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.

Caleb Johnson

When I was a little kid, I pretty much lived off a diet of National Geographic and PBS nature documentaries. I would sit and watch recorded episodes of Wild America on old VHS tapes over and over again until I knew them by heart. That little kid sitting in the living room didn’t have big dreams of fame or and fortune, which is good, because I still don’t have either. More simply, that kid just wanted to walk around outside and act like he was the second coming of Daniel Boone. Read more>>

Victoria Peloubet

I first knew I wanted to be an artist back in 2004-2005 but it took a serious backseat due to circumstances, that happened in my life. I picked it up again in 2021 around 16-17 years later when I realized I never truly stopped. I was going through old papers from years ago and I found that I had doodled my art all over them. I knew that I was never actually going to stop and made the decision to go full speed ahead with what I had been doing off and on for over 15 years now. Read more>>

Tayler A. Rich

I think I have always been a creative at heart. Since I was a child I would draw, craft, sew, and write stories. I believe at one time in my childhood it was my dream to write novels, I would still love to see the come to fruition once my kids are out of the toddler stages. I have the heart of an entrepreneur, and I am hungry for it. Although, it was the loss of my three year old daughter in 2017 that lead me to writing. Read more>>

DeAndré DeRoché

I don’t believe there was ever a time where I didn’t think or feel that I would pursue a creative and artistic path professionally. I grew up with “authentic” written as a label on my forehead for longer than I could remember. However, I can say that a deeper search of what and all I wanted to do really snapped into me with my transition from middle to high school. Read more>>

Christie Perez

I’ve always wanted to be a model, even as an adolescent. I feel like its the dream job most young girls have because it looks so glamorous. Unfortunately for me, my desire to persue such a life was stagnated by an incredibly overwhelming social anxiety and lack of confidence. Avoiding large social settings or circumstance where being the center of attention could be possible was the norm. Read more>>

Rehema Doka

Mataka Malemia is a collection I began in September of 2019. Originally what drew me to this work was just a desire to share my art process with my followers, I spontaneously shared the wrapped gemstone rings that I was creating for myself. I was looking to find a way to carry my stones with me everywhere I went. So initially, the project was born from a desire to grow closer to my new spiritual practice. Read more>>

Trung Jacob” Ho”

Growing up in Hanoi (Vietnam), I wasn’t exposed to a lot of art. I grew up in an academic home, with my dad in biology, my mom in the medical field, and, eventually, my sister in computer science. However, ever since I was a kid, I’ve been taught that memories can be captured and relived through printed photos, tucked away in a closet somewhere. We would often bring them out, to look back at our family vacations, or to look at how I got chubbier every year. Read more>>

Queen

I always knew that I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally. When I was a kid I was always really good at all things art . I never had to try to be good at anything concerning art it always just came natural to me. I also always loved all things art . When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress when I grew up . I was actually accepted into a college for art to major in theater on a scholarship but instead I went to another college and became a Mass Communications major where my focus was radio and television. Read more>>

Nicholas Castro

here is the short cut version. Dating all the way back to elementary school, I’ve always had an interest in fashion from shoes down to accessories. Even my wife quickly noticed my obsession with fashion. She would always say “it’s like you’re having an affair on me with fashion.” This is how MYFA (My Fashion Affair) was born! Read more>>

Daisha Breedlove

The first time I realized that I wanted to be a creative and work for myself was when I was around 14 years old. I was always obsessed with the entertainment industry and some thing about it intrigued me. Then I finally was in my first fashion show and the feeling was incredible. I then new that I was big city living in a small town and I had to make a plan to get out and pursue my dreams. I then moved to Kentucky first and was working retail, and thats when I realized money can’t buy happiness and I had to go to California to pursue my own dream and not someone else’s . Read more>>

Via Li

I’ve dreamt about being an artist since I was a kid, but there were many difficulties along the way. In real life, it’s not easy to become a full-time artist! Between pressure from my parents, financial and other challenges, I chose textile design as my major in college, since that is easier to find work with. However, I never gave up on drawing and painting. By chance, I became a freelancer illustrator. I felt lucky to be doing something that was so close to what I love. Read more>>

Jet Jurgensmeyer

I think I discovered my love and my line over work at a very young age. I started singing and performing on stage at just 3 years old. I started acting at only 4, so it wasn’t too far into my still young life that I realized I loved entertaining people. I enjoy the thrill of putting yourself out there, being creative, helping people smile and forget about their problems for even the smallest amount of time. Read more>>

George Moss

In 2005, I had a conversation with one of my coworkers. He asked me, “What do you want to do in life?” I said, “I want to make an animated movie.” He said, “What are you doing in the fashion industry?” After this conversation, I thought to myself, I enjoy my job and my role helping to design cut and sewn clothing, but I also really like creating cartoon characters and stories. Not too long after this conversation, my friend invited me to San Diego Comic Con to see her launch her comic book. Read more>>

John Lewis

I’ve always been on track to do something in the arts. From acting classes at a young age, to majoring in dance learning classical, modern & jazz. In high school I went to Paseo academy of the fine and performing arts there I studied theatre. Stayed in that world for my time in college. I didn’t pick up a pen an write/perform my own work until college 2015 I feel in love with it when I was introduced to slam poetry outside of KC. Read more>>

Domenique Ross

At the age of 8 I was introduced to the world of dance. I never could have imagined 13 years later I would plan to pursue dance professionally as a career. I attended Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts for middle and high school. When I auditioned to be a Dance major for college I had to put in perspective that this was something I wanted to continue on in the future. When I was accepted into the Dance program at Howard University I felt that this was the career for me. I have been awarded so many opportunities to dance professionally that made me confident in my abilities to know that I can continue. Read more>>

Mike Bright

Well to accurately give an answer to that question, I need to let you know a little about how I got started on this path of performing. I have been interested in music and dance and all things related since the age of 5, at least from what I can remember on my own. That is when I taught myself how to dance. I continued on that route and in middle school, a few other guys who were like minded reached out to me and that is when I began performing on stage in front of live audiences. Read more>>

Michael Munter

As long as I can remember, I have been doing art since I was a child. My attention and creativity was always towards the arts. My family early on saw that I excelled in art. And with guidance from my family and teachers that it seemed to be the most logical career choice for me. After graduating high school I attended Tyler School of Art. Read more>>

Sister Shalom

I think a part of me has always wanted to follow a creative path, but I never considered pursuing music professionally until about three years ago. A few months before the pandemic started, I was in the process of having my first record produced. This was the first song I had written in my newfound way back to music. When quarantine hit, I had no way of collaborating with producers. During that time, we hadn’t mastered the whole “virtual” concept yet. So, I had to take matters into my own hands and started producing music on my own. Read more>>

Tanzania Akia

I would say I’ve known since I was in grade school, maybe around 3rd or 4th grade. I’ve always been artistic, or I guess we would say a creative. It began in art classes, drawing, doing self portraits. Then as I grew older and was exposed to more expressions of art, I expanded. I got involved in theatre, decorating, music, and dancing which eventually lead me to modeling as well. I didn’t have an easy upbringing. I’ve dealt with poverty amongst other things, and honestly being a part of the arts kept me driven to keep going and also motivated to pursue creativity in everyday life. Read more>>

DJ Sonic

It all started around 5th grade. As a kid I was known for making mix cds and putting music on everyone’s mp3 players and IPods. I followed in my dads footsteps with my interest in music. He would always have new albums from all kinds of artists and I learned how to make copies of cds at a young age. From 5th grade through middle school my interest in hip hop grew tremendously as I started dancing and even beatboxing. Read more>>

Janelle Kloth

I have always been an extrovert and a performer as long as I can remember. It brought me the greatest joy. But for the majority of my life I never pursued acting or entertainment because I didn’t know I could. It always felt like a far away pipe dream and it wasn’t “realistic” as a job so I always told myself I had to do something normal like marketing or public relations. I went through all of college thinking this honestly. It wasn’t until I graduated and starting working at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres that everything changed. Read more>>

Sarah Shepherd

I’ve always had a real interest in the arts, and from a young age have been taking different art classes, participating in theatre, and all sorts of other creative things. When I was in college, I majored in theatre and minored in studio art. I was always painting and drawing, but college was the first time I truly had enough access and instruction in the art world. My senior year of college I was taking one of the final drawing classes and in this class, we had to develop an entire artist series that we would work on through the whole semester. Read more>>

Joseph Pieper

I first knew I wanted to pursue an artistic path professionally when I started this band at the end of my senior year of college in 2017. I had always wanted to be in a band and perform for people, but I never thought I’d be crazy enough to actually pursue it professionally. But once I started to write songs in 2017, I was surprised by the quality of the songs, I was writing, and I thought they were good enough to pursue music professionally. I just chose to believe in myself and decided to take a leap of faith. To bet on myself. And I have not regretted the decision one bit. Read more>>

Adin Yager

The pandemic presented me with a large amount of time and nothing to do. I chose to turn my hobby, music production, into a passion project. In the two and a half years since I began to seriously produce music, this passion has turned into a hopeful career. I don’t remember the exact moment I realized I wanted music to be my career, however I do remember the time period and the events that led up to it. Read more>>

Jake Jianettii

Music has always been what I love, but I’d have to say my cousins were the major influence that got me into creating music. They would get together in a group, turn some beats on and start rapping. I was 12 when I started freestyling with them and I created my first song when I was 14 off my cousin’s laptop. I’m blessed I found what I love at a young age. Throughout my 17 year music career, I’ve consistently been told that I have so much passion it resonates in my music and when I perform. Read more>>

Julia Bullock

I was 10 years old and I heard that Green Day was playing a concert at the local arena. I asked my dad if we could go because they were my favorite band. As soon as the first song hit, I remember thinking to myself “these guys do this for a living. So one day… I will too.” And I have never thought of doing anything else with my life since. Read more>>

Christian-Frédéric Bloquert

I first had the inkling to pursue music when I was around 13 although it wasn’t until I was 19 that I actually followed that instinct. My family were expats since I was born so I spent quite some time hoping from country to country, city to city and school to school. I had loosely begun playing classical guitar when I was 6 while we were living in the Dominican Republic but it wasn’t until arrived in England that I started being more involved. It was the age old adage; Read more>>

Elliana Harig

I have been creating for as long as I can remember. Art class was always my favorite subject in school but I didnt believe it could ever be more than a hobby. In highschool I was pushed very hard to go to college, but my only “creative career” option was a graphic design school. Because of classes I took before I graduated, I knew that I did not enjoy the digital side of the art industry. I enjoyed the material, but I couldnt stand the thought of sitting in front of a screen all day every day. Read more>>

Shawna Gilmore

The first glimmers of a future as an artist came to me in high school when I started exploring art electives and couldn’t get enough. Art connected with me like nothing else had. My art teacher told me he could see a big coffee table book of my work in it someday. This idea seemed otherworldly, unreal and out of reach. Read more>>

Kanailah Walker

Ok so growing up I’ve ALWAYS been a shy person and when I say shy im talking about VERY shy . I don’t want to be in front of a big crowd basically didn’t want anybody to see me because that would draw attention now im in my shy mode . But as I grew older I felt like being shy was childish tbh I felt like I should be able to stand in front of a million people if I wanted to and I know I’d be nervous but shy naaaah . I watched Youtube everyday when I had free time I was on YouTube 24/7 I said to myself “ I can do that “ my self said “ nah you too shy people gone be watching you “ so I said “ ok I’m not gone do it “ one day I just said forget I’m ABOUT TO DO THIS & I DID IT !! Read more>>

JEREMY THOMPSON

It was right after graduating college that I realized I absolutely had to pursue a creative career. I’d studied development economics at university because growing up in the UK we were made to specialize quite early at school. At age 14 we were basically having to think about what we wanted to do at university and choose the appropriate subjects to study, in preparation, during the next four years. It was the late 1980s/early 1990s and my high school had very few computers and certainly no graphic design classes. I didn’t have fine art or illustration skills and didn’t see art as a realistic profession, so I chose to focus on geography, history and economics. Read more>>

Kate Cagle

There were many moments when I thought I would be an artist. In 5th grade, I would obsessively redraw Disney characters and aspired to work for Disney as an Illustrator. Or in High School, when I had my first art show with my AP Art class. But through the ebbs and flows of life, I got it in my head that being an artist was a hobby or that you had to “starve” and that I needed to pursue something considered a “real job.” Read more>>

Arissa nelson

In my early education having a creative/artistic path for a career was not an option. They wanted us to go into a STEM career and explore careers that were limited in that field. In the back of my mind I always had the dream of doing a creative career. Then in my senior year, I finally knew a creative career was what I wanted. At the end of the day this was my story and my life. Read more>>

Steve Cas

I knew at a very early age, that yes, I loved art and I wanted to pursue as a career. Not only because of the love, but because of the acceptance and realization that I was horrible at everything else. Read more>>

Jonelle Paulette

Since I was a kid, I was always into art. Painting, photography, dancing & pottery were my forte. My art was actually chosen to be in multiple Museums in FortLauderdale (my hometown) Not to mention, my mother was extremely artistic and she still is. My mother made jewelry and would come to my school to teach my class art of all forms.. To top it off, I danced Ballet en Pointe and performed in the Florida Theatre up until I was 16 or 17. Read more>>