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.

Whitney Genee’ Esthetique

I have been doing hair and makeup since middle school. My friends and I would watch music videos (I’m really telling my age here, lol) and would try different looks on each other. Then it progressed as we attended dances, homecoming/proms, and special occasions in high school. It was not until my mid-twenties that I had someone that wanted to pay me for my talents! Read More>>

Anne Boodheshwar

Growing up, I was surrounded by artistic women in my family, from my mother and her sisters to my grandmother and great-aunt. The ability to see something and think ‘I can do that’ was ingrained in my upbringing. Read More>>

KeithKNOWS

I think creativity chose me before I even knew what to call it. Growing up, I was always that person organizing something—sketching, writing, bringing people together around ideas, music, or art. But the real turning point came in high school, when I pulled together a small community event celebrating local Black artists and musicians. Read More>>

Jada Samone’

I had a creative mind from a young age and knew I wanted to be a creative artist. I knew who I wanted to be when I grew up. I was the type of child who was obsessed with character breakdowns. Read More>>

Gabby Sanchez

Growing up, I vividly remember telling my parents I wanted to be a scientist. I never specified what type of scientist but I just knew something related to the word: ‘Scientist.’ Fast forward to sophomore year of high school and taking a chemistry class with a literal genius of a teacher. Read More>>

Chaz Woo

My family moved here from Korea when I was 4 years old during the Vietnam War. Since my dad was stationed overseas, my mother and siblings were basically on our own to figure out the language and culture of the United States. Given the United States was in their third war involving an Asian adversary, proved to have its issues. Read More>>

Rachel Huron

Acting has always been my dream from day one; I just never really realized it. I grew up with an immense love of film. I remember growing up, my parents telling me that if I was good all week, they would take me to the Hollywood Video down the street and I could pick a movie for us to rent, that was my HEAVEN! Read More>>

Christenelle Diroc

The First Time I Knew I Wanted To Be A Musician Full Time Was Because Of A Very Famous Country Singer Named Vince Gill. I Was Working At The New York State Fair In The Summertime, I Was A Junior In High-school and On A Work Break trying To Get Something To Eat. Read More>>

Terrell Matheny

3rd grade I knew I was a born entertainer! Even tho, when I was younger I always danced, sang and acted I really. knew I could do it at a 3rd grade talent show I performed ‘Jump Jump’ by Chris Cross a hot Hip-Hop group at the time. Read More>>

INNA IEVTIEIEVA

I started dancing as a hobby when I was five years old. It was simply something I loved — a way to express myself and feel alive. As I grew up, I continued dancing while going to school, and even when I entered university to study ecology, dance never left my life. Read More>>

Craig Knoble

Watching Denzel Washington in Malcolm x at seven years old I remember his performance was so powerful it left a everlasting impact in my life Read More>>

Tony Mardon

My original love was art. I love drawing. My degree is in Fine Art so I had always hoped to be able to make a living from being creative in some way. That rarely happens though and I was left with no option but to get my Secondary Art Teaching PGCE qualification from Goldsmith’s University. I taught on and off for nearly 20 years. Read More>>

Rachel Durbin

I had always pursued art in some form or another (including my education), but my first real career was as a flight attendant…and I thought that would be it for me. When COVID hit and it turned the flying industry upside down, I left what was once my dream job and was floundering for awhile. Read More>>

Jennifer Sampson

I have always been interested in art and dreamed of pursuing it full-time, but it wasn’t until during the pandemic that I decided to take the first steps to building a professional art career. I think faced with the gravity of that event, a lot of people questioned their lives and the directions they had taken, and I was no different. Read More>>

Logan Kirkpatrick

I knew in high school that a creative path would bring me happiness and fulfillment. It felt less like an option and more like a calling. But at the time, I was discouraged from trusting that instinct. I was convinced that a more ‘logical’, academic, business-focused path would guarantee me greater stability and security for my future. So I followed that advice. Read More>>

Dalit Agronin

My mom put me in dance classes at the local Jewish Community Center in Mid-Westchester, where she was working at time. Mainly it was to keep me busy while she was working but since then I haven’t stopped dancing. Read More>>

Geno Gwap

I knew I wanted to be an artist as a kid even I first seen the Snoop Doggy Dogg Gin & Juice video. Read More>>

Lauren Daly

Ever since I was a little girl, around three years old, I knew I wanted to be a singer and an actress. I would put on shows in the living room, singing into a hairbrush, fully believing I was born to be on stage. Read More>>

Nikitha Raju

For me, it wasn’t one big dramatic moment, it was more like something slowly unfolding and then clicking during COVID. Growing up, I never thought art could be taken up as a profession. It just wasn’t encouraged as it was hard to get consistent income, and honestly I didn’t even know it was an option. Read More>>

Renee Smith

Creativity has always been part of who I am. My mom was our teacher, and in sixth grade I started writing stories once my lessons were done. She’d read them aloud in the car on the way to my dad’s favorite fishing spot, and I’d listen to her laugh or tear up. Read More>>

Peter Eneji

I’d always loved drawing from as early as 8 years old, it was more like a competition amongst my childhood peers. Read More>>

Loren Hope Tso

Laughter sprang from the living room. My mother peered around the corner to see me rolling on the floor nonstop at Sylvester the Cat, belting out Figaro as my four-year-old fingers scrambled to find the rewind button. I was four years old, but I remember I desperately wanted to be Sylvester singing Mozart’s aria outside Elmer Fudd’s window, wanting to make myself be seen. Read More>>