Do you remember the moment you realized what you wanted to do professionally? Was it magic? Was it scary? We wanted to hear from some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community and so we asked them to tell us the story of the moment when they knew they were going to pursue a creative career path.

Victoria Renee

I was 25 when I decided to seriously pursue writing and filmmaking. My path initially seemed set—I had earned a bachelor’s degree from Barry University and a master’s from Columbia University, both focused on clinical psychology with a forensic emphasis. Back then, I was working in Atlanta as a counselor at a juvenile residential psychiatric facility while also taking post-baccalaureate pre-medical courses and preparing for the MCAT. Yet, despite being on a trajectory toward medicine, I kept gravitating toward creative expression. I naturally wove storytelling into my therapeutic activities, using characters from books, movies, and TV shows to illustrate lessons and engage the youth. Read more>>

Jim Higgins

I actually knew what I wanted to do when I was in elementary school. I knew I wanted to work in the comics business. At that point, I wanted to be an artist. Numerous people discouraged me. I made the mistake of getting good grades in school, especially in math and science, so I was often told how tragic it would be for me to not use those abilities by going into the arts. The fact that I’d be neglecting my creative skills for some reason bothered them not at all. It was all about making money. Almost no one asked me what I wanted to do that would make me happy. My mother regularly told me how I could go into engineering and make good money and get good benefits. Good benefits! Read more>>

Rami Levin

I wanted to be a composer even before I knew that such a profession existed. There was always music around the house where I grew up. When I was three my parents bought a piano and I delighted in exploring the sounds it produced. Soon I was able to pick out tunes and invent my own. My parents often took me to concerts. At age five I began going to ‘music school’ every Sunday, where I learned to play the recorder, took classes in music theory, and began piano lessons. Each week my piano teacher would help me write down the melodies I had made up since the previous lesson. She told me stories about a boy named Mozart who also wrote music, and she said, “You are a composer.” Read more>>

Jackie Sleight

I was 18 years old, and I had never seen, heard, or even knew anything about dancing. As part of my phys ed class, I was put into a semester of modern dance. I had a friend in the class who was taking at a professional studio and asked me to come and watch. I was hesitant and not that interested, but I went. I remember sitting in a folding chair in the doorway of the classroom. The teacher started and I didn’t understand what he was saying, what they were doing, or what this music was. But as I sat there crying, for the entire class, I knew that I had to figure this out. Read more>>

Jonah Meyer

I was in my early twenties when I decided that no matter what I ended up doing career wise, music would be a part of it. Music is in my blood. I spent a lot of time in my aunt’s home studio making music with her whether that be playing on the keyboard, guitar, or drums. My aunt was the one who introduced me to music at a young age and I’ve been in love with it since. Read more>>

Kelly Dempsey

I grew up in a small town in Western Massachusetts called Monson, where thrift shopping wasn’t a trendy pastime for me—it was a necessity. There was a little shop inside a church next to our house called The Church Mouse, and when I was around 10 years old, my mom would give me a couple dollars to pick out school clothes. I LIVED for digging through those bins, searching for the coolest, most unique pieces.

At the same time, my mom ran a craft store out of our house, and I watched her turn yard sale finds into something completely new—like turning old silverware into wind chimes. She was resourceful with what she had, and that mindset stuck with me. But when I proudly wore my thrifted finds to school, it was a different story. Since it was such a small town, kids would recognize their old clothes on me—and the teasing hit hard. Read more>>

Jasmine Milan Williams

When I was around 4/5 years old, my parents relocated us from West Covina, CA to Fremont, CA. With the distance separating us from the only community we knew our blood family, my mom and dad found us another community our new church family. This is where I got bitten by the performance/creative bug. I performed in my first play at church and I will never forget my first lines, “The King is Coming, The King is Coming, The King is COMINGGGGG!” I ran across the sanctuary full of nerves and bravery, wearing an angel costume handmade by the mothers of our church, my little wings flapping behind me, knowing the importance and power of my words, announcing the coming of Jesus, I fell in love immediately. Read more>>

Daniel Belardinelli

My name is Daniel Belardinelli. I am a painter, artist and designer behind the clothing brand IRREVRANT. In 2012 I made the decision to leave the practice of law and devote myself entirely to art (painting). I was a partner in an established law firm and had a successful practice. My areas of practice were mainly in the criminal defense and civil litigation areas. Although my legal practice was very intense, it was also both intellectually stimulating and financially rewarding. Switching gears and going into the art world while not having any prior experience was considered by my family, friends and colleagues as being completely insane. However, I did it and never looked back. Read more>>

Matthew Gose

I was born in Carlsbad, California—a place where the Pacific’s whispers and the hum of passing cars were my first lullabies. I grew up the son of two unlikely prophets of sound: my mother, a wooden, music-loving, Jesus-freak hippy hairdresser, and my father, a hard-riding, truck-driving disciple of Clint Eastwood. Their world was stitched together by the timeless beats of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s—a patchwork of The Beach Boys, CSNY, Led Zeppelin, and CCR that filled our long car rides with magic. Read more>>

Wanlissa Nuntasukon

I’ve loved art since I was a child, but in Thailand, being an artist is often seen as something that doesn’t bring in a steady income. Because of that, I chose to study Graphic Design in university instead. It turned out to be a great decision. I really enjoyed it, especially the parts that involved illustration and typography. For a while, I thought I had found the perfect path for myself. But then, two years ago, I hit a wall and experienced burnout. That’s when I realized I needed to make a change. I decided to quit my job and take a chance on my dream, even at the age of 36. It felt like the right time to finally pursue what I truly love, which is to be an artist. Read more>>

Nyota Parker

At 16 or 17, I was becoming more self-aware and socially conscious, facing several impactful realizations simultaneously. I hadn’t yet grasped why I was drawn to music, why I operated the way I did, or why I created music in the first place. I remember being asked about my inspiration (during an interview actually, haha) and reasons for pursuing music, and I couldn’t articulate what I felt inside.

This question prompted me to delve deeper into my motivations. As I worked to express myself in a way that was true to me and understandable to others, I realized how much music meant to me. From that moment, I knew there was no other path for me. Music has been at the forefront of every pivotal moment in my life, and I have no regrets about following my heart. Read more>>

Tim Jones

For me, creativity wasn’t just a hobby, it was a guiding star. Ever since I first wrapped my fingers around an instrument (at 5) I knew my path was intrinsically linked to music. I couldn’t escape it. From strumming tunes in school bands to commanding the stage in theatrical productions, I embraced every opportunity to express myself through performance. Never letting ANYONE tell me jack squat. I still don’t to this day. This unwavering passion wasn’t a fleeting fancy; it was a deep-seated conviction that performing and being an entertainer would help write the soundtrack of my life. Read More>>

Eric Espinoza

I had a huge interest in film as a child but it wasn’t until the end of high school that I even considered pursuing any form of art as a career. I have gone through various stages of artistic pursuit. Middle school brought me music in the form of an electric guitar given to me as a present. I spent the following two years miserably trying to memorize chords and misplacing fingertips a centimeter too high or low. To this day I can’t configure my hand to make the necessary shapes; but I still love the attempt. My early high school years saw me drawing and painting more than playing music. It was the first time I got peer recognition for a skill that most didn’t have. My works weren’t masterpieces by any means, but my ability to whip up a funny image in just seconds was notable. Then came writing. Eleventh grade creative writing class really opened my eyes to what was previously known as a task or homework. Read more>>

Kai Emani

I actually didn’t realize I wanted to be an artist until I was about 11 years old, but looking back, I can see that music and creativity have always been in my heart. Growing up, I dreamed of doing so many things. I wanted to a an actress, a teacher, and a model. In many ways, I’ve already accomplished these dreams (and even surpassed some!). That’s a blessing I’ll never take for granted. Read more>>

Rakhi Jha

Around 4 years back, after practicing architecture for 20 years, I wanted to explore the arts as a small break. I have always been inclined to create and would often do so during my off time. I initially wanted to create unique artistic furniture. I wanted to be surrounded by art and not just on the walls. In the process I discovered ‘Fluid Art’ which was a perfect medium to do not only on canvas but also on table tops. I was hooked from day one. My small studio became my sanctuary where I would immerse myself for hours at end. Slowly I started posting my works on social media platforms, like, Instagram and Facebook. My accent table made of Epoxy Resin and Preserved flowers became an instant hit. The video was shared and liked by many. Followers started messaging wanting to buy it. Read more>>

Sophia Valentin

Whenever someone asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The answer was always simple: an illustrator! There were many moments that contributed to my desire to pursue an artistic profession, but it always felt like the path I was meant to be on. From as far back as I can remember, creating has been my passion, my way of expressing myself and communicating with the world.
The first time I truly realized this could be a professional path for me was when I started to see how deeply art shaped my perspective on life. Art is everywhere, and growing up, I was surrounded by it in different ways. I spent a lot of time visiting museums, going to the beach, and playing soccer. I remember standing in front of works by incredible artists like Michelangelo and Donatello, completely captivated by their realism and attention to detail. Seeing how they conveyed ideas and entire worlds through their work left a lasting impression on me. Read more>>

Junior Texmal

I was born in Antigua Guatemala on July 20th of 1993, I’m the youngest kid of four siblings. I grew up in a family of musicians, my paternal grandfather composed melodies on marimba and was the founder of a group of marimba players, my father was a singer and my brother is a great rock musician, so I already have music in my blood, although in my childhood and adolescence one of my dreams was to play soccer professionally, but I always knew that music is something that I have also been passionate about. Read more>>

Diana Sophia

I believe my creative journey began “by accident” when I was 11 years old. One evening, I was watching a Mexican soap opera, “Telenovela”, featuring a female writer. I was so inspired by that character that I thought to myself, “I want to be like her.” That very night, I started writing unaware that this simple action would one day lead me to become a singer and songwriter. Writing gave me a powerful outlet to express my thoughts, feelings, and dreams. Read more>>

Haulston Mann

I grew up in North-East Arkansas in an area that, at the time, didn’t have any freelance creatives much less any actors. In fact it was actually an area that was dominated by poverty and opioid usage. The idea that I could pursue creating art as a career was completely foreign to me as a kid. I’d never really seen it done by anyone. However, I was always an entertainer an story-teller growing up and before long I found myself writing songs and playing little gigs at coffee shops and pizza spots with my brother. We weren’t incredibly skilled musicians, but we sure had charisma! I loved the feeling of taking an audience on a journey in their imagination. Around when I was 16 or 17 I had the opportunity to work on a play at the local community theatre and that was the final nail in the coffin for me. Read more>>

John Jay Cabuay

From a young age, I was captivated by drawing and comic books. I started by emulating my favorite superheroes, but by high school, I began studying the styles of renowned comic book artists like George Pérez, John Byrne, and Walter Simonson. With dreams of becoming a comic book artist, I enrolled in the Illustration program at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). But my path took an unexpected turn during my very first semester. In my freshman year, I was introduced to the world of Fashion Illustration, a discipline that would completely transform my perspective. The stylization and exaggeration of the human form, combined with the need to deeply engage with the model and capture their essence on paper, fascinated me. We were trained to draw live models almost every day for four years, a practice that sharpened my skills, improved my speed, and cultivated my versatility as a draftsman—a foundation I still hold dear today. Read more>>

Lew Morris

Musician wise, at a very young age I was already starting to “write” music in the sense that I wasn’t just plunking away at any musical toys, I would work out a melody and be able to repeat it. When someone at a garage sale saw me doing it with a toy piano, he had my dad bring me inside to try playing on his small electric organ. Once he saw I had a natural knack for it, he gave it to me to take home. Shortly after that my dad put me in piano lessons. I was younger than the teacher normally took but when my dad had me play something on her piano, she decided to take me in. After my first opportunity to play something I wrote in front of people, I got hooked. Read more>>

Angie Bizon

I have wanted to explore this path for quite some time. I always gave excuses as to why I couldn’t get to it “right now”. Too busy, not the right time, I don’t have the funds, were just a few of them. The more time passes by the more those excuses turned into frustration with yourself. Some life changes later, I have surrounded myself with some pretty amazing people, old friends and new. I was finally “sucking it up” in an airport terminal with 3 great people expressing “what’s the worst that could happen?” Since then I haven’t looked back. I try to apply to any creative community event. The lessons I have learned along the way have been invaluable. Read more>>

Zichun Wang

When I was in primary school, I always spent my days sketching under the shade of an old oak tree in my grandma’s backyard. I filled my sketchbook with creations that captured the essence of nature. My creative path was Inspired by the intricate patterns of leaves, the flight of birds, and the vibrant colors of sunsets. Read more>>

Carlos Enrique Prado

I have been privileged throughout my life. By privilege, I mean the opportunity to develop self-expression and engage in creative activities from an early age, which shaped my path into a professional artistic career.
I was born in Havana, Cuba, into a family deeply connected to the arts. My parents nurtured my artistic education from a young age, taking me on regular visits to museums, art galleries, and the studios of their artist friends. Our home was filled with art books, cinema, literature, and music, all of which surrounded me and influenced my worldview. But most importantly, my parents instilled in me a sensitivity to nature and life itself, which became the foundation of my artistic journey. Read more>>