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.

Karlton T. Clay

I have always loved to write. When I was kid, I used to write stories based on my friends and I pretending to be Power Rangers. After we had our “pretend fights,” I would go home and write about what took place. I have just always enjoyed seeing characters and stories in my head and putting them down on paper. It’s always an enjoyable experience to come up with different scenarios and storylines. At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with leukemia, and during that journey, God has given me the vision to begin my production company, Victory Productions. In 2003, I produced and directed my first theater production, “Speak To My Heart,” which was written by Angela Griffin. In 2004, I wrote my first play that I also wrote and produced entitled, “Leukemia & Me.” In 2006, I wrote, produced, and directed my first webseries, “College Daze,” which ran until 2011 with 5 seasons, 60 episodes. Read more>>

Valeria Diaz

Although I have always been an artistic person, it wasn’t until I was in my freshmen year of college that I decided to pursue Illustration as my career. I started taking art seriously in elementary school but I didn’t think about the possibility of turning it into my career until I kept changing my major and being unhappy no matter what I was studying. A friend whom I hadn’t seen in a while was pursuing art and encouraged me to do the same. I pondered about it for a long time, I would have to leave home and move to another state if I decided that this was the path I decided to take. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to go to art school so I had to transfer from my college and attend Savannah College of Art and Design. Read more>>

Aleksandra Jakubowska

The decision to pursue a career as a window treatment professional crystallized for me during a significant home renovation project over a decade ago. As I witnessed the profound impact that meticulously designed window treatments had on the overall ambiance of the space, I felt an undeniable connection to the world of design. This realization sparked a deep passion within me, compelling me to explore and immerse myself in the intricacies of window treatments. The more I delved into the field, the more certain I became that this was the path where my creativity and expertise could truly flourish. Read more>>

Nikki Buckley

About two years ago I saw a piece of plaster art and wanted to try and make one for our house. After making one – I was in love with it. I kept making pieces for no real reason and they were piling up in my house so I decided to start selling them. I originally went to school for interior design and I feel like artwork is bringing that part of me back into my life. Read more>>

Gina Herrera

Since my childhood, I’ve nutured a deep desire to embark on a career in the realm of art, although my journey to realizing this dream has been far from straightforward. My odyssey commenced at the tender age of 16, shortly after high school graduation, when I made the pivotal decision to pursue fashion design. I chose this avenue with the belief that it offered a means to engage in artistic expression while also providing a stable source of income. Launching a small fashion design venture, I persevered for four years, only to be disheartened by individuals who failed to honor their financial commitments. At the age of 22, I decided to take a detour and joined the military reserves, a choice that led me to serve during Operation Enduring Freedom. It was during this period of service that I began to reflect deeply on my true calling and contemplated a transition into the world of professional artistry. Read more>>

Wendee Yudis

As long as I can remember! My mother was an artist, so growing up my world was filled with culture and arts. I remember going to art school on Saturdays from a very young age all the way up until high school when I took classes at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. There was never a question in my mind that I wouldn’t pursue a creative path. Art is woven into the fabric of my being, it is an inseparable part of my identity and existence. It has shaped my perspective, and has always provided me with a profound sense of purpose and connection to the world. Read more>>

Dolly Ave

I suppose I always knew. Art consumed me as a child. However I don’t think one needs to necessarily “pursue” a career artistically. I just happened to choose to lead an artistic life. There is art even in the mundane. It can be in the way that you cook, soak in the world when traveling, or handling the plants. To me at least it’s simply a world of expression. Read more>>

Afsana Begum

Ever since I was a little girl I always had been drawn towards the creative path.. I would pick up my LG handphone and take a bunch of photos with it. Originally I was raised within the city of New York and whenever I would look at photographers taking photos professionally I was amazed by the sight and also curious. During that time I saved up my money to buy those digital cameras back in the day. Whenever I had the opportunity to take photos of other’s making their vision happen through creativity something about their excited expressions just made it all worth it. Read more>>

Ellen Surrey

I feel like I’ve always known. My father has been an animator for most of my life and growing up, he taught me a lot about drawing. At first I thought I wanted to be an animator just like him, until I took an animation class and realized it wasn’t for me. I really enjoyed the process of seeing something from sketch to final and with animation being a collaborative process, you aren’t able to work on every step. When I was in high school I discovered illustration and was immediately hooked. I then went on to major in Illustration at Art Center College of Design and have been working as an illustrator ever since. Read more>>

Arca Sánchez

I was about 15 years old when I decided to pursue music as a career. I was 16 when I got my first big break! I got to sing on a major FM station (107.1 Super Estrella) for a small contest called ‘5 Minutes of Fame.’ After winning the contest, I won the prize of being able to sing on live TV the very next day, early in the morning, on Univision in Los Angeles. Read more>>

Randy O’Brien

My professional path as an artist evolved over several years before I made the commitment to become a full time artist. Ceramics has a steep learning curve. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to allow me to sell my (at the time very rudimentary) work while I was developing my skills. I was a student majoring in geology at UC Santa Cruz in the mid 80’s. One of the colleges had a student run pottery co-op in a dorm basement. I had had limited pottery instruction before, but really not much more than the basics. This co-op had regular pottery sales once a quarter. Read more>>

Gabrielle Lasporte

I have always identified as a creative – created and all that but I really didn’t know I wanted to do this professionally until my late 20s. When I was in high school trying to figure out what to do for the next steps of my life – I remember talking to the guidance counsellor and looking for “work” that I could do. Going into the art field was never even a consideration for me at the time. I don’t think I understood what that could mean. My parents also didn’t know how to navigate the system per se. We had emigrated from France and as a family just manoeuvred life and learning to live in a new environment. Read more>>

Jean Nasser

There were so many moments where I knew. Whenever I try and think back to that “aha” moment, I always end up torn, because for as long as I can remember I’ve always had that burning urge to create stories and express myself through characters. The truth is – I found reality boring. My whole life, I’ve always looked for any way to submerge myself in art. Stories and characters have been the best way for me to escape. There are so many memories that go back to when I was 5-6 years old. I remember dressing up as Jack Sparrow while running around the park pretending to fight bad guys. Halloween would always be like Christmas to me just so I can play a different character. I took dressing up as Edward Cullen so seriously that I didn’t eat anything just to stay in character. Read more>>

Lana Lot

Although it is true that I have drawn all my life and even as a child I liked to participate in drawing competitions at school. I would be lying if I told you that I have always dreamed of being an illustrator. I have dreamt of as many professions as my memory can remember, hairdresser, veterinarian, lawyer, singer, dancer… I wanted to be everything my imagination allowed me to dream of, but it was not until I was studying for my degree (I am a fashion designer) that I realised I loved illustration. Read more>>

Malcolm Hudson

Entertaining people has been an honor for me. Our gifts in this field are unique because the talent is yours, but it’s meant to be shared. Since the first time as a child (I performed Achy Breaky Heart for 300 people at age 6)I found that you can make a memory last in someone’s life from providing entertainment, I was completely addicted. Performances aside, I also found that I enjoy helping others artists achieve this goal and share their gifts as well so I wanted to be the creative outlet they needed to share their talents as well. Read more>>

Madison Anglin

I initially knew I wanted to have an artistic career by the time I was in high school. I felt how liberating it was to create with other artists. However, it wasn’t until I heard my first composition, “The New Awakening” a string quartet I wrote, being performed live for the first time that I knew I wanted to build a career out of writing music. There wasn’t a greater feeling than hearing these notes I initially wrote on my music notation software suddenly becoming something more real. I couldn’t wait to expand my compositions into larger ensembles. Read more>>

Robert Diaz

Oh, I remember that moment like it was yesterday. I was up on that stage, singing one of my own songs, and something incredible happened. It was like this rush of pure life surged through me, in a way I’d never felt before. The music, the crowd’s energy, and pouring my emotions into the performance created this magical mix that just lit me up. And you know what? Seeing the crowd react, feeling the vibes they were giving back, it hit me hard. I thought, “Whoa, this is it. This is what I’m meant to do.” It wasn’t just about liking music or enjoying being on stage; it was like a whole new world opened up—a world where I could use my music to connect with people on a whole different level. Read more>>

Igor Oleaga

Since I was a young kid the use of writing as a form of expression came naturally to me. I used to even write rap songs for my friends and I inspired by famous urban artists which I considered my idols at the time, but it wasn’t until I grew up and became really conscious of my ability that I decided to pursue a music career as a singer song writer at the age of 22 in 2019. Surrounded by artist friends and having their genuine approval motivated me to turn my hobby into my profession. Read more>>

Tarious Hill

Well the first time I knew I wanted to pursue music professionally was when I was with my first band and I got a $100 payday! LOL!!!! I was thinking to myself this is so cool to get paid doing something I love doing! It actually felt empowering! The place I performed at was some bar near the University of Alabama campus. It was a cool experience. I was like $100 for just 3 hrs of playing! This is more than what I was making at my full time job in one day!! Read more>>

James McClung

I became interested in making art my focus soon after high school. My senior year art teacher Mrs. Young always encouraged me and made a big impact. So, I continued to paint consistently after graduation. After about a year I brought some of my pieces back to the school to show her what I had been working on. She expressed to me to pursue art with everything and to never give up. Over the years, having the opportunities to produce shows with local coffee shops then onto various galleries, I found myself immersed in the process. In a way that it was felt like it was never finished. Halfway through one project I would be brainstorming what would be next. I feel that when you find something in life that you cannot detach from you should continue to pursue it as long as you can. Read more>>

Yesenia Santiago

When I was 7 years old. I remember being in my mother’s room and I decided to draw an Eye. At that moment, I realized when I saw my finished work that I wanted to be an artist. Read more>>

Aurora Fox

I knew this was the life I had to pursue after the very first time I performed in a show. I was freshly 8 years old, at my small town theatre in Wasilla, Alaska. I had no lines, but was a singing bird. My mom later told me, as an adult, that I wasn’t very good. But being up there, apart of storytelling, was the best feeling in the world. I was floating for weeks afterwards. Read more>>

Becky Buller

Although creating music consumes me, I assumed something else, namely teaching, would be my “real” profession and I’d have my weekends and summers to play music Then I got to East Tennessee State University and had to face my intense fear of public speaking; the thought of sounding stupid in front of all the those kids and parents gave me extreme anxiety. A friend was pursuing public relations; I followed her lead. (That wouldn’t require much public speaking, right?) Honestly, my focus was on writing songs and playing fiddle; I was just bumbling along where the rest of my life was concerned. Read more>>

Amber Fant

What had started as a one-off project for my own need, turned into fun when I started making small bags for my friends. When I saw that I could make something that people wanted, and were willing to spend money on, that’s when my interest first peaked. But what kept me going in pursuit of it was how therapeutic working with my hands had become. I was in a personal time of deep depression after the passing of my Dad. When I saw that constructing bags, and working with fabrics alleviated some of the inner darkness I was facing, I wanted to keep pursuing it. My corporate job seemed to only add to the stress, anxiety and depression. Making bags was a relief for my brain, and when you are in a really dark place, you are desperate for any relief you can find. Read more>>

Clarence Pearsall

I knew I had found my niche as a professional magician a year after I began learning and practicing my skills. In 2015, I went to the Society of American Magicians’ “2015 Chicago Magic Competition” and afterward I made a vow to myself, that I would be a competitor in the next year’s Chicago Magic Competition. I rehearsed several days a week with my mentor until my routine was perfected. Then in 2016, I entered the “2016 Chicago Magic Competition” and did not win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, but I did win the “People’s Choice Award.” To be honest, I believe that the award is more prestigious because it is based on the audience votes and not my magical peers who were judging. Read more>>

Shelley Avellino

Well, I have always been creative since a child. I grew up playing musical instruments, singing, drawing and painting and knew I wanted to do one of those things “when I grew up”. It was going to be music originally, but I ended up going to Art College and getting a degree in 3D Design, Ceramics and Glass. I quickly found out that, it was VERY difficult to make a living, back then as a woman in this industry. So, I jumped into the corporate world to earn money and figure out what my next plan was. I was very lucky to be quite good at most things I put my hand to, so I worked myself up into the corporate world fairly quickly, becoming an IT Instructor among other things. Outside of the corporate world, I still played instruments, sung in bands and did musical theatre. Read more>>

Lisa Gizara

When I was only 4 years old, my dad bought me a huge box of Crayola crayons with that very cool sharpener in the back. I was so in awe of all of the colors! At 14 years old my parents paid for me to take a plein air painting class in the New England country side. And I knew that I had found my passion. I was also lucky enough to have had an amazing neighbor who taught me how to oil paint and mix colors- and I was blessed with a very loving and creative high school art teacher. Without all of these people, I would not have become an artist. Read more>>

Ruth Svelmoe

I’ve had many small moments that have led me to the path I’m on now. I remember asking for a journal for my 8th birthday because I wanted to start writing my autobiography. I love that I knew I had a story to tell even back then. I grew up in a very strict, fundamentalist evangelical community. It was the 80s, and my parents weren’t given many tools to deal with their own pain and so their trauma trickled down the way capitalism never did. Approximately zero of us were given the tools we needed to thrive and my little dramatic self saw all this and thought, “Ooooo, this would make a good Lifetime movie!” Read more>>

Dally Powell

I can actually remember the exact moment things clicked with me. I used to watch this old Ozzy VHS tape over and over when I was a little kid. There was that iconic picture of Ozzy holding Randy up while he was shredding and something about that image burned the love of music into my soul. Read more>>

LV Jay

I knew I wanted to pursed music after I got in a car accident in 2018. I was thinking what regrets in life would I have and music was one of them. After that experience I knew I wanted to go after my dreams and make music. Thats when I made my first song ever “Riding” feature my friend also an artist apart our label “JustBecause” Yung JD. Read more>>

Roshelle Carlson

As a child, I was allowed freedom to create with art materials, and have loved art ever since I could remember. I would constantly fill up sketchbooks with drawing after drawing. In school, I would take any opportunity to turn an assignment into an art project. This led into the desire to participate in various week-long art camps during two or three summers growing up, where I learned crafts such as lanyard making and embroidery. However, I never had a formal fine arts education until I took my first art class during senior year of high school, where I was properly taught how to translate a small image into a large drawing using the grid method. Read more>>

Livisha Renee

My creative journey started in high school and honestly it was never a first pick for me but more of something that I was leaded into and I followed the path. After high-school I found myself in all different forms of media like radio was my favorite for example. Next thing you know I looked up and got two degrees in film and here I am today pursing to be an actress and it has been a journey ! Read more>>

Veronica Rogers

I was not sure how I was going to move forward after the tragic loss of my oldest daughter. My world was derailed, and I did not want to live. Words can’t explain the immense pain I live with to this day. I found that I was not alone, so I decided to create my, “Life After Loss,” collection to promote healing and love. Read more>>

Tate Gifford

To be entirely honest, I can never seem to pinpoint an exact time or place when I sat down and told myself, “I’m going to be a professional performer,” as I have been around music all my life. If I were to pinpoint it, though, I would say it was right around the time when I was in middle school. During middle school, I had many more opportunities to spend a lot more time doing things that pertained to music (Guitar, Choir, Theater, other performances, etc.). It’s what started my path towards it as I started to dream-build and work on practicing my craft passionately. Read more>>

Andrea Thompson

I’ve enjoyed reading, hearing and writing poetry for as long as I can remember. I think I ‘became’ a poet as a child, when I realized that the art form was not only beautiful to experience as audience, but that writing and sharing poetry was also a powerful way to process emotions. Even though my path as a poet was clear to me at an early age, it took a long time for me to settle into it as a vocation. This seems to be pretty common for many creatives. We know at a young age what we want to be when we grown up, but shy away from it, reverting to a “more practical” plan B, because our more heart-felt plan A seems too unrealistic. Read more>>

Debbe Goldstein

I was a creative kid in a small town. I had some musical composition abilities and was winning awards in elementary school. When I started college as a music major I discovered I didn’t enjoy spending hours in a practice room. I took an art history course from a fabulous professor and I was hooked. I was able to see the world through a comprehensible filter. I discovered I was more visual than aural and I kept taking art history classes until I had a complete major. I knew that I excelled at being able to understand paintings etc and knew that I wanted to pursue a life in the arts. Read more>>