Earning that first dollar is incredibly special and a moment many never forget. We asked some very talented creatives from the community to tell us the story of the first dollar they earned from their creative works.

Evelyn Schmitt

After I retired from teaching, I explored several creative avenues: knitting, watercolor, oils, and acrylics. I never could draw anything to save my soul but I could splash colors on canvas like crazy. I did a large canvas painting of a volcano/ mountain Japanese style. I had it sitting in the stairwell going up to the garage and I was planning to reuse the canvas for another try. My husband’s brother and his partner saw it and ask about it and I told them I was going to paint over over. When they got back home they emailed e and said they wanted the painting for their house. I jokingly said you have to pay $1.00 for it. They still have the painting hanging in their home and they have moved 3 times since they acquired it bye have some incredible art pieces in their home so it makes me feel like a real artist. They got a deal!!! Read more>>

Jennie Santos

When I was 14 years old, I had already been taking drawing and painting classes.
I started sitting at the balcony at home to paint because the oils are toxic. The thing is that the parking lot was right next and everyone that lived at that building saw me paint.
A cool lady from another building said to me when I was half done: “that’s mine”, and kept walking. Read more>>

Breonna Gibson

When people ask me how I got my start in acting, I always smile—because my first gig was a little unconventional, and honestly, it couldn’t have been more fitting for where I was in life at the time. I had just become a new mom and was starting to finally pursue my creative passions. I was scrolling through a casting platform Backstage, determined to book my first acting job to begin building a foundation for my career. That’s when I came across a casting call asking for a “real person,” not necessarily a trained actor. And that phrase stuck with me. I thought, Well, I am a real person, and I submitted. Read more>>