Are artists born or made? To help answer this question, we asked some of the most artistic folks we know to tell us about how they knew they were going to pursue an artistic or creative path. We’ve shared highlights below.

Sierra Roberson

I’ve always had an interest in the arts and practiced daily. It was my way of interacting with the world on an intuitive level. Drawing figures—especially women—became a personal form of expression, often evoking a sense of nostalgia.
I didn’t consider art as a career until halfway through college. It had always been a hobby, something I loved, but never something I thought I could pursue professionally. That changed after a trip to Hawaii, where I visited DeRubeis Gallery. At the time, I had dropped out of College during my sophomore year and was feeling lost and anxious about the future. Read more>>

Terayle Hill

I spent my Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year at Clark Atlanta University working on a Youtube Web-Series called “College Boyfriends”. That’s how I fell in love with acting. It became a passion of mine. But as I was approaching my graduation, I started getting some anxiety about how I was going to support myself after college with a career as an actor. Outside of Work-Study, I hadn’t had many opportunities to work while in college and didn’t have any jobs waiting for me afterwards. In fact, in order to pay my half of the rent in April of 2016, I sold my Xbox 360. Read more>>

MORAL

Ever since seeing my favorite bands live, like Panic! At The Disco. I was obsessed with the art of performing. I also used songwriting as a form of expression. To express feelings I didn’t feel comfortable talking about. Read more>>

Dario Saraceno

I was born in a small town in Italy and I can remember visiting my grandparents. They would have a record player but I think they only had two records and I would spin those two records and dance to those records for hours. Several years later we moved to London, England and at that point The Beatles are the biggest thing ever so that was a big influence to me and then seeing those electric guitars. That’s when it all kicked in for me. I need to do this. Then we moved to New York And every one I met they were all into music. And finally a friend of mine had a guitar he was selling for like 25 bucks one and took a few lessons and that was pretty much it. I am now I have my first guitar. I’m studying. I’m learning from all my friends I’m doing. It was time for college. I decided to go to Berkle College of Music in Boston. Read more>>

Keisha Martin

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue this professionally was when I performed at Amateur Night at the Apollo. The moment I walked on stage, I couldn’t see the crowd through the lights, but I heard their reaction—a gasp based on my appearance, not knowing what to expect. I was nervous, especially after hearing amazing singers get booed, but I pushed through and gave it my all. The applause was real, and when it came time to choose the winners, the crowd started chanting my name. I didn’t bring a busload of supporters, but that moment wasn’t about winning—it was about proving to myself that I belonged on that stage. That night changed everything. Read more>>

Gail Mercer

I worked managing a custom frame shop for 35 years. I received so much satisfaction helping customers choose mat colors, designs & frames for their artwork . Working in the shop & actually creating their pieces was my favorite part and then seeing their joy over the completed piece was wonderful. When I retired I knew that I wanted to keep up the creativity and produce something that would inspire others. I remembered that when I was a young girl I loved wood burning with my grandmother so that is what started me on my journey as a pyrographer participating in Art & Craft festivals & events as a vendor. Read more>>

Brandon Mack

Growing up in a household where music was always played it was easy to fall in love with it. My parents had all the top Pop and rnb artists’ CD’s. I always sang along to the songs but it was until I was around 17 years old that I realized I can actually create my own songs. I’d send videos of myself singing Michael Jackson songs on snapchat to my friends, and they were blown away. One of them encouraged me to write my own lyrics and sing it, so that’s exactly what I started doing. Read more>>

Ginger Levant

I can’t say there was one aha moment when I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path. For me there were several moments, epiphanies and realizations that pointed to a creative life. The most important thing was I listened to these moments and let them guide me.

My earliest memory which I now find funny was before I entered kindergarten, I was obsessed with learning to draw. I thought drawing was the most important skill needed before entering school. Drawing provided the opportunity to express myself in my own way. Read more>>

Teresa Stanley

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or making things. From a very early age, I happily entertained myself by making art. I was the “class artist” growing up and as I was lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, I encountered art in museums at an early age. However, I did not know anyone who identified as a professional artist nor did I think that such a thing was possible, particularly for a woman. There were people that I knew who made art as a casual hobby but nothing like the ambitious paintings that I saw in museums and art magazines. Read more>>

Carol Patricia Paquet

I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and on weekends as a teenager, I would hang out with my friends. In South Africa, the legal driving age limit is 18 years, so there is a lot of time to while away with little to do and no way of getting around. My friends and I would walk to a nearby open field, where we would hang out for hours. They would smoke and get high. I would lug paints with me, a small canvas, and paint what I saw around me. I think it was around this time that I always knew I would be following the arts. Read more>>

Anna Kornis

Since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a “pop star.” As a little kid, I would give concerts to my parents in our living room and spend hours writing songs in my room. My first love was theatre—especially musical theatre—and for a long time, my dream was to be on Broadway.

When I was 12, I was cast in a Hungarian TV show called Singing School, which opened a lot of doors for me. From there, I was cast in several professional musicals at the National Theatre of Hungary and in other large-scale productions. But deep down, the ultimate dream was always to study at Berklee. Read more>>

Bharti Trivedi

Art found me before I realized I was looking for it. My journey into fiber art wasn’t a planned pursuit—it was born out of a moment of stillness during motherhood. While on bed rest, I had to slow down, something I wasn’t accustomed to. Creativity became my refuge, my way of feeling productive and connected to myself. I explored different art mediums like painting, pottery, —but macrame had a language of its own, one that spoke to me deeply. The tactile nature of fibers, their rawness, their ability to be molded into shapes that could tell a story—it was mesmerizing. Read more>>

Emily E. Jones

It’s so early that I honestly don’t remember it; as soon as I knew illustrating for a living was something a person could do, that was my plan. I’ve always been a bookworm, and as a child I was absolutely enchanted by the way artists like Tony DiTerlizzi, Brandon Dorman, and Brett Helquist brought to life vivid stories like the Spiderwick Chronicles, Fablehaven, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. I told anyone who’d listen that when I grew up, I was going to be an author AND illustrate my own books – and I still love to read, but as the years went on, it became clear that art is where my true passion lies. Read more>>

A. Jay Adler

I was a shy, sensitive, dreamy child who was lost in fantasy and feeling much of the time. I read a lot, watched a lot of movies on TV, and played with my toy soldiers and building blocks, creating with them dramatic, melancholy stories of heroism, sacrifice, and loss. So that creative, narrative and lyrical impulse was there from the start. Of course, I experienced years during which, in typical developmental fashion, I imaginatively tried on future selves such as fireman or marine. But by the time I reached 15, the urge – the need, really – to write had begun to assert itself as the essential expression of my early creative impulses. Read more>>

Raelyn Nelson

You know, I don’t think there was ever one big aha! moment like in the movies where the clouds part and angels sing or whatever. It was more like a slow, sneaky takeover—like melodies and lyrics just kinda crept in, made itself at home, and refused to leave. I always loved singing and writing little songs as a kid.

But if I had to pick a moment where the lightbulb flickered on, it was probably the time in second grade when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up and my grandpa singing on stage popped into my head and I knew right then. Read more>>

SHAKED MILLER

It was the 1st time I saw a big live show, an artist named Idan Raichel.

I think I was about 3 years old on my dad’s shoulders, It was such an amazing gathering, so many people no matter the origin no matter the differences, looking up to this beautifully decorated stage in awe, the lights, thrilling and occasionally a bit blinding. Read more>>

Becca Rhodes

From a young age, I was drawn to creative expression—I was always running around with a crayon in hand. This early passion naturally led me to explore architecture as my first creative pursuit.

But movies had always been a huge part of my life—especially the fantastical ones like Harry Potter and Star Wars. As I got older, I had this realization: all those magical worlds I loved? They were filmed somewhere real. I could actually go there. Read more>>

Karen Robins

Although I always considered myself creative, a turning point materialized when I decided to create a book commemorating my Daughter’s 21st Birthday.
The book chronicled through photos, memorabilia, letters written by cherished Friends and Family, all of her 21 years.
It was a true labor of love and the undertaking resulted in a 20lb book that spanned a five month period of creation. Read more>>

Kay Currie

I started in clay by signing up to take a class while I was pregnant. I had always wanted to do something in clay and this was my first opportunity. I took throwing lessons for many years and was asked to hand build pieces for the studio owner who had been commissioned to do them. This led me to teaching hand building classes at his studio for many years . I think due to the way I was raised, it never crossed my mind to do art of any kind for a living. However, my husband and I decided to build a studio for ourselves as we were getting older. We thought this would be a good way to occupy ourselves. Once the studio was up and going I had people asking about classes. So I started teaching classes and attending art shows. This is how it all started. Read more>>

Rissa Lavilla

Growing up I was always drawn to the arts in general. I learned early on I am definitely not a drawer or painter etc. but learned that I am musically inclined- It was easy for me to pick up an instrument and learn to play. I actually wanted to pursue music growing up but that all changed once I figured out other forms of art like videography and video editing. Time consuming and tedious sometimes, but I had a passion for it. That was when I decided to get in the tv/film production route. Ultimately something led me to theatre though and is probably the reason why I get to do this interview today. During the pandemic when Broadway reopened I saw my first ever show and it was Waitress. Read more>>

Cassie Sikes

Creativity was foundational to my upbringing. Whether it was a play, speech competition, or simply making up lyrics to old songs in line in the cafeteria, I loved to express myself creatively. As a kid, I saw it as a fun part of my personality. But pursuing it professionally seemed out of reach. So I followed the traditional career path. Go to college, work hard, land a job at a big corporation. Read more>>

John Basler

This is really a great story, at least in my mind ;). I began acting in High School and then in College and then took close to an 18 year break while I got married, had kids and moved a couple of times. In 2018 I had the opportunity to play Captain Hook in a community theater production of Peter Pan and I was finally back in the game. After that show I had a friend, who I had met during that production, invite me to be a part of another production that he was directing. One evening at rehearsal for that show he said to me “So when are you going to start doing this for real?” It was the first time anyone had ever suggested that I make acting a career and was talented enough to pursue it. He has been around theater and performing for a long time so his encouragement went a long way. Read more>>

Jackie Therrien

Being a songwriter was something that I obviously have always loved, but wasn’t something I had really given much thought to doing as a career at first. I grew up playing piano, singing in my school’s choir and playing in the concert band. When I was 11 years old, I began composing pieces on piano, writing everything out by hand. Very shortly after that, I became more interested in writing lyrics so that I was able to sing while playing the piano. I immediately fell in love with it; I was obsessed. I was writing every single day. I was writing in the middle of class, all over my notebooks and in the corner of the paper on all of my homework. I made a You Tube channel to occasionally post videos of songs I had been working on. Read more>>

Rzn Records

For both Marianna Zappi and Raggo Zulu Rebel, the decision to pursue a creative life wasn’t a single moment—it was a series of life-shaping experiences that made it the only path that ever truly made sense. But a significant point came in 2014, when their paths crossed and set the foundation for a shared artistic vision that would become RZN Records. Read more>>

Adam Prack

I have always drawn things for fun–doodles on notebook paper in school, art for personal projects. I really needed an easier way to create assets for a video game I was developing in my free time, so I got an inexpensive digital tablet and learned how to use it. That led into needing character art, so I taught myself how to do that as well. It was fun, and I wanted to get better at it while making things other people might see, so I tried fanart for a little while. That led to wanting to try to make full original pieces, which I found the most enjoyment in. I didn’t take any of it seriously, and certainly never considered it a professional path for myself, though I did finally upgrade to a screen tablet. Read more>>

Jon Fiore

So way way back when I was in my first year of college I went on a date and we went to the Playboy club in New York City. We went to see a performer, her name was Vivian Reid.. She was a Tony award winner on Broadway In the show Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope. It was during the show which was a cabaret act. She proceeded to go out into the audience when she happened to pick me to sing with her. I guess it was the audience, their reaction that did something to me inspirationally. Maybe it was the applause, I don’t know, but right then and there something was spinning inside me that I wanted to pursue. I had no idea how, but I knew I had to explore this further. So a day or two later, I was having a conversation with two of my siblings who happen to be older than me. I asked them if they had any idea how one would go about getting into show business of which they had no idea. Read more>>

Jules Stein

I think it was in elementary school, actually! Growing up, I had always loved art, drawing, painting, and whatever other creative endeavors I could think of. My friends always knew me as one of “the art kids” and my mom would frequently scold me for coming home covered in marker tattoos. I knew people could do art professionally at the time, but I wasn’t really aware of any other art-related job other than “painter”. Read more>>

Jennifer DiMaggio

I’ve always been drawn to creativity—it’s where I feel most at home. As a kid in school, I eagerly volunteered to illustrate our group presentations. For me, it wasn’t just about making things look good; it was about bringing ideas to life in a way that words alone couldn’t. Read more>>

Johanna Rue

I have always loved taking photos since I can remember, my mom has so many of me and my friends in middle school and high school. My senior year of high school I look a photography class and was so fascinated about developing a photo came to be! I have always been a creative person, but I pursed something very different for my college degree. It was until about 3 years after college that I felt very stuck with what to do with my future career. I loved people, working with kids, being creative, being social and bringing positive energy to make others around me feel good too, but what job was that? I decided to do some research, mentor, and bought a camera from a friend. I told myself it not now, when? Read more>>

Frederick J.

I first realized I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally during a significant moment of reflection in my life. It was during a challenging time when I felt a calling deep within me. I often turned to prayer and meditation, seeking guidance about my future. One evening, as I was journaling and reflecting on my passions, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and clarity. Read more>>

Jules Gallatig

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was in the basement of my parents’ house, in a darkroom I had set up myself. While my school offered a few photography classes, most of my learning came from the hours I spent down there—experimenting, making mistakes, and falling completely in love with the process. I’d lose all track of time, totally immersed in developing prints and discovering the magic of image-making. My parents were incredibly supportive, giving me the space to explore and grow. That time in the darkroom wasn’t just about learning photography—it was when I realized this was more than a hobby. I wanted this to be my life’s work. Read more>>

Blake Elliott

Since I began playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager, I felt that I wanted to make music my career. After performing in school talent shows and at local coffee shops, I was struck with severe stage fright and was scared away from performing for many years. I truly enjoyed being on stage, but I hated how bad my nerves were surrounding those joyful moments of sharing music. The love of writing and singing never left me over the years, although I rarely would share what I worked on with anybody. When I was about 27 years old, I got up the courage one night at a local bar to play. The guys hosting open mic were my friends, as was much of the bar crowd, so I wasn’t completely freaked out at the idea. And being candid: I’m sure some bourbon helped. To my surprise, Read more>>

Milagritos “Floetic”

Yeah, so I would say that being the youngest of seven siblings has to played a huge role on my artistry. And by that I mean, each one of them had different tastes in music, different attitudes, and interests. I think being surrounded by a mix of sounds like, Corridos, R&B, HipHop, Mariachi, and more. Music was always arround me! Read more>>

Xiwei Wang

I think it should have been after I officially launched my photography website, which was after grad school. I found that I excelled at one-on-one interactions, whether teaching at my current job or during portrait photography sessions. These settings allowed me to connect more deeply with people, generating creativity and new ideas in a relaxed state that I could quickly bring to life. Read more>>

Ryan Quinn

I was ten years old and I had just moved to a new house/school across town. I had only been at the new school a week or two, when we were asked to recite a poem for the class. Everyone went to the grade school library to find a poem to recite (plenty of Casey at the Bats). For some reason, I wrote my own poem instead. I have no idea why. Like everyone else, I was insanely nervous. The teacher drew from a hat and I was chosen to read second. They enjoyed the poem so much, that I was asked to perform it for all the other classes in the school. I was also asked to perform it for the Kiwanis Lions Club of community leaders and it was published in book form in the school library, as well as the local newspaper. Read more>>

Caroline Gombé

I grew up watching movies since i was 3-4 years old. I would go to the movie theatre every week with my grandmother or my mom. Initially i thought the characters were real, but then someone told me they were actually actors. I was so happy, i knew that’s what i wanted to be too. Read more>>

Lily Misfit

I’d been interested in burlesque since I was about nineteen years old reading Dita Von Teese “Burlesque and the Art of the Teese/Fetish and the Art of the Teese”. However, I didn’t get involved in the scene until the age of twenty three when I first moved to Los Angeles from Houston, TX in late 2011.
I started performing for a group called Santos De Los Angeles alongside one of the top burlesque performers in LA, Ruby Champagne. Read more>>

Miciah Holman

I think i knew what i wanted to do career wise the first day i played the piano , i mean it was such a moment . The next day my mother bought me my first keyboard and ever since then i havent gave music up ! Music is what i do and its who i am ! Read more>>

GG Tyler

There has never been a time in my life when I wasn’t obsessed with music. My very first memory is filled with it—sitting in the car with my dad, singing my heart out to “Hollaback Girl.” Before I could even read or write, I would come up with songs in my head and get so frustrated that I didn’t know how to write them down. I would sing my melodies and scribble nonsense letters into notebooks, wishing I could get the song out of my head and into the tangible world. Read more>>

Echo Huang

It was during college—I went to Berklee College of Music—which felt scary at the time because it was filled with incredibly talented people who were my age or even younger. But it was also those same people who helped me gain confidence and encouraged me to pursue what I’m doing now. Seeing my peers go after what they wanted without overthinking inspired me to do the same. Read more>>