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.

Thomas Reich

As a wood turner; being in the company of highly talented wood turners who function as mentors, as well as sharing their artistic examples, has fueled my growth in this medium. As for photography, teaching, competing, and displaying my work has driven my growth as well. For Stained glass, designing and building custom Kaleidoscopes keeps my imagination running. Read More>>

Tia Dandridge

I’m a self taught crochet artist. I learned crocheting from watching Youtube videos and trial and error. There isn’t anything specifically that would have sped the process up, in my opinion. Crocheting is a craft that takes time to master and I still wouldn’t say I’ve mastered the craft. I’m just proficient at what I enjoy making. Read More>>

Renee King

I was born with a brain that always looked at the world wondering, what if? As a child, instead of buying board games, I’d make them. In high school my modular schedule let me spend my extended free time in the music room or the art room, playing piano or sitting in front of a blank canvas asking, what if? Read More>>

Mandy Miller

I learned how to do what I do the same way I’ve learned most meaningful things in my life — by being curious enough to start and stubborn enough not to quit. In the beginning, it was a lot of trial and error. I remember ruining an entire sheet of birch plywood because my laser settings were off. Read More>>

Andrea Santiago

I learned to do what I do through years of intentional education, hands-on practice, and real-world experience. I’ve known since middle school that I wanted to pursue something in makeup artistry, so I began building my foundation early. Throughout middle and high school, I took theater every year, along with TV production and visual arts classes. Read More>>

Christina Highfield

I learned bookbinding mostly through Youtube videos. I saw a reel of someone making a journal and I thought what if I used the old book covers I have laying around. I spent a few days watching various videos to learn the techniques required for coptic bound journals. Once I started, I was hooked. Read More>>

Teiji Mack

Honestly a lot of it was simply trial and error. Plenty of late nights and waking up the next morning, not liking what i created. Plenty of sessions with the homies. where the vibe mattered more than my own feelings and vision. Read More>>

Alex Johnmeyer

How did you learn to do what you do? Art was honestly innate for me… I may not have always been “good,” but I knew I was a fantastic creative problem solver. I think I’ve always learned best by figuring things out on my own. I think determination and gusto have served me well in almost every regard of my life. Read More>>

Dayana Stetco

There is an exchange in Umberto Eco’s novel, The Name of the Rose, whose significance I think about every time the subject of speed – or learning something faster – comes up. Read More>>

Valerie Brandy

I learned how to write in the fast-paced world of the entertainment industry. I was in college when I sold my first screenplay, and had taken classes on screenwriting at UCLA, as well as working with a mentor through a mentorship I won via the International Scriptwriters Association (ISA). As a screenwriter, I learned on the job through the best method– real life experience. Read More>>

Amanda Hawkins

I feel so lucky to be passionate about what I do: art, music, web design and development. The honest answer is that I couldn’t have sped it up; the years of making things are what got me here. Read More>>

Madelyn King

I have always loved to sing, but I did not know where to start when it came to learning the technical side of music. I only got to really understanding music later in college. I definitely wish that I started taking singing lessons sooner, and that I started networking in the music world earlier on. Read More>> 

Jeff Harding

How did I learn to do what I do? First, I don’t believe learning is ever done. It’s a lifelong process. We should never stop learning — which also means we must stay genuinely interested. Interested enough to pay attention. To listen. To insert ourselves into the process in any way we can. Showing up is most of it — yes. Read More>>

Christine Harazim

How did I learn? Honestly… I messed up. A lot.

I learned by doing, by trying things that didn’t work, and by figuring out why they didn’t work. I don’t think there’s a shortcut for creative work that’s meaningful. The growth comes from the trial and error, from showing up even when the results aren’t what you hoped for. Read More>>

Waddell Richardson

So as a young child I was always very observant. To make a long story short, My favorite uncle is a photographer and he always had this childlike personality about him which made me want to be around him more. Read More>>

Myles Heidenreich

I started in college taking a 35mm black & white darkroom class. That’s where I learned how to process film, the technical aspects of the cameras and how they work, and learned the fundamentals of how to compose a photo. After that I was hooked and decided to follow it as a career focusing on portraiture and live music Read More>>

Kayla Klein

I’m largely self-taught across design, music production, branding, and marketing. I didn’t follow a traditional path. I learned because I wanted to build something and refused to let not knowing how stop me. Read More>>