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?

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I think collectively we’ve all been in music since the age of 11 or 12. Whether it was high school band or just playing with a few friends, all of us have been involved with music in one way or another. Read more>>

Sean Alvarez

Learning the craft came from a passion and love for music that started in the 70s. Often I would hear DJs Ron Hardy on WKKC, Farley Jackmaster Funk and the Hot Mix 5 on the radio in the 80s. Read more>>

Xander Herman

Learning to be a filmmaker has been a journey encompassing art, technology, and business, a blend that continues to evolve over the years. Read more>>

DecoDolphin

Overall, I’m mostly self-taught! When I started cosplaying back in 2012, I had no sewing experience. I received my great-grandmother’s sewing machine to start practicing with, and one of my first costumes involved rough pattern-making and stitching it together. Read more>>

Eddie Cohn

I may be simplifying it a bit, but it seems like there’s often “two types of artists.” Those who are classically trained or taught in a classroom setting and those who are more self-taught. Read more>>

Matteson Pino

Before I answer your question, let me introduce myself. My name is Matt Pino and I am a LEGO artist that has created my own custom LEGO model business: Pino Creations. Read more>>

Jen Duffin

Despite being very creative and artistic as a child, I had largely lost touch with my creative self as an adult. Feeling a little out of touch with myself after the birth of my second child, I began a daily art practice wherein I would sketch or draw for 20 minutes a day without any criteria or plan. Read more>>

Ty Ellenbogen

I think of my creative journey thus far as containing two parts: learning how to be a musician and learning how to be an artist. Growing up, I played guitar, drums, and saxophone (in addition to performing as a vocalist) for seven years before I ever wrote music of my own. Read more>>

Justin Hossle

I fell into woodworking by chance, and learned my techniques and methods mostly through trial and error. I certainly utilized books and online tutorials from time to time, but much of what I learned was from experimentation. Read more>>

Gregory Mabe

Oh man, where to start… I started in my church as a musician and later moved to engineering. Realizing that I could piece the whole band together and create behind the seems was so fulfilling and attractive to me! Read more>>

ReMac

My father taught me how to use power tools when I was a child, and I really cannot emphasize enough the psychological doorways this opened for me when it came to my understanding of the nature of the world and my ability to participate in it. Read more>>

Sebastián Mondéjar Jover

I began using the software at the age of 17. In hindsight, I would advise my younger self to approach each step of the process with the same level of professionalism. Read more>>

VANESSA DALY

I started my artistic journey as a way to cope with stress. It was 2010, after an unexpected critical gallbladder surgery. I was stressed out, studying like crazy to earn a scholarship for my master. Read more>>

Ivan Cruz

My early years of community college were driven by curiosity. I took so many electives that helped me create a framework on how technology and communication are intertwined. Read more>>

Lauren Ys

When I first picked up spray paint, I felt extremely unwieldly- it’s really humbling to pick up a new medium and feel like you’re back at 0. Read more>>

Turner Nelson

Back in high school I had a good friend that mentored me through the learning curve of photography. Although it’s not impossible to learn on your own, having friends or getting mentored can help you learn much quicker. Read more>>

Oksana Mychka

I have had a love for art since childhood. My family supported me a lot in this, and my grandfather, who is also engaged in fine arts, is a master of wood carving. Despite his ongoing career as a military aviation engineer. Read more>>

Dione-Ariadne Bergland

I always feel like this sounds cliché, but I always LOVED to draw. Since I was a kid I would draw on walls and on pictures (not ideal ofcourse). Whenever I went to a loved ones house I would ask for a paper and pencil. Read more>>

Malik Collier

I started drawing seriously when I was 15. A little later than a lot of artists started however I was incredibly inspired around that age after taking a computer animation class that was offered by my high school. Read more>>

Françoise Hazel

My journey into the world of art and furniture design was deeply influenced by my upbringing, particularly by watching my mother’s artistic endeavors and my grandfather’s meticulous craftsmanship. Read more>>

Anna Taylor Lovve

I started doing makeup looks (glam and SFX) when I was about 14. I would watch YouTube videos on how to do different looks & practice on myself until I was old enough to start working at my local haunted houses. Read more>>

Helane Marie Anderson

First I just want to thank you for having me. It’s an honor to connect with you today. Now getting to your questions… learning how to play instruments and to sing from the heart has been a lifelong process. Read more>>

Dawn Wallace

This is a long story but I’ll try to keep it brief. I used the other side of my brain for most of my life. I was very serious about my studies; obtained a degree in Biology and loved mathematics. Read more>>

Chris Barkley

The title of Producer in the Film industry gets thrown around so much that, over the years, it’s lost some meaning despite being essential to the filmmaking process and ecosystem. Read more>>

Kelsey Ochs

I was incredibly fortunate to have an amazing teacher and ceramics program offered through my (public) high school. I took a beginning ceramics class on a whim as a sophomore, to satisfy an art credit, and was hooked. Read more>>