One of the most daunting aspects of pursing a creative or artistic career for many aspiring artists is not knowing how to learn the craft. So, we asked some very talented artists and creatives to talk to us about how they learned their crafts and we hope their stories will help you in your journey.

Mark Pedri

I came up in a place that didn’t have a lot of opportunities to learn my craft. It was pre-YouTube and finding information on independent filmmaking usually meant going to bookstores when I traveled and experimenting with my own projects in my hometown in southwestern Wyoming. The first four years of making films was all about trial and error. Read More>>

CYDNEE PEDLER-TRUJILLO

I actually learned what I do through a mix of curiosity, trial-and-error, and a personal challenge I gave myself years ago. I’ve always believed that objects especially bottles carry stories. Seeing how many bottles are discarded every day made me want to find a way to give them new life. Read More>>

Annie Harrow

I’ve always been a crafter at heart—someone who loves the process of creating something out of nothing—but no hobby ever truly captured me the way needle felting did. One day, I stumbled across a needle felting account on Instagram. The tiny wool sculptures looked so alive, so full of character, that I decided to give it a try. Read More>>

Pierre Regensburger

Learning how to produce and mix music isn’t really as straightforward as reading a textbook. The process is pretty non-linear, it’s more like a cycle of curiosity, experimentation, and self-discovery. I kind of went through distinct phases. Early on, I would create just for the joy of it. Read More>>

Gracie Everett

The battle I fight almost every day when it comes to my creative work is getting– and staying– out of my own head. With acting and singing, it can be visually evident when a performer is thinking too much, and I know this is true for me. However, it surprised me to learn how intense of a process playwriting can be! Read More>>

Dario Durham

I learned photography from Youtube University…haha. I started almost 6 years ago when I bought my first camera. It was a Canon Rebel T7. I would sit on my phone or in front of the computer for hours on end, I still do to this day! I don’t think anything that could have sped up the learning process. Read More>>

Arily Michele

I’ve been singing for pretty much as long as I’ve been talking, but I really started to learn how to play music at age five. I had a Kylie Minogue song stuck in my head one day, and I plucked the melody out on a cheap keyboard when I got home from school. I’ve just been picking up on more and more skills ever since. Read More>>

Wakkirea Levatte

I’m a self-taught artist and photographer. Over the years, I’ve practiced a lot and poured my heart into my craft. I’ve always loved art — I started out drawing and sketching, then moved on to painting on canvas back in high school. Photography became another creative outlet for me. Read More>>

Zeina Karara

Everything I’ve learned came from curiosity and experimentation. I really believe all skills are learned, you might have a natural pull toward something, but you only grow by trying, failing, and exploring. Read More>>

Paula Brett

I learned what I do through a mix of formal training, personal exploration, and years of showing up to the canvas with curiosity. My background in art history gave me a foundation, but most of my growth came from teaching others and learning alongside them. Read More>>

melinda brown

Apprenticeship into the higher levels of commercial photography is still a valid way to learn the craft of advertising photography by working as a freelance assistant or Studio Manager or both, as for ceramics – throw a thousand pots throw away 999. Read More>>