We asked some of the most talented folks in the community to talk to us about projects they’ve worked on that they still think about, projects that really meant something. Have you had such an experience? Are you looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out the stories below, they are exciting, entertaining, and most importantly – inspiring.

Violet Guerrero-Ponce

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve had the privilege of working on revolves around my exploration of film photography. While studying photography, I delved deeply into the film photography process and sought to understand the true essence of creating an image, from capturing it on film to the tangible experience of printing it in the darkroom. Read more>>

Cindy Whitehead

When I started the movement, Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word, in 2013, it was because I could clearly see that there was still insufficient support for girls and women in skateboarding. I looked back at my pro skateboarding career and saw so many similarities from then to now and thought, “Why haven’t women in skateboarding become more visible, and why are there still so few?” Read more>>

Jen Venegas

You know when you just get one of those gut feelings or “hear” a very direct message? Well, a few months ago, I woke up in the middle of night and all I could think about was coming together with people interested in exploring decolonization practices within the spirituality community and industry. I knew I wanted these “meetings” to be free, consistently scheduled, and virtual to make them accessible to anyone that wanted to participate. Read more>>

Tanner Hamilton

I’ve been playing drums with The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir (THGTC) for about 3 years now. THGTC is a multi-genre encapsulating metal band that tackles social issues through our music hoping to provide sanctuary to peoples/groups of people that don’t feel like they have community elsewhere. We started a couple months before COVID lockdown and while it stunted us being able to play shows at the time it allowed us to take the time to hone in a sound that we could be proud of. Read more>>

Windell Dobson

When creating colorist artwork, people always pointed out faces in my pieces. I felt like the universe was showing me a new path, so I created “Faces de Series.” It’s a series of abstract faces with different expressions that engage people and evoke emotions. Read more>>

Cynthia August

The best way to make a project meaningful is to approach it with what is meaningful to you, and try to work through that lens whenever possible. When I was wavering between creative careers in my 30’s, someone much smarter than me said I should take some time and try to strip my creativity down to it’s essence – really figure out the core impulse of why I do what I do. Read more>>

Ashley Brooke

In December 2022, I had a repressed memory surface of childhood abuse along with vague apologies from my abuser. I struggled most of my life with various health issues and regularly found myself in abusive relationships despite countless hours in counseling. Two years ago, I began to suspect I had a repressed memory that was the root to my problems. Read more>>

Kasey Elliott

I had written, produced and acted in a few other short films before I wrote Mantis. They were more for fun, they weren’t personal at all. I never really thought of myself as a writer. I just thought it was a great way to act in things instead of waiting around for auditions or bookings to come in. Nothing really inspired me to write until I had something happen to me and that’s when I sat down and wrote the first draft of Mantis. Read more>>

Jeffrey Hornstein

I’ve had MANY meaningful projects including my day to day Portraits (corporate, performing arts, etc) and have worked with many successful and talented individuals. HOWEVER I think the most meaningful project to me personally has been one I’ve been working on for decades. Read more>>

PATRICE Strong-Register

My current project is the nonprofit that I created in honor of my Mother, Ms. Lillie Strong Braswell. Our Mission is to provide families and communities an opportunity to share their stories and through these stories we capture historical data and everyday experiences that will shape our future and strengthen our family and community connections. Read more>>

Marissa Servantez

Every project has it’s own meaningful impact in it’s own way I think, I love every project I’ve gotten to do so far in my career and there is always something that makes each one stand out. Lately though, it seems like every project I’ve been getting has been better and better and more meaningful than the last. Last year I got to work with ACL to help rebrand the festival with them, they were such amazing people that it made the project so fun and it was such an experience to also see our work go up in your own city right in front of you. And I thought, ‘how can you top this? Read more>>

Paloma Núñez-Regueiro

“Counted/Uncounted: So You Know Us” is my favorite project at the moment. It means a lot to me because it is about bringing much needed visibility to minorities, in this case immigrants, LGBTQ. BIPOC, and disable people. Read more>>

Bart Bryars

My most recent meaningful project has been publishing a memoir last summer. I say “recently” because over the years I’ve also written and produced several albums, musicals, an opera, videos, and illustrated a children’s book. But, writing a book is the most impactful project I’ve undertaken and accomplished lately. Read more>>

Jér Weatherspoon

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was with Malkia Entertainment! The owner of Malkia Entertainment, Charita Holmes, focuses purposefully on community through music and studio resources. With some of my favorite artists like Durand Bernarr, Ari Lennox, Cameron J, and Luke James; Read more>>

Bridget Baker

We had the opportunity to work with several families that felt as if their story was misrepresented. One of which being Tracy Fortson’s story, from Olgethorpe county, Georgia. Tracy was the first female deputy in the OCSO, and ended up filing a sexual harassment claim against the office. One month later her boyfriend was found murdered and she was arrested. Tracy has maintained her innocence to this day, and has an army behind her. Read more>>

Tara Twal

My newest project titled Toothpaste is a short film I directed, produced, and wrote. The story follows Mateo, a young adult looking to escape the fears of adulthoods with traveling. During his trip around the states, he visits a famous painting that everyone around him seems to adore. Frustrated with his disconnect from it, he feels defeated and anxious to return home until creativity sparks him while he brushes his teeth… Read more>>

Rec Riddles

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on would have to be my album “Rec 4”. This album came at a time where I was really burnt out and exhausted from 8 years of continously grinding without any breaks. A lot of people don’t know the behind the scenes hustle of being an independent artist when you have to wear multiple hats as far as the business is concerned. I already wear multiple hats in the creative space such as producer, engineer and graphic designer but it gets really stressful when you are a complete team of one. Read more>>

Carleen Williams

My upcoming record, catalyst, is really meaningful to me personally. It has themes of social anxiety & imposter syndrome sprinkled throughout it. It also uses mythical & fantastical metaphors to address those themes which I think is really cool. So I hope that it’s meaningful to others as well! Read more>>

Reina Suyeon Mun

I had the opportunity to work on a significant project that holds great meaning for me. This project involved the creation of a series of interactive objects that blurred the boundaries between conventional design and art. Specifically, the series consisted of three distinct design-art objects: SilenceTop, Chaotic Timer, and Luminous Solace. Read more>>

Daniel Knudsen

Some of the most basic questions of life are fascinating to me. Why are we here and where are we going? Sometimes life feels like a movie that we arrived late for. We missed the first act and are thrust into a story with an unknown beginning and an unknown ending. That’s why the most basic questions of life are worth considering and are often explored through narrative media. Read more>>

Jessica Lin

In 2018, I created an multi-sensory immersive installation entitled “The Serenity Experience”. It was inspired by one of my 2D artworks (“Serenity”), which seemed to radiate calm, and which was the first piece I created after starting a daily meditation practice.. the more time I spent with the piece, the more I wondered what it would feel like to be inside a bubble of this feeling. I did a lot of research about what triggers the brain to feel happy and calm, and included as many of these elements as possible in the installation. Read more>>

Ryan Marthaller

My most recent meaningful project would have to be my debut single called “Grief” The song is about my dad who passed away on January 7th, 2021
– It has been a long journey to get to the release of my song, but it’s finally out on all platforms on June 2nd, 2023. The song is written and performed by me! It took me a long time to write the song because it was a very sensitive subject. Although it was extremely emotional, it was also very therapeutic! Read more>>

Shayla Hamady

As cheesy as it sounds, the most meaningful project I’ve ever worked/am working on is myself. When I started releasing music at 13 years old I wasn’t thinking about anything besides writing down what was on my mind. I had one of the worst times in school and writing was my way of escaping. I wasn’t thinking about numbers or profit I was just completely engulfed in the music. Read more>>

Business Cashmere

Every song that we’ve produced is incredibly special to us. The really exciting thing is that there are many more to come, with 3 more singles being scheduled for the summer of 2023. Each song expresses heartfelt experiences in our lives. As they come to life, they each also become an expression the camaraderie and friendship that we share as a band. Read more>>

Douglas Waterbury-Tieman

In the fall of 2021 we were invited to do a full production, the regional premiere of our musical JOHNNY & the DEVIL’S BOX at the Cumberland County Playhouse. At the time Annabelle, my wife, was just thirteen weeks pregnant. Flash forward 12 months to the fall of 2022 where we ecstatically walked through the doors for our first day of rehearsal… with a five and a half month old in toe. I had previously worked at the theatre fresh out of college in 2012 so to return to do my own work, with my whole family was truly serendipitous. Read more>>

Jaden Flores

Doing these large murals have been such a life changing experience. It not only gave me and my artwork a voice but it gave one to the community itself, the amount of positivity the local community has for the work I do is an incredible honor, and when go out and paint, I get the opportunity to take a neglected or rejected space and turn it into a landmark for the community with years to come. Read more>>

Jaden Flores

Doing these large murals have been such a life changing experience. It not only gave me and my artwork a voice but it gave one to the community itself, the amount of positivity the local community has for the work I do is an incredible honor, and when go out and paint, I get the opportunity to take a neglected or rejected space and turn it into a landmark for the community with years to come. Read more>>

Eduardo Del Signore

Feeling Peace; a process of discovery of such wonderful feeling, has been and still is the foundation from which I’m able to build my work along the way. I’ve realized that there’s a depth to the language of music and the arts in general that can be utilized as a vessel for communication. I see music as a sincere expressions of humanity, something that can help understand that there are other options in life. Read more>>

Kelly Schrader

I’m not sure if I have one project that’s been the most meaningful, but I do find a lot of fulfillment from public murals. You spend days, weeks, out in the elements creating something larger than yourself. The physicality of it, the problem-solving of having to paint outdoors and on a variety of surfaces, to be working so visibly in public – it is demanding, vulnerable, and extremely rewarding to make public art. All that sweat and then when you’re done, you leave your freshly painted baby to fend for itself, to become a part of a place. Read more>>

Ari Baeza

Right now, for me, my most meaningful project is a tie between Crawl Space’s upcoming album, and the organization of Fledge Fest. Both for the same reason too. I feel immense pride, satisfaction, and an emotional ease from the things I’ve done with Crawl Spaces alongside my bandmate, Jaxon. Our newest album is our best work yet, and reflects the story I want to tell with my art perfectly. In the same way, Fledge Fest brings me near-deadly amounts of joy. Read more>>

Natalie Madigan

Over the last few years I have dealt with various health issues including hypothyroidism with benign tumors that led to me having a total thyroidectomy. The issues with my thyroid resulted in mental health struggles including anxiety and depression. I suffered from these imbalances for years and the swinging pendulum between anxiety and depression has really informed my art. Read more>>

Dani Samson

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was a stop motion music video for “Love Song” by La Poré, which was released in April 2021. This project was incredibly personal, because I collaborated with my best friend and partner in life, my husband, Nick Samson aka La Poré. The song was inspired by our experience of living in partnership and facing challenges together. It felt incredibly natural for me to interpret the themes of the song through my creative practice, because in my own work, I often contemplate the dynamics of home life and our psychological or spiritual experience of it. This “marriage” of our respective practices felt so right. Read more>>

Sunshine Scott

My latest single “Her Black Guitar” means a lot to me for so many reasons. It is the second self-produced track I have released and was my very first attempt at the pop-punk genre. I started writing the song on my black bass guitar and made the decision to perform with the same bass live. I have always had a fear of failure that has stopped me from being confident in my abilities with instruments in particular. Read more>>

Katherine Rodgers

The most meaningful project I have ever worked and completed would have to be my very first completed piece! When I first started and decided to start You are Loved Crafts, the only thing I really wanted out of this small business was to make sure that every single person felt accepted, valued, seen, and loved. I wanted and still want, every person to know that their life is meaningful and worthy to be lived. No matter who or what they might be. Read more>>

Jade Aurora

“Motor City Witches” has been my most meaningful project to date, because of my need for more Black representation in the fantasy genre. I wanted to created a story for us, and to empower Black women and those in the LGBTQ community to embrace themselves and to embrace and own their power. Read more>>

Amanda Rowe

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a book for chronically ill people. My daughter has an aggressive disease, and we’ve spent an inordinate amount of time at the hospital and other outpatient appointments. It’s been stressful, exhausting, and expensive. My daughter has suffered intensely for years battling her health issues, yet she is a creative, loving, and positive person. Read more>>

Arturo Rico

I believe that the most recent Virtual tour is one of my most meaningful ones. It involves a tour of a plane crash that happened here in North Carolina. I captured this tour to show people all around the world the impact of this crash with a link to the full story and description that tells the story of what happened. I think it’s important to give free and accessible tours of landmarks. Essentially, to share the story that they may carry; I’m always wanting to share what I have access to around the world to the closest experience of actually being there. Read more>>

Timothy Michael Blewitt

Everyone wants their life to be meaningful. As Artists, our work can sometimes become our life. And throughout the course of our lives, all we really have in this world is Time, and our Integrity. I think you get to a point in your Artistic career where you have to choose the kind of work you want to create– Do you want to make work that is meaningful for others? Read more>>

Anastasia Sultzer

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on would be my ongoing pet portrait series. I used to own and operate a 501(c)3 animal rescue and would paint pet portraits for fundraisers. I did that for three years and got pretty fast. I’m currently taking a break from animal rescue to focus on tattooing and painting murals – but I’m still painting pet portraits! Read more>>

Ben DeHan

Free Friends has been the most meaningful creative project I have worked on, as it is an opportunity to create music and perform with my wife, Lauren DeHan. In fact, a large consideration in changing our band name from Ben DeHan to Free Friends was because Lauren became a permanent fixture of the band. For the longest time, we actively tried to keep music and relationship separate. We didn’t want being in a band to “jinx” our relationship. Read more>>

Austin Marsh

I am currently in the midst of a meaningful project. In the late winter months of 2023, I convened in a Northeast Indiana recording studio with my band, Austin & the Avenue, where we began recording and creating our third album. Since 2020, we have been a folk/rock band working on crafting an original sound. And being unsigned and completely independent from any major record label, it may come as no surprise that it’s a fairly difficult path. Read more>>

Marc Block

My most meaningful client, to date, came into my showroom searching for a Sub Zero refrigerator. Giving her a thorough interview, she revealed that she was not only interested in a Sub Zero refrigerator but was going to be remodeling her entire kitchen. She knew her exact wants and needs. The MOST Important element to incorporate was the color XXX. Read more>>

FELIX RAMOS

I’ve had 3 meaningful projects in my filmmaking career. My first was my first film STREETS OF SELF DEFEAT. I wrote, produced, photographed, directed and edited this short film in 2004 at the age of 26. I had just lost my father that year and I needed an outlet by which to grieve and express my relationship with my father. So I chose that subject matter to be my first entry in my filmography. Read more>>

Suzanne Jamieson

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is my Children’s Album, “Bounce.” I had a background in musical theatre and in yoga therapy, and I was passionate about both, but they seemed like very different paths for me, and often I felt like I needed to choose one or the other for a career. When I had my children, though, I realized that there was a lot that I had learned from my studies of yoga and the closely-related field of positive psychology, that I wanted to teach them, and I realized that I could do that in a fun way using music. Read more>>