Often there is no book or course to learn how to do what you want to do – so how artists and creatives overcome such challenges? How have some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community managed to learn their craft?

Debashis Bhattacharyya

I am a food blogger and the primary skill you need for that is to be able to cook delicious finger licking dishes that your followers would love to recreate. But being a food blogger in the real world is much more than that, cooking is one thing but how you present it is another, Read more>>

Eugene “400” Jackson

I believe that I was born with the talent to create music.  I can seamlessly create music in any genre for as long as I can remember.  The business of music is what I had to actually learn.  I did that by dedicating the vast majority of my time on a consistent basis to knowing how the music business works. Read more>>

Scott Piehler

I learned the craft of announcing to old-fashioned way: I was a radio announcer. I was fortunate to have a radio station at my high school. These days, anyone who wants to announce/podcast has tools that are far more powerful at their fingertips than I ever had in any studio. These tools didn’t exist when I was learning. If they did, I would have picked up on editing skills a lot faster. When I broke in, I was literally cutting tape with a razor blade. Read more>>

Larry Wish

I’ve learned to do what I do through continued trying and keeping the idea of ‘play’ a dear part of my life – sometimes making mistakes and, honestly more often, finding success as a result. To be a performer I think it’s so essential to keep the sense of play within yourself, to take chances, and to be okay with kind of “just seeing what will happen”. Read more>>

Molly Manella

I believe the best way to learn, no matter the occupation, is to take initiative and jump right in. I taught myself how to DJ and I am now teaching myself how to produce music. I played by ear through trial and error until it all clicked. Eventually, my transitions were smooth and I learned to mix in different tracks. Read more>>

Mike Valeras

I learned by listening. By that I don’t mean I learned everything I know about music and my craft by ear. Certainly it is important to listen to music and players you admire in an attempt to learn from them. However I listened intently to the great teachers I had regarding their advice on my development. I listen intently to every colleague of mine that I perform with to make sure I am complimenting the performance to the best of my abilities. I listen to my heart daily in order to check in and make sure I’m on the path that’s most important to me creatively. Read more>>

Sarah Holloway Smith

I was lucky enough to be able to go to Art College, to follow my passion and learn my craft. My Nana was very creative, a piano teacher and an artist, I have very early memories of the smell of oil paints and turpentine that graduated into a sketching obsession. But it was Art College that really pointed me in the direction of trying as many creative processes as I could in a short time. Read more>>

Jamar Silvers

Personally, when it comes to learning the craft of photography, it’s an exciting journey. I’m no pro yet, but that’s the fun part that I can keep learning throughout the years and my experience with a digital camera. In my life, I have never felt so passionate about using a digital camera or even learning how to use one. Read more>>

Hayley Gregory

I got my original cosmetology license in Marion, North Carolina at McDowell Technical Community College. I was working full time as a corporate fundraiser for a children’s health and science museum, and knew I needed a change, something totally different than the museum or the job I had before that, working in radio. Read more>>

Eva Swanson

The first glimmer of music creativity started when songs rose in prayer during a hard time. The organic need to cry out and seek help led me to find melodies that helped me receive comfort and have hope. I was also in a choir throughout graduate school, and my choir director did a workshop to help us identify and get on track to pursue our dreams. My dream job was a music producer, but to my surprise, Read more>>

Kellie Burkhalter

I’m (Kellie) a singer, writer, and guitarist for my band, That Pokey, and everything I do in the band was self-taught, the same as the other two members, Tyler and Chase. When I was a kid, I would write poems and little stories and keep them all stored away in a notebook that I didn’t want anyone to look at because I was fiercely protective of my creative side. Read more>>

Riley “Rowdy” Anglen

As far as music and performance go, I grew up in a pretty musical family, with deep roots in the birthplace of old time country and gospel music, Bristol, Tennessee. I was always involved in something musical whether it was school, church, or the garage, we were always strummin’ something. Read more>>

Bud Ingram-Lile

I’m a self-taught photographer. Over the years before I went professional, I took thousands of pictures of various subjects; from that experience, I already had some ideas of what made people or things look good. Read more>>

Marquis Revlon Clanton

I been dancing since At a very young age.My mom said I came out dancing. I learned from going to after school programs and youth centers growing up. And I believe the best thing is to trust your own process. The only competition is self so getting out of your own way and stay consistent is key Read more>>

Deanna Port

From where my business started which was honestly just a highschool dream to where I am today is completely euphoric! I think that because of the world we live in today we feel so desperate for the likes, the comments and the followers. If we don’t get those increasing numbers, if we don’t go viral, we feel like we aren’t good enough. Read more>>

Jordan Galbreth

I learned how to write songs from poetry and other artists in multiple genres. Once I found my voice I was able to figure out how to make the lyrics fit my cadence. I wish when I was younger I spent more time learning the lyrics and recording off a memory to make sure I had a perfect delivery. Working out was a big obstacle for me because I didn’t want to do it, and when I first started doing shows I would be tired on stage. Read more>>

Michael ‘Bambi” Held

My path in learning professional body piercing started with an official apprenticeship for 2 years under a veteran piercer, Shane Post. He took is time with me to insure that I had to knowledge and confidence to take on any client and unique anatomy that may come through. Read more>>

Kaitlyn Gaskin

I am actually a self-taught artist. I took art in high school, and that’s when I learned that I had potential with a paint brush. I continued painting all different types of subjects and challenging myself with them. Most of what I’ve learned has been through trial and error, but I also reference art books and videos. Read more>>

Camille Wheeler

Looking back on my newspaper career as a writer and editor, I realize that the seeds of my current photojournalism work were planted by observing and working with photographers in the newsroom. I had not yet discovered my interest in photography — I loved being around photographers and teaming to work together on stories and story projects, but I never thought about becoming one myself. I had no idea of the passion yet to be discovered. Read more>>

Jack Ready

Painting is a lifelong learning process. It is a journey with no end, there is always the possibility of the next painting being better than the last. With abstraction, the possibilities are endless. That keeps me forever interested in the craft. Learning the basics of art in school was important to me. I believe in some sense it’s important to know the rules to be able to break them. Read more>>

Chauncey Mangum

My best advice for anyone who is wanting to do anything, is simply try. Put in the effort daily to practice and you will get better. Eliminate the idea of comparing yourself to the next person and just focus on you. I was my biggest crutch when it came to learning. I spent so much time overthinking everything I was doing, Read more>>

Trace Deaton

Jennifer Jones

I did learn a lot of basic embroidery and beadwork on my own. Either through experimentation and of course making mistakes. My first job in high school was actually assisting a custom seamstress. Read more>>

Jami’r Smith

I have always made sure to align myself with people who I looked up to like Gail King, Arsenio Hall and Oprah. I created a podcast for the everyday person to tell their stories “creatively “. I could have definitely taken more broadcasting and journalism classes earlier on which could have had me further along in my career. Knowing how to research, write and interview are the most important essential skills. Read more>>