation I needed that I really have the talent to become the famous artist I always dreamed of. If someone would buy my art for 2,000, someone would buy it for more, is how I saw it. I truly believe becoming a famous artist would put me in the position to make a positive change in the world through art. Read more>>

Taylor Davis

If I could go back in time, I would have started my creative career much earlier than I did. My creative career began around the start of 2020, when an artist reached out to me to do a feature on a song. Without even knowing if I had the ability to write a verse or chorus, I enthusiastically said yes! When I listened to what the artist had sent me, I was so moved that the rest of the lyrics seemed to flow out of me. Around the same time, I was at a difficult place in my life that required me to reflect on who I was and what was transpiring in my life story. I needed to put pen to paper and write so I could get those feelings out of me. Before writing my first song, “Disconnected,” I thought of myself as “just” a singer. I didn’t think I’d be good at songwriting, so I never tried. So, when I finished my first song, I realized I had the ability to write more. That’s when Hopelessly Optimistic—my debut EP—was born. Read more>>

Krista Grevas

I was very privileged and thankful to be supported artistically by my parents very young. So truthfully there was only ever really the understanding to me that I’d go into the arts one way or another. I made the decision pretty quickly in highschool to go to college for theatre. But I wouldn’t say my true career where I started getting paid to be an artist wasn’t until after grad school circa 2019/2020. So it feels like I had to start late because or the pandemic but really everything was right on time. The only thing I wish I had done in college and grad school is auditioning virtually more or writing more, even taking more costuming classes. I think I’ll always wish to know more about my elective fields of arts. I am a big believer of everything happens for a reason. I think the only thing that might have jump started me was moving to nyc sooner, I moved here in 2021. But at the time and how things panned out I believe it was the right decision. Read more>>

Bill Usher

I’ve been a hands on maker and creative person as long as I can remember. I took art and shop classes throughout school and received a BFA in sculpture. From there, I had jobs in which I was able to use my creative abilities and that taught me many skills in a wide variety of materials. During that time, my wife and I have raised three kids including a pair of twins. My job allowed me to be creative, but it was never enough and I always had in the back of my mind that ‘someday’ I would make my own art. About six years ago I was thinking about what an older friend had once said to me. His career had been very technical and although he was a very talented artist, he never pursued it and I could tell that he regretted it. He told me not to let time get away from me without creating and finding my potential as an artist. I have never felt my age or really cared about it, but I was nearing 50 and his words of warning started to resonate with me, so that is when I committed to find a path to create. Read more>>