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.

Kevin Nunes

Throughout my life, a passion for cameras has been a constant. In early 2017, I delved into the realm of filmmaking, initially utilizing my iPhone and later acquiring an Osmo Mobile 1. My journey led me to immerse myself in the wealth of knowledge available on YouTube and through online filmmaking courses. Over the years, I devoted countless hours to absorbing content, meticulously jotting down notes on videography basics like composition, sequences, and shots. Expanding my expertise, I explored music and sound design to evoke emotions and enhance human moments in my work. The first workshop I attended focused on mastering the principles of lighting, a pivotal element in filmmaking. A year later, I invested in my first camera, deepening my understanding of its functionalities and honing my ability to bring creative visions to life. Practice played a crucial role – I filmed everything from nature scenes to family events. Today, my learning journey persists as I continually strive to expand my knowledge, sharing the essence of humanity and connections through storytelling. Keeping abreast of industry trends remains essential for ongoing growth. Read more>>

Arienne Zimmerman

Much of my creative process has to do with materials: collecting, scavenging, and finding ways to use them in my artwork. My journey as an artist has always involved a lot of variety. Drawing, sculpture, installation art, photography, printmaking, and graphic design just to name a few of my areas of interest. One of my ongoing projects has been burning artwork onto animal skulls. As a collector of many things, animal bones have always been of interest to me. Just before my acceptance into graduate school to begin my MFA in 2017, I began experimenting with using woodburning tools to burn art onto bones and skulls. This process is called pyrography. While this project was not an area of focus during my graduate studies, I continued to work on it on the side. After completing my first burned skull, I was approached about doing a commission by a local business owner. Following this project, several more people expressed interest in commissioning skulls, then several more, and I’ve continued my small art business ever since. Read more>>

Adrián Duran-Salcedo

Man-Everything I have learnt so far during my creative endeavours has been a beautiful struggle. I have not mastered anything, I am still learning in how to move through it all. My first experience in learning how we must work on our craft in order to get better was when I released a rap EP written and produced by me in my freshman year of high school. The amount of shit (hope I can swear) I received from people was insane. I had never received harsh criticism like that and thinking back to it….they were right! It was not good whatsoever, it was complete trash. But I’m glad I went through that moment. That specific time frame was a pivotal moment for me, I took all that negativity and shaped it. I would spend countless hours re-working my music production, listening to music and seeing how rappers would tell their stories through rhyme schemes, then seeing how I could improve my lyricism. My friends and I would do this for hours, they all believed I could do right if practiced all the basics. Then from music I found my love for filmmaking, I had a teacher in high school, Phillip Habeck, that showed me his perspective on Pink Floyd’s- The Wall. We would sit down and discuss forever about the album, films and anything we had an opinion on. His passion for finding deeper meaning in anything made me want to become a filmmaker. All of this to say, learning your craft can be lonely and frustrating to the point you listen to bullies in grade 9, and almost gave up on dreams. But lucky for me, I had friends who helped me believe in myself and to trust the process, you guys know who you are, and great teacher that did not give up on me like many had in the past. Read more>>

Rothstein Beatz

Learning is the key to success Read more>>

Karen Bailey

I attended a Photography School in Philadelphia, after retiring from my 46 year career in banking, with the same company. My plan after retirement has always been to make photography my second career. Being a young adult in the seventies, I was lucky enough to have a job upon graduation, so college was an option I was willing to forgo. Photography always remained a hobby. Discovering my photography niche was one of my most essential skills along with some technical aspects. Abstract Photography is my passion! Read more>>

Hope Smashey

No matter what your creative area of interest is, it is always important to first learn the craft. As a writer, I love reading books on the writing craft. There is so much to learn! Back in 2017, I graduated with my BA in English, a concentration in Creative and Professional Writing, and a minor in History. Learning and practicing the writing craft did not end there. Over the years, I have read a variety of books on the writing process. Last year, I became acquainted with James Scott Bell’s work. If there is one thing I recommend for aspiring writers, it is to read James Scott Bell’s books on the writing craft. Also, The Creative Penn podcast by Joanna Penn is another excellent resource for individuals interested in the writing industry. If finances allow, search for writing classes taught by people in the industry. I did this last year. I took an Introduction to Screenwriting class with William Rabkin, and it was the best class I have ever participated in. So always be on the lookout for learning opportunities. If you want to excel in your field of interest, you want to prepare yourself by mastering the techniques and skills needed to succeed. Read more>>

Rita Ginsberg

While I am primarily a self-taught artist, delving into many art mediums as a young artist, pencil, and charcoal portraits were the cornerstone of my art journey. Through practice, I learned the essential skills of blending and shading values well. I strived for realism in my portraiture style and began to receive commission requests. However, a new career diverted me from this pursuit. I moved on to a career as a Graphic Designer in the printing industry for 25 years. It allowed me to grow my creativity in design and composition. I continued to engage in my artistic pursuits of realism and studied the art of airbrush. Read more>>

Sohrab Forouzesh

Stand up is an interesting craft to master, because you have to put yourself on stage to grow. Writing is important, but if you’re not comfortable on stage you’ll struggle. I talk to people all the time who want to start out in comedy, and they will spend time on every aspect of it, but avoid the stage due to nerves. The nerves never go away, you just learn to manage them. And the best way to manage them is with stage time. Find a local open mic and do it consistently until you’ve grown the confidence needed to progress. Read more>>

 Aspen Scharff

Discovering my passion for interior design kicked off at Saddleback Community College with an elective course that opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in this creative field. My teacher’s inspiration ignited my ambition, revealing the professional opportunities within interior design. Read more>>

Andrew Zimba

I’d say that I’m a self-taught novelist.

Knowing the general structure of storytelling is fundamental. There are rules for a reason, so if you are breaking the rules know how to break them such that you get an even better result. Reading is important to understand different styles and find what approaches to storytelling you prefer. Take these learnings as an initial guide in developing your own style. Read more>>

 Jena DreamFyre

I took my very first Pole Dance class in 2012 while looking for an alternative way to work out. I never expected pole dance to take over my life like it did. Since then, I have dedicated the majority of my time to learn the art of pole dance and other aerial arts like the Lyra. In 2016 I started my 5 year journey of competing and learned so much more about my craft. The biggest lesson I learned through this competitive journey with pole dance, was to be myself and let it show on stage. The more I dove into my authentic being, the more I won and had fun doing it. In 2019 I traveled to NYC to perform and complete at the Symphony Space theater for one of the biggest pole dance competitions in the world. This was the third time I had tried this competition and never placed… never took home my official “pro status”. I remember doubting myself behind stage during the award ceremony, thinking I had failed again. They were calling everyone’s names but mine it felt like. I thought to myself, “I must be very last on the scorecards”. Turns out, they were calling names in a different order so when they called my name on stage I was so shocked and happy, I did not even realize I had won 3rd place in my division and my official Pro Status finally. I still have the video of me looking like a big smiling goof ball on stage. I was so distracted with the excitement of placing that I forgot to go to the front of the stage to get my medal. oops! After they put the medal around my neck, I was interviewed by the New York Times on my dance journey and what it was like achieving these goals as a mother of 2. Something I am super proud of. It’s been over a decade of learning, teaching, and sharing my love for pole, aerial, and dance with others. I hope to never stop learning! Read more>>

Pierre Booth

When I first started my band Dry Ice, I could not even play a barre chord. Guitar players know this to be a basic, foundational skill and in such a hierarchical industry my aspirations might have been considered laughable. However, high-school Pierre did not consider their abilities to be a barrier to entry in making music. Growing up forever immersed in arts (dancing, painting, drawing, piano, guitar and writing), I had a need to create and perform. Whether I knew it or not, the most important thing to me was always making art for art’s sake. This continues to be a notion that I return to, otherwise I lose myself in comparing myself to others and forgetting why I make art in the first place. I returned to guitar lessons after taking an 8 year break after I had already started my band. Read more>>

Benjamin Weaver

Learning to paint can come in unexpected forms, and often what might seem like an obstacle turns out helping to learn the craft in meaningful ways. My education comes from learning valuable skills during my employment in the fine art field, and applying them in my independent work until I was able to transition into full time painting. Part of my success in this process was fully engaging in the work at hand not knowing how it might apply to my artwork. Read more>>

Hoami Tran

The shared passion for capturing special moments and preserving memories has been a consistent thread in my family, passed down from my grandpa to my dad, and now embraced by me. This collective love naturally ignited my fondness for photography. Read more>>

Money Beezoe

Learning the craft has been a very interesting process. Learning how to count bars and craft good songs is a real important part. Also learning how to be a certain pocket on the beat is another important aspect. Studying the greats of hip hop is something that artists should do more of. This help you learn the history can give inspiration and guidance. Every artist no matter what genre should perfect their craft and become better. Read more>>

Diana The Great

I have always been very creative at heart, and sought to express that creativity in a variety of ways. Creativity melding with cosplay was what really solidified the initiative to learn as much as I was able. Most of it is trial and error; looking up a project or a method on youtube to see what worked for others, and then applying that to my own respective choices. I can work with foam, fabric and sewing, wig making and modifications, fabric dying, molding, thermoplastics, and very light electrical. Knowing what I do now, I could have tried to practice more before committing to the final build, and make mock ups so that I can modify a practice run before ruining my good fabric or wasting my good foam. To speed up the learning process, I definitely could have reached out more. I often keep to myself and hate to trouble anyone, but I have learned that at this stage of being a cosplayer, even if you’re the one doing the educating, there is always more to be learned. The skills that were the most essential were learning how to read sewing patterns properly, taking my time and not rushing through something, and to practice. As for obstacles that stand in the way of learning more, perhaps time not being on my side would be a good example. I still have to work full time and provide for my family. Though cosplay is gratifying, it doesn’t pay the bills yet. Read more>>

Paula Crichton

I have known I am an artist since I was a child. At a young age I would spend my time drawing and writing elaborate scenarios and characters. I always seemed to gravitate towards artistic expression over other interests. Read more>>

Courtney Crawford

I always knew I loved fashion design, I grew up watching Project Runway and sketching out designs. I decided I wanted to learn to sew so I took a sewing class to learn to sew a skirt. I decide I loved it and wanted to make a school project out of it that my aunt helped me sew. Then so on I went to college for fashion design and learned all the sewing essentials, after school I got into tailoring and found a local apparel designer to work for where I helped make one of a kind reworked clothing designs. Which leads me to today where I now create and design up cycled clothing for my own business which I love doing. Read more>>

Eli The Man Maness

Throughout my life and career I have learned skills and techniques from a variety of sources. Some skills I have acquired through classes, school, or structured learning such as various printmaking techniques, but I would say I have learned equally as much if not more from gigs and jobs that I have jumped into with little or no prior experience like art restoration, gallery curation, and mural making. I have been fortunate to work for some amazing and very talented people that have recommended me to others. For me, it really has been a one thing leads to another process. Throughout the past several years I have expanded my network and grown my skill set greatly. As far as my artistic style goes, I have been developing it and pushing its evolution for many years. Some years harder than others! I would certainly say that the more I do the better I get. Read more>>

Dashawn Russell

How I learned was basically by sight I literally was just at home sitting doing nothing and being bored because you know back then I got kicked out of her school and I just went on YouTube and discover this one person by the name of Tatiana Ward. A.k.a. beat face honey, and the restless history. I was learning different make up techniques. I was learning different types of ways to get hired at Mac and everything she taught me is what I put down and footwork and honestly I could’ve done speed up the process nothing because sometimes the process takes time for you to really really hone in on your skill set, and it gives you time to really practice to be better at what you do skills that were more essential to me was basically my knowledge I needed to have the knowledge to just keep all the skills and check in you know perfected because naturally, I am a perfectionist, but at the same time sometimes it’s OK to mess up because if you don’t mess up, you don’t so that was like one of the skills, the skills of knowledge in the obstacle that my way from learning more is basically myself because I have went through the obstacle of depression, the obstacle of anxiety, you know the obstacle of physical endurance, because I started doing make up as a person that was overweight and not really taking my health in my life serious so I had to do a lot of soul-searching in order for me to keep going so that was basically the biggest obstacle was me Read more>>

Bryanna Licciardi

Since I can remember, I’ve been a writer. As a kid, I had a “book series” about two flower friends Rosie and Daisy who helped raise a baby bud. I felt like I was always at the top of my class in any English subject so teachers pretty much left me alone to do my own thing. It wasn’t until an “Intro to Creative Writing” class I took my sophomore year of college where I was told for the first time I wasn’t all that. My professor encouraged us to apply for a writing scholarship, so I sent him a huge stack of my poems and stories and met with him to discuss my application. I will never forget that I sat down to my writing in two piles on his desk — one large and one with just a few pieces of paper. He pushed the small pile at me as said, “These are okay…” The large stack, he recommended tossing the in trash. To say I felt shocked would be an understatement. I’m a pretty sensitive person, but for some reason, I accepted his rejection as a challenge, declared a Creative Writing minor, and took as many classes with him as I could. He taught me many great things about craft–how to read, how to mimic the greats and expand my repertoire, how to interact with strong criticisms about your work. Not only did I eventually receive that Creative Writing scholarship, but I went on to win awards and earn that professor’s letter of recommendation to a master’s program. I tell this story not to say this professor’s criticism made me a writer, but rather to say this experience of rejection at something I thought I was so good at taught me how important it is as a writer, as an artist of any craft, to be wary of complacency. Never assume you know it all and don’t be afraid to lean into learning new things about your craft. You have nothing to lose but potential. Read more>>

Tyler Winick

I started producing music at 16 and became obsessed. I then went to college at 19 and now hold a BAS in sound engineering. I then got a job on The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus as an engineer and producer for 6 years. After that, I was a freelance videographer for years because the music industry wasn’t what I thought it was. I then became a bit lost and started my journey of personal work. Read more>>

Peter DiMuro

I have a Master’s degree- an MFA in choreography that I pursued immediately after undergrad, after having a total of 4 years dance training. On leaving the program and trying to pursue a career, I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know until I was faced with my own naivete – and on especially hard-on-myself-days, my ignorance. Read more>>

A.J. Castro

To begin with, when you embark on any endeavor, it’s crucial to approach it with dedication and commitment. In the entertainment industry particularly, passion is essential because there are numerous challenges that can deter you. Think of it as the driving force behind your efforts. Without genuine enthusiasm for your craft, burnout can set in faster than you might anticipate. Read more>>

Tyson Green

I’ve learnt overtime that Google search is a gift when looking for information. With my screenwriting journey i googled free screenwriting courses and found a great in-depth course, that taught me the foundation of screenplay writing. I then built on that by watching various YouTube video from professional writers and read numerous screenwriting books and also listened to podcasts that gave professional industry insights and top tips on the craft. I used the same process for my journey as an author, but also joined Facebook pages for authors that were open forums for great questions and answers. Read more>>

Jeffrey Lipton

My first real exposure to ceramics was in college. I had always had an interest in the arts but didn’t quite know where I fit into that world. Once I began working with clay I knew that I had found a medium that resonated with me. It was just as much the tactile connection as it was the opportunity to make a a connection with other people through my work that attracted me to clay. After those early college days I went on to spend a year at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, ME where I lived and worked surrounded by other artists. Shortly thereafter, I entered into a 3 year pottery apprenticeship in Worthington, MA. That opportunity, more than any other, had a profound effect on my work as an artist. Both in understanding the relevance and importance of making pottery in today’s world, and also in affording me the opportunity to make pottery full time for 3 years. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything else in the world. Read more>>

Pedro Rodriguez

I learned how to engineer like most people start. YouTube. I also had a friend who already was engineering for about 20 years who taught me a bunch. The sound I wanted in my head and what I heard from major artists, YouTube alone couldn’t teach me so I went and attempted at full sail didn’t like it, decided with Berklee online music schooling. 5 certifications/degrees later I’m where I want to be. I could have did it faster if I would have skipped the bad habits YouTube teaches you. Most essential skill I believe is the ear of hearing exactly what you are doing and make sure it’s properly. The longest and hardest part I believe is that. The proper space and equipment is what held me back I believe. I invested so much now to have the space I needed to do what I do. Read more>>

Wyatt Nestor-Pasicznyk

So I started out in college as a painting and illustration major. I ended up transferring schools to Tyler School of Art and that’s when I began taking more diverse classes within their curriculum and it led me to taking a Jewelry 1 class. I was months away from graduating from the program as a painting major but I needed a credit in another studio class to graduate. I ended up taking that Jewelry 1 class, loving it and finally feeling a sense of direction in what I wanted to be making and knew I needed to switch majors. I then spent 3 years completing my BFA in Metals, Jewelry CAD CAM and with the guidance from all of my professors and grad students, became very dedicated to making this into my career. During my time in this undergrad program, two of my instructors exposed me to the world of Craft Schools. During my senior thesis year I began looking into programs at Craft Schools, unsure of where it would lead me but interested in finding out. With graduation on the horizon I applied to an assistantship program straight out of college along with a few metals focused jobs. Unfortunately I was having a lot of medical issues that year and had to have a very intense surgery which left me with unexpected complications surrounding my mobility. I was not in a great place after that and after finding out I didn’t receive the assistantship. Though looking back now it was for the best and I’m glad everything went the way it did. That summer and fall I focused on working for a production company in Philly, making enameled pins and badges, while taking time to go to physical therapy 3 times a week to get my mobility back on track. It was a difficult time but this led me to apply to a fall residency at Peters Valley School of Craft. I received the residency and quit working for the production company. This was the beginning of where my life drastically started to change for the better. I was only at Peters Valley for 2 weeks in the fall of 2021, but this time gave me a chance to make my work, find out what I wanted my work outside of college without guidance from a program would look like. Read more>>

Alishia Lee

I have to give credit to my mother, Annette for always giving me the freedom to explore my creativity. When I was in elementary school, I would alter my clothing by cutting off the sleeves and adding pieces of curtain or lace from other items on by hand. I was upcycling before I knew what that event ment! As an adult I tinkered around with upcycling and finally bought my first machine in 2016, with the help of Youtube I taught myself the basics of garment creation. Had I actually had a plan for business when I started making clothes, I would have enrolled in online classes to avoid the costly mistakes of not having a clue of what to do with fashion designing. I would have studied color story, pattern making from people who knew the craft, instead of fumbling through it myself. The saying “You don’t know what you don’t know” rings in my mind because I only knew what I wanted to make, not always the how. A few barriers in that regard would be access to education. Black and brown people often have to just figure it out, unless we have someone show us or let us know of a better way. I will say that learning to decode garment creation on my own for sure helped me unlock some creative powers though, I have learned how to deconstruct and reconstruct a garment without some of the traditional ways. Read more>>

Mona Bulis

I fell into what I do because, honestly, it seemed like the only path available, because it’s the only natural way of thinking for me. It took me a while to realize that those odd pieces of me started making sense when I embraced the fact that I didn’t really have a choice in this matter. I relate now more than ever to my childhood self, which had funky questions and funny ideas. I think I speak for everyone that living like that through puberty isn’t easy cause it’s a very unconventional way to think. I definitely went to the wrong schools, where students wouldn’t appreciate quirks and teachers wouldn’t support the outsiders. I kinda lost my approach to creating art, even though I always loved art class, I couldn’t dive into it in my free time. Afterwards I tried to study something that wasn’t in my nature and I felt completely lost, so reinventing myself as an artist just felt freeing and made me improve my personality. Needless to say: I am so proud to have found my way back into the field. Now it’s easy for me to figure out weird ideas, change concepts to make them appear more approachable and just have fun with an input that is set to work with. Basically what helped me do what I do now, was learning different tools to visualize my ideas and through the daily usage of my skills. I think the biggest obstacle in my journey was myself. I barely ever believed in myself and always took other people’s opinions more important and let myself be manipulated by them. I always thought my work needed to be perfect but that’s such a detaining mindset. I sometimes meet people who tell me they can’t draw or are bad at visualizing. I really hate that, just enjoy the craft and have fun, don’t overthink and do. It’s supposed to be fun. Just let the mind flow, forget about everything and dive into work. Read more>>

Erlens Royer

My journey has been a blend of passion, entrepreneurship, and a deep love for music. In 2019, I became one of the owners of Zen Studios which provided me with valuable insights and experience in the music industry. That taught me a great deal and fueled my desire to dive even deeper into the creative process. Read more>>

Brendon Pearson

I learned by doing – I just jumped right in feet-first and followed a few tutorials, made a few terrible demos, then figured out what was wrong with them and tried new ideas that were slightly better. After I had a general idea of the workflow and timeline of creating a song from scratch, I started carefully (and then MUCH less carefully) investing in tools that helped me get closer to the sound I wanted. Right around that time, I started getting more involved with producer communities on Discord, Twitch, Instagram, and so on…that was a huuuuuuuuge step forward in my learning process. Having tons of people to work with, debate, bounce ideas off of…it’s a true game-changer. Read more>>

Frank Cettina

I was mostly self-taught with some styles of editing and tricks being taught to me throughout the years by other editors. I expanded my abilities in the same way I learned the basics; trial and error with a bit of help from others who knew more than me. When you work on projects with others, you get to witness what they know and compare editing tricks. I did this in order to better myself at editing, along with color grading and VFX. I found that constantly challenging myself was the best way to add to my repertoire. If one wants to learn all about editing and post-productions, there is no need to take a class or pay for a course. There are so many free resources for learning editing that formal classes seem obsolete. I had a lot of difficulty learning how to edit just because of the sheer amount of software, styles, effects, and tricks there are to be learned. It can be hard to start climbing when you’re looking at a mountain that never seems to stop rising. I suggest taking your time and breaking things down. I started by learning a new skill every week. I found that the skill most essential to me was pacing. It was probably one of the hardest skills to learn. It is one of those things where you know it when you see it but can’t describe it otherwise. There is no other way to get better at this skill other than constant practice and analysis. I usually ask fellow filmmakers to watch my rough cuts in order to get their opinions on the pacing of my cuts. Everyone will see things differently and what makes you an editor is your eyes and the way you cut something. Read more>>

Makayla Shrader

I first learned silicone and resin arts / props in the winter of 2020, without many funds or proper gateways into this industry I immediately took to online classes, YouTube, and the harsh lessons of trial and error. After many mistakes and messes, I began to better understand how these chemicals worked together as well as how to create these full pieces that portrayed the beauty of horror and death. During the early months of learning, most obstacles included finances. The chemicals I use are costly, especially for the artist who is guessing the measurements and is 80% self taught! The waste of chemicals far outweighed the amount of final product worth showing the world. However, without these barriers, I would not be nearly as well versed in the industry as I am today. Having the opportunity to learn my skills through trial and error has been the leading tool in my prop art education, this tool gave me the chance to test my creativity and find out what works for me as an artist. I am eternally grateful to my bosses for always supporting me and proud of how I got to where I am today. I would not change it for anything. Read more>>

Jarius Sanford

Writing for me started when I was in middle school. In my language arts classes, most of our assignments were writing. Every opportunity I was given to write a creative story I was excited because I loved being able to freely utilize my imagination. I knew then that my calling and passion was to become a writer. While falling in love with writing, I self-published my first book in 2014 and I wrote and directed my first theatrical production in 2015 at my home Church Warner Robins CME Church. Read more>>

Al’nas Ibn Quran ‘Ronny Rebel’

Simple! I was BORN for this!

I wouldn’t change a single thing, EVERY moment I experienced was necessary for what’s to come in the future

Discipline the rest will follow as such.

ME, MYSELF & I, its always been Me vs. ME & it’ll remain that way till I cease to exist. Read more>>

Ahmad Damani DeChalus

Acting, to me, is simply a culmination of life experiences, stretching your creativity and repetition. It is a craft in which I think there are no “masters” because each performance is subjective. Since my youth I had an insatiable need to sharpen and heighten my knowledge of the arts, so I attended drama school. I feel that acting is a process that you cannot inherently rush or you face the risk of seeming unnatural and untruthful to audiences, which is the exact opposite of what I hope to achieve. Empathy is something crucial that I believe all artists must carry with them, even if only an inkling of it. To try to understand the weight of another humans plight is the essence of acting. The only obstacle that ever stood in the way of my journey is myself. Read more>>

Ahmad Damani DeChalus

Acting, to me, is simply a culmination of life experiences, stretching your creativity and repetition. It is a craft in which I think there are no “masters” because each performance is subjective. Since my youth I had an insatiable need to sharpen and heighten my knowledge of the arts, so I attended drama school. I feel that acting is a process that you cannot inherently rush or you face the risk of seeming unnatural and untruthful to audiences, which is the exact opposite of what I hope to achieve. Empathy is something crucial that I believe all artists must carry with them, even if only an inkling of it. To try to understand the weight of another humans plight is the essence of acting. The only obstacle that ever stood in the way of my journey is myself. Read more>>

Nat Stephens

I learned what I do by taking a step at a time. Managing stage fright was the first thing I realized I would need to do to pursue singing full-time. I started busking in Santa Monica, both the pier and promenade. I started off being absolutely fine that people passed me by, not paying attention to desiring an audience. After about a year and a half I realized I was ready for a staged show. I moved onto acquiring my stage legs first as a back up singer then moved on to hosting my own time slot. Just me and my guitar. Even though now stage fright still wants to take over, the experiences I’ve had developing that muscle really helps me to be able to be in the moment & perform. Now I have a residency every Wednesday night at Five on the Hill at the Hilton Universal and it’s second nature. I think if I would have been able to invest into guitar and vocal lessons early on, that perhaps it would have assisted the learning process more for sure. Also me being in a car accident second year of being in LA definitely was an obstacle to overcome. To push through the pain to carry my equipment to shows etc. That pain was hanging around for 5 years. Thank God everything is smooth now. Read more>>

Timothy Simon

I have learned to do sing classically over years of training and experience. If I could go back and give myself advice from when I was a new singer, I would tell myself to focus on finding my own voice. All too often did I both voluntarily and involuntarily try to mimic another singers’ sound. I think a very important skill in classical singing is being open to messing up. Failing and learning from those failures is crucial in the development of young singers. I would say that the obstacle that stood in the way of learning more was the financial aspect. It is difficult (but not impossible) to try to grow and get experience while burdened by secondary jobs and other extenuating circumstances. Read more>>

Philip Bosco

In my journey into the world of craft beer, I became obsessed with the diverse flavors offered by beer makers. As a videographer with a desire to use my camera more, I found inspiration in exploring cooking techniques, influenced by Elan Hall, Top Chef and Knife Fight host and the YouTube show “Binging with Babish.” Despite lacking prior cooking skills, I embarked on the venture of Paired Pints, using weekends to experiment with food and beer pairings while honing my culinary abilities. Initially reliant on gadgets, I eventually realized the power of basic tools like a knife in the kitchen. Read more>>

Sam Watson

I graduated college with a Communications degree with a focus on Journalism. I didn’t go to film school or something. I took a couple TV production classes, some editing classes, and I wrote some sketches for these classes, but nothing that focused on screenwriting itself. So a few years after school, when I decided to truly focus on screenwriting, I became self taught. I listened to podcasts, researched online, did a ton of reading of actual scripts. This was how I learned to format and started to learn about structure. I also wrote a ton of bad scripts along the way. And honestly it wasn’t until I had found a group of people to share my work with and get notes that I finally actually started to grow as a writer. This was the most important thing to my development. I think it’s so, so valuable to find trusted peers to give you feedback on your work. Read more>>

Gabi Mcmillan

Learning how to do makeup the way I like took alottttt of practice….and a lot of YouTube videos. I’m still learning different techniques and ways to improve my skill everyday. I always loved putting on makeup but I never got serious about it until I was about 18. I loved watched videos and tutorials of girls doing their glam and all the “do my makeup with me” videos and decided that’s what I wanna do one day. It took me forever to really be comfortable enough with my skill to wear it out in public and not feel silly or insecure about it. Consistency is so important and unfortunately I’m not always consistent with my makeup or videos. I stopped doing my makeup videos and posting on my makeup page for a long time because I felt like I wasn’t as good as all these other real makeup artists I follow and see on social media with thousands of followers and it makes me back away from posting my looks. What I’m still learning now though is there isn’t a “right” way to do makeup, you do whatever makes you happy and whatever makes YOU feel beautiful and confident no matter what anyone else says about it. Read more>>

Annabelle Fandozzi

A big part of how I learned to work in post production audio was through school. I went to SCAD Atlanta as a Film and Television Major with a minor in sound editing. Another part of learning how to work in Protools and train my ear for sound was a combination of on set and post production audio work. I got into sound originally by finding older students who were making films and needed sound mixers on set. After taking sound 101, I knew how to use a sound device 633 and used that skill to meet people and get on sets to learn more. I did the same with boom oping and learned so much about the front end of audio that helped me in my post career. One skill that I wasn’t expecting to be a big part of post sound but has really helped me in my career is personality. You may think that post sound is being locked in a room diving into a session all day, but keeping clients happy and the energy up in a session during review or ADR is just as important. I think my personality has really helped in me in my career with being sociable and nice to work with. Another big part of learning post production sound was doing as much of it as I could in and outside of class. I would always take on extra projects and learned so much with each project I worked on, getting better and better along the way. Read more>>

Bobby Spencer

When I was younger and I was in my band back in Washington, DC, I played the drums and did backup vocals. I knew the drums like the back of my hand, and I was able to play any style that was asked of me. Whether it was for that band, which was a hybrid of 80’s synth pop and modern alternative music, or even playing for larger churches in the area, I never really doubted my learned skill. This was from many lessons and years before these opportunities, and more patience even so. Read more>>

Dizzle JA

In any endeavors you have to put work in it , it takes time to master any craft, It’s the same thing with music, I myself had to go through the learning process and the steps of not only recording music but putting it out for the world to enjoy . Read more>>

 Brooklyn the Kid

I have spent my 10,000 hours making music, whether it’s sitting next to a producer making beats, rehearsing for a show, or writing for sync camps — Ive spent the time needed on my craft. I was lucky enough to have a producer at a young age, we learned together, how to write, song structure, and exploring different genres. My greatest strength is writing and being able to write for other artist. My second strength is performing. Read more>>

Brooklyn the Kid

I have spent my 10,000 hours making music, whether it’s sitting next to a producer making beats, rehearsing for a show, or writing for sync camps — Ive spent the time needed on my craft. I was lucky enough to have a producer at a young age, we learned together, how to write, song structure, and exploring different genres. My greatest strength is writing and being able to write for other artist. My second strength is performing. Read more>>

Amey Zeigler

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. When I was younger, I went to teen writer camps and wrote stories–you know the kind, where you start and have a great idea and get a few pages in and have no idea where it’s going and so you stall out. I wrote thousands of those. I decided I needed to learn the craft. I took a short story writing class in college and no joke got a C. My professor probably never thought I’d be the one to make a career out of writing. I sent him one of my books to read after it was published. It wasn’t until I had my second child and I told my husband I really wanted to write, so he told me to sit down and write a scene and send it to him. So I did. He said, “It’s good. Keep going.” So I did. Although he was sweet to encouragement, I knew I lacked skill. As he was still in school, we didn’t have a lot of money to travel to or even attend conferences. So I checked books out from the library. One of the books mentioned something that encouraged me. In essence the author said, “Hard work trumps talent.” Or in other words, writing is a skill that can be learned. So I checked out more books, read more fiction, had friends give me feedback, wrote some more. Practice, dedication, patience, feedback, hard work, persistence are all required skills to gain competency. Some of my favorite books early on talked about how to execute a scene. Another taught how to add suspense to all your writing even romance. But my favorite books on writing that took me to the next level was Story Genius by Lisa Cron and Save the Cat Writes and Novel by Jessica Brody. I also like the Emotional Craft of Fiction. I will go back to those three when I’m stuck. When I finally had money, I was able to go to conferences. I got professional feedback (that was better than just my friends giving critiques–no offense to my friends). Also, I was able to take classes and get more professional training at the conferences. So being able to attend conferences certainly sped up my process. It was just after my first conference that I found my publisher. Now I teach at conferences and I’ve come full circle Read more>>

Central Arizona Flute Ensemble CAFE Flutes

As the Central Arizona Flute Ensemble (CAFE Flutes) joyfully anticipates our 10th anniversary in 2024, we want to share a reflective journey, tracing our evolution from spring 2014 to the present. We’ve learned the craft of not only playing high-quality flute choir music but how to share it with our community. This interview delves into the historical tapestry of CAFE Flutes, celebrating the visionaries and milestones that have contributed to our enduring success. Read more>>