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.

Jose Hernandez

At 14 my mother brought me a classical guitar from Mexico and that was that. I feel in love with playing music and taught myself over the years. I really wished I was more involved with writing my own music from the very beginning. I started out in the Hardcore Punk scene as a vocalist and side man but it wasn’t until I was 27 that I really took to songwriting. I wholeheartedly believe learning the craft of songwriting is key and essential to fully expressing yourself as a music artist. Read more>>

Lynn Slaughter

I’m a late-in-life novelist, following a long career as a professional dancer and dance educator. When I got an idea for a young adult novel post-dance retirement, I honed my skills by joining a writer’s critique group, reading lots of novels, and countless craft books and articles. I joined SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) as well. Most importantly, I wrote! That first project became my first published novel and I then returned to school to earn my MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. I don’t think earning an MFA is necessary to become an author, but for me, it really helped me develop my craft as a writer and provided me with lots of encouragement and support and a lovely writing community! My one regret is not starting my MFA sooner. As far as skills, I think perseverance, resilience, and self-discipline are essential for any creative career such as dance and writing. Fascination with people and their struggles and issues is a handy quality to have, as well as a good sense of humor. I haven’t encountered obstacles to learning more. There is such an abundance of information for aspiring writers. Read more>>

Thurmina Adams

I learned the craft of Music, over the 41 years of living in many ways. It started as a little girl, my mom would sit my siblings and I in a circle on the floor and sing to us. As time passed on, I begin to sing in the choir at church with my grandmother. When I was in elementary school I was in the school choir and I was taught to sing out. When I reached the 6th grade I was in my middle school choir under the leadership of Mrs. Linda Knight Burkley and she gave us precise instructions in and on the art of music. As time went on she taught us how to sing properly with correct technique and how to be sure you’re mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually healthy. I gained the confidence and courage to sing more and more throughout middle school under her leadership. Read more>>

Allisen Hinojosa

I grew up with an ear for music and a family that fueled my passion by surrounding me with it. That passion turned into extra curriculars such as the San Antonio Children’s choir where i learned techniques at a young age and school choirs that I stuck with till the end of high school. I didn’t think I was going to continue singing in front of crowds as a young adult until I met Wyatt and he introduced me to the gigging world. I felt like a child thrown into a pool not knowing how to swim. I was coming from backtracks and choirs to live music with seasoned jazz musicians; it was exhilarating, but often frustrating as I only had a small tool kit that paled in comparison to the others. If i would’ve stuck with the piano lessons my parents had paid for in high school and actually learned theory, I think that I would have adapted better and wouldn’t have had to be looking over at Wyatt for queues in the early days. I wouldn’t have it any other way though, the more venues took chances with us and the more I played, the better I got. Persistence and drive to do better every week had the same level of importance as breathing techniques and tone. There will always be obstacles and ways I can do better, recently I’ve been getting waves of writer’s block, most of my obstacles are mental. Read more>>

Josef Anolin

I learned to do stand-up through trial and error. The first show I ever did was at a black box theater in SF, where everyone on the show was a participant in a 10-week comedy workshop. Our friends and family were our audience, and they all patted us on the back and said we were great. We all thought we were amazing. About 4 weeks later, some of us from that workshop did another show with an audience that did not know us and had no qualms about letting us know we sucked. Trying to reconcile those two experiences at the time basically put a chip on my shoulder, where I wanted to prove that I WAS funny. Long story short, it took a lot of grinding at open mics for me to start better understanding things like joke structure, how to take personal stories and experiences relatable to those who may not have those same experiences, and developing a strong confident stage presence. Read more>>

Ronni Lorden

I learned to produce from self knowledge and help from my peers like my older brother my friend who has been a musician since 2008 I’ve recently picked up the ability to play the piano I’ve been working on it day in and day out . Knowing what i know now i would have just listened about the theory of music and applied my self knowledge obstacles such as stubbornness and unwilling to listen at first had to mess up to figure it out that’s my self process Read more>>

Dusta Rhymes

My journey in podcasting has been an incredible mix of trial and error, curiosity, and a passion for storytelling. Initially, I learned by diving into the world of podcasts—listening to a range of shows across various genres, which gave me insights into different styles, interview techniques, and production choices. Knowing what I know now, I realize that seeking mentorship earlier could have significantly sped up my learning process. Connecting with established podcasters for guidance, tips, and feedback would have helped me avoid some common pitfalls and refine my craft much faster. Read more>>

Mulang Zhu

As a musician who grew up playing multiple instruments, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study music composition for visual media at the Peabody Institute and NYU. Those classes were invaluable in helping me build a solid and well-rounded musical foundation. However, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the incredible collaborations I have been a part of and the talented friends and colleagues who constantly inspire me. Read more>>

Laura Smith

I had a very low-pressure job with very little to do. So, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to sharpen my writing skills and build some experience so that I could find more meaningful work, particularly in the writing field. I signed up for a few paid internships which taught me how to use WordPress, SEO and keyword research, and, essentially, how to write modern blog posts. I think that the technical skills that I learned in these internships were invaluable. They showed me a lot of free resources that I still use today, such as sites that analyze your blog post titles to make sure they’re SEO friendly and sites that will compress your photos so that your page loads faster. Read more>>

 

Houston Sloan

I feel like traction began once I started going out to shows a few nights a week and introduced myself to as many artists, photographers, venue owners, etc…as I could. I really did not know anyone in the Austin music scene other than our bassist at the time, Lainey and our keyboard player, Michael Schatz. So I had to really immerse myself as much as I could in who is actively playing and it brought me many good times. From there, it became about maintaining and building upon relationships with everyone. There are all these heavy fuzz bands in Austin and to me it just makes sense to really support and show up to their shows and build up the community. This is my first regular playing band that I have been apart of so I cannot say much more because I am still learning how to maneuver in the field. Active use of Instagram has made me a lot of connections and there is a lot to learn about self promotion and using our money as efficiently as possible. Read more>>

Mike O’Hara

I’m a self-taught photographer who started out with my parents’ film camera, capturing everyday moments. In high school, I took a photography class that taught me the basics, and later, I built on that foundation through college studies focused on film and television production. Over the years, while working in film and TV, I’ve continued to grow my photography skills, refining my craft in landscape photography through online courses, books, and plenty of hands-on experience. Read more>>

Chantal Trent

I started making music when I was in fifth grade. I took a couple piano lessons decided that the instrument wasn’t for me, and transitioned to guitar. I had been writing poetry for a while and had a feeling that I could turn it into music if I just knew how to play an instrument. It turned out I was right and as soon as I knew some basic cords on guitar, I was off and running, writing as many songs as I possibly could. I wouldn’t have attempted to have sped up my learning process in any way. I think the slower and the more in-depth you go with honing your skills, as far as songwriting, the better the song comes out. For me, I think my most essential skill to my craft is lyricism/poetry. Without those two things, my songs wouldn’t be nearly as special. Being able to learn how to capture my feelings in an artistic form was crucial to creating my art. As far as obstacles standing in the way of my learning, I’d say the only thing is really time. The more I learn on guitar, and even self teaching on piano, the more I am able to write. It’s just the question of do I have the time to put in learning these extra things when I already have the basics down? Read more>>

Ernest Mitchell

We are all born improvisers. But honed the craft at Palm Beach State College with the campus improv troupe Cheese & Crackers under the tutelage of Theater Professor David Hyland. Mentored by him and his #2 guy Renowned Improviser Tom O’Donnell who gained his improv chops with University of Florida’s Strike Force. I made an impression with my two mentors and they allowed me to grow with them. Knowing what I know now, as I look back down the hallway of my improv history, I would have spent at least two more mango seasons with my mentors instead of poking my chest like I had it all figured out. Read more>>