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.
Buddy Crime
I’m completely self taught. My stubbornness in musical lesson settings lead me to resort to watching movies like School Of Rock and Freaky Friday that had actors playing instruments for me to emulate. As far as the computer music stuff goes I’m self taught as well. I’ve always loved computers and when I saw a friend typing out a whole song in their lap I was immediately determined to add that method to my tool belt. Read more>>
Brittany Frompovich
I’ve had a long and ongoing journey shaped by both traditional music education and self-driven development from life experiences, the help of mentors, and just being curious. “Formal” instruction includes private lessons and getting my degree at music school. Getting the degree provided that intense, focused period of time to be in a culture of people with the same interests…to be immersed in music. There’s also the topic of the business of music and being a creative personality managing a business…coming up with marketing and business ideas, branding, social media, networking, accounting, doing spreadsheets, applying for grants, budgeting, and the like. You take years practicing and learning your craft as a musician…but then you have to learn the whole business side to put food on the table and keep the lights on. I had to develop these skills (and I still work at this) as my mindset shifted to understand that being a musician is essentially being an entrepreneur. Read more>>
Victoria Wolf
I learned nearly everything I know how to do in life by teaching myself, from graphic design to cooking and everything in between. When I decided I wanted to give art a go, I knew I would be teaching myself. I also suspected it would be one of the hardest things I ever attempted to learn. And boy, was I correct! I created 50 paintings during the first eight months, and during that time, I was learning acrylic painting, as well as learning about myself. I was shocked that nearly as soon as I started painting, many of my old emotional wounds came roaring to the surface and nearly derailed me. Then, I started writing my memoir and centered it around my “learning how to paint” journey. The combination of painting and then writing about the painting process turned out to be some of the best therapy I’ve had in my life. Read more>>
Maddy Barnes
I’ve always been drawn to the arts, starting with competitive dance in my early years, which led to a broader exploration of artistic experiences like acting for film, theatre, and photography. After a brief pause during high school and university, I rediscovered my creative side in 2018 when I started working at a local art studio. There, I taught classes and workshops across different mediums, which rekindled my passion for art and introduced me to ceramics. My practice developed naturally, deeply influenced by my educational background in eco-sustainability and my natural surroundings within Mississauga, where my interactions with nature became my muse. Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? While I didn’t take the formal school route, I imagine doing so could have provided more intentional learning and resources early on. However, at the time, I was more focused on enjoying the creative process rather than pursuing it academically. Looking back, my unconventional path allows me to form and reform my voice as an artist, which I am incredibly grateful for. Read more>>
Lizet Upia
I learned to do what I do simply by doing it. As a child, I was involved in theater, dance, and singing at my church and school, which continued into my early teens. Much of my learning came through observation—watching people, films, and playing different roles. especially playing make believe with my sisters we did that a ton. I didn’t approach it as a formal process, but more as a form of self-expression. Play was a huge part of it—trying new things, taking risks, being curious. It wasn’t something I consciously thought of as ‘learning’; I was just being, letting my instincts guide me and allowing joy to lead the way. Looking back, I realize that everything unfolded perfectly for me. I couldn’t have rushed the process—it happened exactly as it needed to, shaping who I am today and where I’m headed. If there’s one skill I consider essential, it’s intuition. It’s been my greatest asset, not just in acting but in any creative endeavor or even daily life. Intuition helps me connect deeply with characters, make authentic choices, and respond naturally to other actors, whether on stage or on screen. Read more>>
Kendra Bandy
Like most, my interest in art started in elementary school. Especially in those early, single-digit years, I looked forward to my art classes above my other extra-curricular rotation days. Those 35 minute classes were the highlight of my week. Over the years, as my technical ability grew, I made sacrifices to take more art classes in high school, then eventually declared an art minor in college. I was acutely aware that I wanted art to be a part of my life, but didn’t know where it quite fit in. Fast forward to many years post-college, and I can say with certainty that I learned what I know with disciplined time on paper and the support of dedicated, uplifting teachers. I can’t say there are particular ways I could have sped up my learning process, because my artistic development took years of trying new mediums, new experiences, new style and color. But I will say that the biggest obstacle that stood in the way of learning more was distraction. It took me far too long to realize that my painting, calligraphy, and design should have had a front row seat. Read more>>
Tomás Orrego
It may sound silly but I learned how to make films by using Snapchat and Instagram. Just recording ridiculous videos for my own entertainment taught me a lot about production, editing and overall creative approach to filmmaking. It was years later that I realized that this was just an extension of daydreaming, which I do a lot, specially when I was younger and nowadays when I listen to music. I don’t think I would have changed or speeded up my learning process since all the things I went through and the way I did them were crucial to where I am right now. I studied architecture in my undergrad and found it creatively unfulfilling (when function rules everything there is no space to dream). However, architecture really taught me organizational skills and a methodical approach to creation and problem solving which are very much ingrained in my own process. Read more>>
David Serchuk
I have worked in related creative fields in my life. Though I am a high school teacher for my day job I also am a musician and storyteller. And prior to becoming a teacher I was a journalist and writer for over 20 years. I will focus on the writing part of it, because that is where I spent the most time. To that end, there is no substitute for getting a job as a writer, no matter how low-paid or unglamorous it may be. I started out writing freelance articles for anyone who would let me, and got my first job as an editor at 24. I am sure I wasn’t all that great at it, but having that kind of heavy responsibility at such a young age was an enormous gift, and I gave it all I had. I made many mistakes, but I also was full of fire about it, and worked as hard as I could to write and edit great stories. Read more>>
Lori Luxury
The art of styling is about more than just clothing—it’s a delicate balance of creativity, personal expression, and an intuitive understanding of how to bring out the best in someone’s unique identity, and not to sound boastful but the art of styling is simply in me and I don’t believe it’s something that can be taught you either got it or you don’t. 98 percent of the time I can look at a piece and immediately see a vision of how I want to style it as well as who I know would execute the look. Sure you can learn to sew and cut up a few garments but having that keen eye is something only a select few were blessed with and I happen to be one of them. Styling people is not easy you really have to learn who the person is they’re likes, dislikes, body shape, trends , thinking out the box, building relationships with designers etc. My eye for detail sharpens with every client I style, as each new experience deepens my ability to fine-tune the nuances that make every individual’s look truly distinct. Knowing what I know now I wish I would’ve invested sooner into a mentor to learn more about the business behind it. Read more>>
Ja’korian Brookins
I have been on this earth for almost 14 years and never thought I would be making a professional career out of DJing. My papa, David, used to DJ at house parties all the time. I would help set up, but I never thought I would be taking over his legacy. I remember when he asked me to press this button, play this song, or hook this wire to this port. He then told me to “look at the crowd, look at their smiles, and check out their vibes. He said that’s what DJing is all about. Making people feel good and enjoy themselves. I observed everything he did and I slowly but surely started to learn how to DJ. If I had gone with him to all of his gigs, it would have sped up the learning process. Patience is the most essential skill. You need to be organized and paying attention to details is a very important skill as well. The obstacles that stood in the way were me and self-doubt. Once, I changed my mindset and way of thinking, I knew that nothing could ever stop me from achieving my goal Read more>>
Sarah Burke
Though I have been singing ever since I could talk, it wasn’t until a few years ago I could even confidently identify as a “singer.” What is now my most treasured attribute and what I consider to be my gift or my calling, used to be something I didn’t know if I could ever be great at. I remember always loving to sing, there was something in me that couldn’t stop even if I tried, but I was much more theatrical in my performances. Growing up with a primarily musical theatre background, I was used to the dancing and acting, but I would always say I could “act my way through a song,” implying that I couldn’t sing it as well as a “real singer” could but I could still sell it. Throughout college at University of Washington, I explored vocal training and joined a completive a cappella group that taught me a lot about the technical side of singing. I was definitely a fine singer, but something still hadn’t quite clicked. It wasn’t until I dove into a more personal, spiritual journey, that I was able to access the parts of my voice I had been missing. I began to explore what MY true voice really sounded like, when I was not mimicking the tone of somebody else, when I was not playing a character. It took allowing free expression of the voice, even if what came out wasn’t pretty. I see this as freeing your voice from its box or its cage, allowing it to be wild, and more importantly, allowing it to be vulnerable. Through this allowance is how I was able to meet and feel the voice of my soul, my true voice. It sort of felt like finding a new friend. A new friend that I could now work and grow with, and while I definitely still have my inspirations and artists I look up to, it was a sound that was uniquely mine. Read more>>
Tiantian Lou
I learned a lot through hands-on projects, figuring things out as I went. This practical approach helped me adapt quickly. Working with textile, wood, ceramics, and metal taught me that they all share an underlying spirit, whether in understanding their limits or finding creative ways to work with them. This helped me learn faster and think more broadly about problem-solving. Read more>>
John Di Domenico
I worked through my speech impediment by doing impressions, which became my way of overcoming the challenge and building confidence. I was inspired by TV comedians of the late 60s and early 70s, whose performances captivated me and motivated me to mimic their voices and mannerisms. That passion became the foundation of my career, and I dedicated myself to perfecting character impressions. Through years of training, practice, and live performances, I developed the skills necessary to bring these characters to life in a way that resonates with audiences. To speed up my learning, I would have sought out mentorship from established professionals earlier on. Learning directly from those who had already mastered the craft would have allowed me to refine my skills more efficiently. Embracing digital platforms sooner could also have expanded my reach and provided immediate feedback, helping me develop my material faster. Read more>>
Blaine Ruth
I would say that my path to becoming a music producer began when I was playing in a band as a high schooler. When it came time to figure how to make a record for that group, I think I quickly found out that I was more into crafting songs and shaping the sonics of a recording than my pervious focus, which was just wanting to be a really good guitar player. At first, I was mainly learning from my peers and watching any video I could find of a producer I liked on youtube. Beyond that point, I just became super obsessed with how a great record is crafted; listening to a ton of music super intently to try and understand the mechanics of popular music and what makes it just that. Another thing to point out would be just accepting you have to make bad shit, and then overtime you make less and less bad shit, and eventually learn what works for you. Read more>>
Jasmine Celestine
I learned how to pierce through an apprenticeship in 2015 at the company that I currently manage, Bone Deep Tattoos and Piercings. Due to a variety of reasons, my apprenticeship was very rushed and I didn’t receive much mentorship. I tried my best to ask questions to those who I knew in my industry who I thought had the answers, but I spent a lot of my first year piercing winging it. Working as the only piercer in the studio made it very difficult to make improvements and learn anything new without outside help. Once I realized that the advice I was given was falling short, I started entering piercing forums online and talking to some of the best piercers all over the world. I very quickly realized that my technique, jewelry, and sterilization were nowhere near the industry standard. I slowly but surely started to overhaul my shop. It took years to make advancements in the studio because the best sterilization and jewelry are not cheap. Read more>>
Courtney Buel
Learning graphic and web design has been a journey filled with time, practice, and a genuine love for the craft. My introduction to design started during my graduate program in Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University in 2020. In our small cohort of 12, we ran a 2-month remote environmental education program, and I was responsible for creating marketing graphics in Canva and building our website on WordPress. That experience sparked something in me—I fell in love with the design process and knew I wanted to dive deeper into this field. From there, I took some introductory courses in Illustrator and Photoshop at my local community college. Those classes were a lot of fun because they felt low-pressure, and we had plenty of time to explore the briefs. But even after that, I still didn’t feel fully equipped to jump into the industry. Read more>>
Virginia Roberts
I started as a digital photographer and soon realized that all of my favorite photographers shot on film. Without knowing anyone personally that could teach me the specifics of film photography, I watched countless youtube videos, read articles from film labs and just started taking photos on my first film camera. Nothing was great at the beginning…my image scans would come back from the lab blurry or the exposure was way off. But I decided just to fail faster and take more images while writing down my settings for each image in a journal. Later, I reviewed my notes after receiving my next set of scans. I also joined any photo outing offered from my local film lab to have the opportunity to ask questions. As far as film photography goes, the most essential skills are patience and perseverance. When you receive those scans that are perfectly exposed and your subject is sharp…it is so worth it. Film is gorgeous! Read more>>
Chris Offutt
I learned through practicing and trying new things. When I moved to the Bay Area, I had a friend who was willing to spend the time with me. I learned on vinyl and quickly realized that I would need to learn on the other mediums as I wasn’t willing to carry on the crates required to play at clubs. Really being able to take direction from my friend was critical as well as not feeling like I was being watched every moment I was practicing. Those 2 things heightened my learning experience and made it a fun one! Read more>>
Kelly B
During the pandemic, I taught myself to DJ as a way to cope with working during COVID as an RN. Learning to DJ came naturally as I always loved listening to music and discovering new artists. Music was always very healing to me. Knowing what I know now, I would have loved to start doing B2B (Or back to backs) much earlier as a DJ. Going B2B has made me grow so much as a DJ because of how unpredictable it can be. In my opinion, the most essential skills is recovery. Sometimes transitions don’t go as planned so it’s important to know how to recover, be calm, and never give up. Be kind to yourself! In the beginning, my biggest obstacle as a DJ was myself not taking risks. I was always afraid to mess up that I prevented myself from playing at shows. My excuse was always, “I’m not ready yet.” Now I know that mistakes are part of the beautiful journey, and it makes us human. Read more>>
Mark E. Menzie
My journey in the fashion industry started with a deep passion for design and creativity, which I nurtured by attending Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). My academic background gave me the technical knowledge I needed to understand fabrics, silhouettes, and construction. However, most of my learning came through hands-on experience. Working as a freelance stylist for luxury retail brands, I was able to immerse myself in real-world projects that involved everything from styling to digital sales and visual merchandising. Over the past decade, I learned by being adaptable and open to challenges. Networking and collaborating with industry professionals also taught me a lot about the business side of fashion. It’s an ongoing process of learning and evolving with trends, technologies, and the changing retail landscape. Read more>>
Jaime Mrozek
My journey into the creative world, specifically graphic design began with a blend of formal education and self-directed exploration. I started with a degree in Graphic Design, where I gained a foundational understanding of design principles, color theory, and typography. However, much of my learning came from experimenting with various softwares, watching online tutorials, and recreating and finding inspiration through different design communities. This hands-on practice was invaluable in honing my skills and finding my own unique style. Reflecting on my learning process, I realize that I could have accelerated my growth by seeking more structured mentorship and networking with industry professionals earlier on. Joining design forums and attending workshops would have provided me with critical feedback and exposure to diverse perspectives. The most essential skills I developed included a strong sense of aesthetics, proficiency in design software, and effective communication, which are crucial for translating concepts into visual representations. Obstacles such as self-doubt and the overwhelming amount of information available online occasionally hindered my progress. Overcoming these challenges required persistence and a willingness to embrace failure as part of the learning journey. Read more>>
Danny Dickerson
“My passion for storytelling has always driven me to engage with narratives in a meaningful way. Initially, I struggled with the discipline required to be a writer, but I realized that setting aside dedicated time for writing was essential. The hectic nature of everyday life often made it challenging to find the mental space I needed, so I started waking up early to write in solitude. To keep myself motivated and organized, I established simple daily goals, such as writing three paragraphs in one sitting. This practice not only helped me develop consistency but also allowed the story to unfold in my mind more clearly. By focusing on these manageable goals, I gained a better perspective on my work, which ultimately led to more satisfying outcomes in my storytelling. Read more>>
Asharia Calderon
As a beauty creator, I am self-taught. My primary method of learning was from my mom and YouTube. As soon as I saw Manny MUA and Jaclyn Hill taking over YouTube, I was front row with everyone else and learned most of my basics from them. In high school, I started doing my makeup bolder. As a girl in high school during the 2015-2016 makeup era, I stood by eyebrow blindness and contour. I always felt creative freedom with makeup. That love for makeup/beauty creation has stood with me for almost 10 years. I decided within these last few years to share that part of me publicly. So far people seem to like it too! To speed up my learning process in being a beauty/lifestyle creative, I think the most effective method is by simply doing. I stand by falling forward vs no attempt at growing in this space. I learned that lesson recently when I committed to an entire month of makeup looks. I did not make it past day 17(?) of Pride Makeup Looks. Now I know that month long series take a lot of work… but I will attempt a month-long series again at some point. Maybe with more of a schedule lol, Read more>>
Owen Hollander
The best education for a filmmaker is failing. It seems intuitive, but it’s very true. The moment I began learning from my failures was the only time I was able to evolve. I gained the most knowledge from all of the small shoots where everything went wrong, which greatly prepared me to not make those same mistakes again on our independently produced shorts with budgets of a few thousand dollars. I also try to watch a minimum of 365 movies a year because it is truly the best education you can get as a storyteller. I try to consume everything from Howard Hawks to Michael Bay, Hitchcock to Jordan Peele, Billy Wilder to Emma Seligman. It is all beneficial to learning what styles and genres interest me as a filmmaker and what I can be inspired by to continuously grow my own directorial style. Read more>>
Sarah Joy Street
I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Communications from Kennesaw State University, where my formal education provided a strong foundation in design principles, the art of pitching ideas, and the critical role of sketching. During my time in college, I gained valuable hands-on experience through various graphic design roles. I worked at a local print shop, where I developed a solid understanding of print production, customer communication, and project management. Additionally, I sought mentorship through AIGA, which played a pivotal role in shaping my personal brand. My internship as a corporate in-house designer further honed my skills in maintaining brand identity and ensuring consistency across marketing materials. After graduation, I made the decision to step away from my design career for a few years, allowing myself the opportunity to travel and grow personally. This period of self-discovery ultimately led me back to my passion for design, and I decided to start my own design business. Although my journey back into design was nontraditional, I embraced self-learning through platforms like YouTube, online courses, and books to refine my skills. Read more>>