Wanting to be an artist or creative is step one. Following through means investing in learning your craft, but we’ve heard from so many aspiring artists and creatives who feel unsure about where to start and so we’re incredibly grateful to the artists and creatives who’ve agreed to share their stories of how they learned their craft.

Kelly Zeller

While most people think of wedding invitations as “just paper”, there are truly thousands of variables to consider when bringing a stationery idea to fruition. Fortunately, there are plenty of awesome educators willing to share their expertise on a variety of education platforms. I have learned SO much from my peers and mentors, and am grateful the stationery community is so welcoming and helpful. I’m sure I could. have sped up my learning process by taking more intensive courses in the beginning, but I personally learn best by “doing”. There has been A LOT of trial and error over here, but those successes and failures have taught me more than any course could. I think being able to allow yourself time and space to try stuff out (and probably fail a few times) is the most essential skill to have as a stationer (aside from knowing how to tie a perfect bow). Read more>>

Boa Mistura

We come from graffiti, from learning empirically based on mistakes and experiences. From “do it yourself”. Today, it is exciting to see that, like other colleagues, we have managed to make a living from our hobby, and that today there is an ecosystem that allows many urban artists to make a living from their work, something unthinkable 20 years ago. Read more>>

Kai Brown

I’m a Chainstitch Embroidery artist, musician & designer from the Northern Beaches of Sydney & currently living in Venice, California. Apart from my art work, I have a passion for surfing & travel, both of which are strong sources for my inspiration to create. I originally moved to the US in 2008 to pursue my music career & about 10 years ago, I became fascinated with the art of Chainstitch Embroidery. I was drawn to the incredible stitching on band & motorcycle jackets & my research into Chainstitch Embroidery art, revealed that this very old art form – which can only be summarized by describing it as drawing on fabric with thread – can only be created by hand, on specific vintage machines. Read more>>

Jocelyn Russell

I learn best in a structured environment with hands on teaching and learning. It takes me a long time to internalize something fully, and I need to practice, practice, practice to understand something. I have a learning disability, and over the years, I have finally figured out how I learn. I am also an educator and taught at schools for students with learning disabilities, so I know how to teach students like myself. If I had known what I know now about my learning style, I would have been able to take advantage of all the support offered to me throughout my education. However, a lot of it has to do with maturity and time. I only feel like I got my act together as an artist in my late 30’s, even though I have a BFA and an MFA and have taught art since my early 20’s.  Read more>>

Suede Lacy

I started in church. I had not only a spiritual influence but also a professional influence in music and the arts. My pastor was my 2nd uncle and his brother (my grandfather) was the bass player for the church. The pastors son was the organ player (2nd cousin) and his other son is a Grammy Award winning musician (2nd cousin who plays bass guitar for Erykah Badu) Most of my family members on the Lacy side are musicians and are very creative. Read more>>

DJ Shido

DJing is a craft I personally feel as though that can be learned by most people, but only the people that really dedicate the time to learning this craft can succeed in. I started learning about DJing in 2015 and 7 years later I still find myself learning something new just about every gig I do. Read more>>

Justin Will

Practice, practice, practice. Most of the confidence I have in my work comes from a strong knowledge of materials and their application, so trying new tools and using them often has been a huge part of my learning process. For me, art school was far too expensive in the long run, but I do cherish the courses that focused on color theory, traditional typography, and life drawing. Having those things to lean on and build from, I can create with a bit more purpose and focus. Read more>>

Joshua McCarty

I grew up lost like a lot of people. Not knowing what my purpose was in life and going from job to job. In 2007, my life changed forever when I went to prison for a poor mistake. I served six and a half years across four different prisons in Georgia and when I was released in 2013, I realized how hard it was to get a decent job. No matter what I did, I could not find a job that paid enough to keep me afloat. So after a lot of thinking & praying, I decided to start a YouTube channel. I purchased an affordable Panasonic GH3 in hopes of creating a Youtube channel but something else happened. Someone saw me with a camera and asked if I was available to take a video of their birthday party. Read more>>

Julia Bottoms

It’s been a life-long journey to learn my craft. I’ve been pursuing it since I was a child and I’ve always looked for ways to improve. I college I specifically took advantage of independent study courses where I could tailor my learning experience to my specific goals. So for example instead of taking an intro course I could travel to Toronto for a workshop, or Atlanta for a conference. I think one of the greatest skills I’ve developed over the years, is the ability/ desire to always look for a learning experience in everything. I look for them in teaching, in nature, even in my mistakes. I try to remain curious and excited and to never forget the value of going to the library. Read more>>

Fusina Feraro

If we were to be asked what job we do or how we identify ourselves professionally, we could easily answer that we feel first of all researchers. The study component has always been an integral part not only of our work but of our lives. We were born as researchers and have poured this passion into our work. For us, it is unthinkable to start a project without first documenting ourselves thoroughly. Behind the reproduction of a single object, there is a whole world that needs to be revealed in order to give value to the object itself and give it dignity. Research allows us not only to know directly the processes and materials used in the past, but also the context, events, customs and people connected to the object being worked on.  Read more>>

TERRELL LOPEZ

When it comes to learning my craft I am proud to say that I am a self-taught photographer, as I started with nothing but my desire to learn and a passion for the art. I made the initial decision to purchase my first camera and from there I turned to YouTube as my source of education, as I learned how to use my camera and embrace the fundamentals of photography. This format of learning allowed me to grow at my own pace, as I enjoyed studying the complexity of my craft. While learning anything new can be challenging, the one thing that I set my success on is consistent practice. Practice is what allowed me to become a better photographer, as it gave me the opportunity to execute my learnings, discover my angles, explore locations, shoot in various conditions, create my style, edit with confidence, instruct others and most importantly find my voice. Read more>>

CHAPO

Learning the craft is so key and essential to the whole development process to becoming the best artist that you can possibly become. I myself study the greats and ones before me that I look up to or idolize in some sort. I also feel like In order to learn the craft you have to respect it. Once you learned the craft now things get easier for you when it comes to creating or making new music. Read more>>

Alexa Wilson

I’ve always wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. Because I’ve mostly been a self-taught artist and a creative person, I do wish that I continued to take formal drawing and art classes throughout my high school and college years so that I may have acquired more expansive skills and knowledge of artistic techniques. I believe forming an understanding of perspective, form, light, color, and proportion are incredibly helpful as a visual artist. Read more>>

Chris Mardiroussian

Certainly, the journey of learning the craft of poetry and fiction writing through Creative Writing Workshops and immersing myself in the works of literary giants like Charles Bukowski, John Fante, and Robert Guffey has been a transformative and enriching experience. These writers have left an indelible mark on my approach to poetry and storytelling. For me, participating in Creative Writing Workshops provided a structured and supportive environment to explore my writing voice. Read more>>

Ryan Tesluk

I learned the craft of being an artist through the BFA program at Dominican University Of California. I received tuition in various traditional and digital mediums amid the campus’s luscious gardens and panoramas of Mt. Tamalpais. While working hard and not giving up were the most essential skills I learned, I also discovered that luck plays the most significant role in one’s success. I was thus fortunate to have been taught by local Bay Area Artists such as Foad Satterfield and Robin McCloskey, who liked me and were most supportive of my endeavors. Read more>>

Katie Shapiro

My introduction and passion for using photography started in middle school at my high school in Los Angeles. I became consumed. I co–created a school photography magazine, spent my summers at photography programs, and my school lunch periods in the darkroom. I ended up going to CalArts for college to pursue photography. It was there I felt I finally belonged, that I was an artist. I learned about putting meaning and concepts into my work in deeper ways, and formed many meaningful connections with friends and faculty. Allan Sekula was one of my teachers I became close to and following graduation he asked me to be his studio assistant. Over the next seven years I spent priceless time with Allan, learning about the art world, getting to know his work closely, and about the world around us through his rigorous conceptual lens. Read more>>

SauceGod SINSÉ

“Learning the craft” sounds to me like “Falling in love with the grind”, so i’ll go off that. I’m a man that has worn many hats in the entertainment world & In my eyes, you have to fall in love with learning in order to master anything. Things were a bit challenging in the beginning as with every new venture; but something about the long hours at the computer, extensive youtube video tutorials, & 3-5 hours worth of sleep felt worth it No matter if it was dancing, visual work, youtube or music, i found what i loved about each form of art & used that as fuel to keep my passion burning for it. Read more>>

Jenna Fournier

I’ve learned from practice and experimentation. I’ve learned from mistakes and failures, and I’ve learned from observing and listening to others, rather than viewing other artists as competition which I think holds some people back. Personally, more discipline would have helped me when I was younger. I used to wait for the muses to visit, and now I work whether or not I’m feeling particularly inspired. Sometimes it yields amazing results, but not always. However, it sharpens my craftsmanship even if nothing meaningful comes from it. Read more>>

Andrew Esquer

A lot of what I do, what I’ve learned, has just been life experience—trying things out, and seeing what works and what doesn’t. I went to school for music education originally, then pivoted to a focus in composition. All of those studies complement each other really well, but there’s still only so far you can get. I originally started out recording music in GarageBand way back in 2006, and a couple years later, I was able to get started in Logic Pro. The great thing about technology these days is that there are so many opportunities to learn, to create, and to share your creations. Read more>>

Erik David Hidde

I learned how to write lyrics by practicing writing them to no music when I was just a kid. Then I started writing different lyrics to songs that already existed. I filled up roughly two dozen notebooks with lyrics and my friends used to read through them and sometimes borrow them. I learned how to produce music by starting with looping samples in college for an assignment and then moved on to recording my own vocals on my parents digital camera microphone over pre-recorded loops. I then spent the next 5 years practicing production on GarageBand on my friends computers because I was too poor to afford one myself. I have spent the last 10 years teaching myself how to record, produce, mix and master tracks on Logic Pro X in my living room. Read more>>

Jamie Koplin

I learned how to make art intuitively and from a lot of trial and error. I would pick up a medium and I would experiment. There were a lot, and I do mean a LOT, of “failures”. Every now and then I would see something good come out of it, but for the most part I learned to enjoy the process of putting the work in to get better. I started drawing when I was a child with crayons and #2 pencils and pens, and grew from there. I think that if we had the internet with Pinterest and YouTube, I would have learned much faster. Instead, I taught myself until art classes were available in high school and college, where I was able to get my hands on different mediums to try. The skills I found that were most essential to creating a good piece were learning to love the process and accept my failures as lessons or challenges, having patience with myself, as well as learning to look at things as they are instead of how my brain tried to trick me into how I thought they looked. Read more>>

Kelvin Yuen

I am currently working professionally as a composer and music designer. My expertise lies in scoring for films and games. My passion as a film composer is primarily rooted from my young exposure to the music scene and my fascination with cinema magic. I constantly push myself to take an unconventional music composition approach and create a unique style of music that moves people. I started learning cello and piano at 9. Classical music constituted a big part of my early age music influence as I played them in orchestras. Any kind of bombastic or lush pieces by composers like Mahler and Rachmaninoff were my favorite. Read more>>