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?

Lance Lynch

I’m self-taught and, as a fan of lifelong learning, always recognize that I have much more to learn and practice.

I decided to pick up a camera and learn how to use it effectively in the summer of 2015, while preparing to welcome our daughter into the world. Back then, my wife and I just didn’t have discretionary income to spend on a photographer to help us expertly capture milestones – so I decided to learn to do it. Read more>>

Kali Conner

Learning my craft simply took research and understanding the marketing aspect of things. I had to make sure what was legit or what was fraud. In industry we as woman have to be very careful because we’re targeted to be manipulated. I wouldn’t change the learning experience to speed the process because having patience leads to be better results. My most essential skill I’ve gain was Selling, Marketing and People skills. My health was my biggest set back, not feeling 100% during shows. I still give all I got with 30%. Read more>>

Abhinav Gopisetty

I began my acting journey in Los Angeles, where I was lucky to work with some of the best coaches and mentors around. Their guidance, combined with workshops and on-set experiences, gave me a solid foundation. Over time, I learned that truly trusting my preparation and allowing performances to flow naturally helped me grow the most. Even now, I see acting as a continuous process of discovery. Read more>>

Sebas Art Club

I’ve always been passionate about art, starting with drawing and painting as a child. At Coral Gables Senior High, I learned ceramics, and in 2024, I taught myself graffiti, incorporating it into mixed media. Essential skills have been creativity, observation, and adaptability. My biggest obstacles were balancing art with other responsibilities and limited resources. Graphic design is my next skill to learn, and I’m excited to keep growing as an artist. Read more>>

Meredith Fontana

I first learned photography when I was a kid. My parents put me in photography classes after school and over the summers, and my mom gave me her old Canon SLR that she used in the 70s. I absolutely loved spending time in the darkroom creating images and experimenting, but as the demands of adult life took over, I rarely picked up a camera anymore. Read more>>

Nadia Venice

I started writing at a very young age, but I also have always admired and noticed skilled songwriters. I would study and pay attention to how they put words together from a melodic standpoint, rhyming, conceptual patterns, etc. Over time, listening to those types of writers, it sort of embeds Itself into your subconscious so I started to naturally write in similar ways. I write a lot so inevitably those skills started to improve with practice but it’s a never ending improvement. Surrounding myself with other musicians that are more skilled in other ways is always a great feeling because simply being in the presence of that on a regular basis helps you advance. It’s very inspiring and beautiful to be around. Read more>>

Michaela Banks

I’ve always had a knack for being crafty and creative. As a kid, I spent my summers at art camp, drawing to my heart’s content and exploring whatever artistic ideas I had. But it wasn’t until high school that I really started diving into paper crafting. Some of my classmates were obsessed with making those little colorful paper “lucky stars”—you know, the kind you fold from strips of paper and collect in jars. I thought it was such a simple yet charming way to get creative with paper. Read more>>

Syna Sethi

I’ve learned that the best way to improve my artistic process is to give myself the freedom to create without the fear of making “mistakes.” In the past, I used to get so caught up in trying to meet other people’s expectations or aiming for perfection in every piece that it held me back from actually creating. Now, I’ve made a conscious effort to embrace both the process and the outcome. Even if not everything turns out great, it helps me understand what resonates. Read more>>

Preston James

I studied everyday for hours on end. Giving up most of my social life and trading it for a life more desirable, lucrative and fulfilling. I tried to speed up my process by getting in the door of local studios in Denver Colorado where I started, but it is slim pickens (at the time) in Denver for studios. Especially one’s that will allow someone who has to previous working experience or school within that field. I also didn’t know anyone either, so I was out of options. I had to fend for myself if this was something I truly wanted to pursue. Spending hours on end in my room learning the skills of a producer and engineer was the only way I could even scratch the surface. Read more>>

Joanna Li

I’ve loved drawing and painting since I was little, and I’ve always been fascinated by stories—especially the differences in how people tell them. As I grew older, I became more curious about how people’s past experiences shape their decisions, which led me to spend a lot of time observing and reflecting on human behavior. Beyond just learning the fundamentals of drawing, I realized that understanding people is just as important in creating compelling characters and stories. Read more>>

Antonio Greco

When I first started voice acting, I hadn’t a clue about any of it, like most people. There is no school for formal training when it comes to acting specifically with just your voice. It’s really trial and error. The scientific method (f*** around and find out). I tried a little bit of everything; pay to play websites where you pay annually to receive auditions, Fiverr as a freelancer, cold contacting local production houses and videographers to see who maintained a roster, the whole nine yards. Truthfully, I think this ultimately was the best approach for me. I learned what I wanted and what I didn’t want. What I liked and what I couldn’t stand *ahem* audiobooks. Read more>>

Montel Moore

I believe that artistic talent is, in part, a natural gift—something inherently woven into us. However, true mastery requires refinement, discipline, and an ongoing commitment to learning. My journey as a musician began at a young age. I always had a deep love for music, but in the beginning, I lacked the technical understanding necessary to fully harness my voice. Concepts like breath control, tonal adjustments, and dynamics were things I had yet to explore. For a long time, I was confined by my own stylistic habits, thinking the way I sang was the only way. Read more>>

Hrushikesh Reddy Vajrala

My journey as a filmmaker began with small, scrappy projects—short films, animations, and YouTube sketches—that taught me the basics of framing, pacing, and storytelling. Over time, I combined self-taught experimentation with formal education, studying the works of masters like Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, and David Fincher to understand how visual language and linear/non-linear narrative structure intertwine. What truly accelerated my growth, though, was doing the work: making mistakes, editing until 3 a.m., and collaborating with others who pushed me creatively. Read more>>

Gail Owen

I became a full time fine art printmaker ten (10) years ago after my corporate job went away. I’d only dabbled with artwork on the weekends so when I realized I could take a little time off before starting a new corporate job (which never happened), I thought I might delve full time into one medium and printmaking made the most sense as a serious production artist. What I learned in corporate, that I didn’t learn in art school, is that a successful businesses sells either by high volume low price or high value low volume. Academia in the arts does NOT prepare an artist to become a business person. I chose printmaking because of the power of reproduction that hand made prints had over every other medium. I could make volumes of hand pulled small batch original prints to sell for a nominal price and design repeat patterns that I could sew together to make a higher priced fine art object. Read more>>

Weston Hansen

I am a primarily self taught airbrush artist. In the beginning of my creative journey as an airbrush artist there were not many resources available to learn from. The resources that were available were generally other artists that were willing to teach, but the roadblocks to getting that training were plentiful. The classes offered were almost always in a distant city and expense of the training was significant. Being that I was fairly young when I started, I didn’t have the financial resources at my disposal to go those kinds of trainings. Additionally, this all took place in the days before platforms like YouTube where a person can find more information about how to do a thing than we ever dreamed possible. And so for years I simply struggled to teach myself the craft. Read more>>

Elijah Benfante

I’ve always been a creative at heart, but never knew which avenue I wanted to take. I love music and anything that is visually pleasing to my artistic eyes, but ultimately decided on photography- for now.

I’ve always had an eye (or a knack, rather) for photography. Having a Pinterest filled with albums of aesthetics that I find interesting and would love to delve more into, I decided to pick up a camera for the first time in 2022. Read more>>

Emma Mazurek

During undergrad, I studied English writing, which was one of the best learning experiences of my life. I was able to grow as a person and a writer with the guidance of several skilled professors and writers. I found that what led to my best work here was being able to attend critique sessions, which are hard to find once you leave college, unfortunately. But giving work to a group of individuals for thoughtful, concise feedback was rather lovely. I was able to talk through ideas and instincts while learning about what made my writing work for other folks. An obstacle that often appears in critique is the growing pain of being able to accept feedback and constructive criticism because so often it can feel like personal attacks. But overcoming that just takes time and understanding that what you are doing isn’t always about you as a person but you as a writer, which is different than just you. Read more>>

Key Dyson

I’ve always had an interest in the creative industries. Visuals, meaning, and the process. The realm of design is magical. The notion that you can construct anything entirely from your imagination is astounding. Of course, my younger self had no idea that art was a viable job option, so I ended up doodling on cheap A4 notebooks with £1 pencils. I had always considered my work to be of the highest quality. If I looked back, I wouldn’t think that way now, but it was a different story then. What began as tracing celebrities I admired evolved into these visually appealing and deeply meaningful pieces for me. Read more>>

Jacques Derosena

I learned by studying the careers of those who inspired me and by immersing myself in training. I studied acting at Stella Adler Academy NY and HB Studios NY, comedy and improv at The Upright Citizens Brigade, and writing, producing, and directing at the Sundance Collab Institute , NYU Tisch School of the Arts Special Programs & Film Independent. Read more>>

Jada Leedunn

Being self-taught, I was able to really dive into any direction of photography that I wanted to go. The possibilities were endless and the sky was the limit! When it comes to learning a new skill that I’ve been introduced to, I find it best to learn my own way and take my time with crafting said skill. I love being able to go at my own pace when learning new photography techniques and finding new ways to be as creative as I want. At first I stood in my own way by thinking that I had to be like other photographers. But once I learned to be true to myself and go by my own creative eye, I became much happier with my work. Read more>>

Colleen Tully

I hold a degree in Fine Arts from MSU Denver, where I had the unique opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists like Christo and Jean-Claude, and Sergei Isupov. Additionally, I was fortunate to learn from influential figures such as Joanna Frueh. During my time in college, I gained hands-on experience in contemporary sculpture, ceramics, painting, and drawing, while also deepening my understanding of art history and theory. However, I wish I had more exposure to the practical realities of gallery work and marketing, areas I feel would have better prepared me for navigating the professional art world. Read more>>

Rickey Crawford

“I started out writing songs and ended up meeting a country artist who took one of my songs, rewrote it, and recorded it. That experience opened my eyes to the industry and got me hooked. Before that, I worked at a venue, booking acts and organizing performances, which gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how live shows come together. From there, I dove deeper into performing, writing, and managing events, eventually building my own path in country music. Now, I’m balancing my career as an artist with running Frontier Events, promoting and managing shows, and bringing music to people in every way I can.” Read more>>

Rabbit

I got started in the tattoo business by getting offered an apprenticeship. I had become good friends with my tattoo artist and he offered to teach me after seeing some of the artwork I was making at the time.
When I started out I was pretty stubborn as an artist. It took me some time to let go of my reservations and try to create in different ways. If I had let go and learned to be free with my creative process earlier, I would have gone farther faster. Read more>>

Nick Cody

I’ve always loved music, but I never imagined being a live performer or recording artist. At the age of fifty-five, fate decided I would achieve both of these, and this started with an unexpected baptism of fire in 2016. I started writing music with my first acoustic ensemble, “The Small Change Diaries” and out of the blue, I received what looked like a bogus invitation to play at an overseas festival in Lagoa, “The Lagoa Guitar Festival” The reason why I assumed this to be a joke was because firstly as a band we were pretty much unknown even in our home town Leeds UK. We’d only played two live dates in small clubs as a support act. My co-singer in the band the wonderfully named “Jessica Bowie” first encouraged me to sing, and without her, I would never have started performing or writing music. She is an exceptional teacher, and the world is better for such individuals.  Read more>>

Katie Mae Burke

In 2016, my husband and I tied the knot. We lived in Rexburg, Idaho while my husband was earning his Bachelor degree at Brigham Young University – Idaho. Soon after, we made the decision for me to quit my current job. I was unemployed for 8 months. Living in a 500 sq. foot, one bedroom apartment as a newly wed, all I had going for me was applying for jobs in the morning and having nothing to do but wait for my husband to come home. I am an enthusiastic reader and had finished every book in my possession at the time. I was bored out of my mind and had a hard time looking forward to anything. One afternoon, I was talking to my older sister and was whining about having nothing to do all day when she told me to stop blubbering and to do something about it. “Find a new hobby. Try something new!” she said. I thought about it and couldn’t think of anything and she told me, “Hey! You like makeup.. so LEARN!” Read more>>

Lucile Henderson

Much of my inspiration comes from observation of outer and inner nature. The outer nature of the natural world inspires me — the way rocks form, the texture of moss, caverned trees, the way water can twist… The inner world–a landscape I continue to purify so that creative channeling can arise. The imagery I am enticed to make is of beings that have found their empowerment and sense of harmony with nature. A trait we are encouraged to forget in this rapid and often oppressive conditioning… my goddesses are an offering to proliferate peace as we walk through to our vital source. The symbols my deities are adorned with, the positions their bodies carry, and the amulets they surround themselves with are all purposeful. Read more>>

Noelle Joy Sorenson

I learned by doing and by watching the pros. When I first started in film and television, I was willing to do featured background and stand in work. You are literally a fly on the wall and in my case, I was on the same shows, 2-3 times a week for almost a year. You get to know the crew and cast better that way. I also took every opportunity to go to master classes and director talks at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was such a great opportunity to sit across from the legends and hear them talk about the business. Tarantino, Scorsese, Coppola, DeNiro, Howard, Grazer, Spielberg-just to name a few. It all made sense to me, and I was organically drawn to the bigger picture-pun intended. Read more>>

Stephanie Roth Sisson

My introduction to the craft of illustration and story telling happened early in life- as it does for most of us. My chubby little fingers wrapped around a crayon when I was just over a year old making marks on paper. The joy of mark making! Eventually the marks become recognizable – now disembodied heads with legs coming out of them (something to do with how young kids’ cognition develop …these representations even have a name- “tadpoles”). Illustrating was a way of understanding the world, a way to self entertainment, a was to communicate , a way to say “here I am”, a way to be recognized…all of this from curiosity, the willingness to experiment and the pleasure of making making, Read more>>

Pedro Garcia

I learned how to do stand up by constantly bombing in front of strangers at open mics. The more you bomb the more BS you can cut out of your material.

I don’t think there’s anything i could’ve done to speed up the learning process, stand up isn’t something you can get cheat codes for, it really is something you have to figure out on your own, which takes years. Read more>>

Paulo Perez

I learned the art of filmmaking by surrounding myself with people who are more talented and knowledgeable in this domain than me and by having an endless appetite for development. At the end of the day, concepts have their limits. You have to take action and write, film, edit and not merely read about writing, filming or editing. I could ramble on about the parts I never thought I’d encounter or the aspects that are never mentioned in college or videos. Doing a flashback in mind, I could’ve accelerated my learning process by producing more material to serve as tests. It’s alarming to realize that if you don’t stay consistently active in this craft, you lose your sharpness and recovering it takes many moons. The most important tool for a director is communication. Read more>>

Monica Baddar

I am completely self-taught. Early on, I realized that charisma was essential—something that didn’t come naturally to me, as I grew up very shy. The turning point was understanding that my subjects were the ones in a vulnerable position, and it was my job to put them at ease. In many ways, I see myself as more of a therapist than a photographer. Read more>>

Paige Jenkins

As the Event Specialist at the Foundry Art Centre, my role involves wearing many hats. I manage the rental spaces such as the Grand Hall, East Gallery, Studio 1, and Bridal Suite for a variety of events, including wed Read more>>

Marjorie Valentin

Honestly learning a craft comes natural to me. I enjoy creating and sharing my projects with others.

My interests in crafting and arts happened to be in many different genres so my projects that I create and dabble in are very wide and diverse… However my latest projects that I’m really enjoying formulating and creating are my all natural lip balms, body creams, skin tightening serum, hair regrowth spray, magnesium oil spray, amongst a few other things that I have in the works. Read more>>

Le’mia Marie Mindingall

Some individuals are born with talents and gifts and simply choose to become better at their crafts. As far as modeling goes I feel as if I noticed my photogenic skills at a young age and had model coaches sharpen my abilities. I studied the “greats” (Naomi and Tyra) once I realized my intentions to make modeling a long-term career. Skills such as adaptability, listening, and coordination were most essential and the only thing that stood in the way of learning more was my own level of confidence. Read more>>

Joata

I learned to do what I do by making and continuing to make mistakes along the way. Taking risks, hoping for the best, licking my wounds, picking myself back up and learning from those mistakes.

Honestly, I wouldn’t want to speed it up, I don’t know who I’d be in a parallel universe, and I’m content with where I am and where I am going.

The most essential skill that I have learned as musician is believing in myself but at the same time I am my own worst obstacle.  Just be kind to others and you’ll see the doors that open up. Read more>>

Manuela Pianesi

Animation is a very vast medium. Just getting into the basics takes years of practice and diligent work.

I started getting into drawing as a hobby when I was in middle school, and it kinda stuck all the way into my late teens. At the same time I was really into playing video games in my free time so I figured that putting together the things that made me the happiest would make a good career choice. For a couple of years, I wanted to go into concept design for AAA games. I was attending public arts college in Buenos Aires and working on my own projects on the side, until I got the opportunity to work at local animation studio Bellolandia, under the guidance of one of the kindest and most generous persons I’ve come to know in this industry; Nacho Malter. Read more>>

Kara Sperling

My photography journey began in high school, at the age of 15, with a hybrid film and digital photography class. That sparked a passion in me that’s only grown stronger over the years. What really accelerated my learning, though, was jumping right into the industry. I started assisting and second-shooting weddings while still in high school, which was like a trial by fire. The fast-paced environment of weddings and events forced me to learn quickly and adapt to different situations, which I loved. Read more>>

Jakob Sommers

When it comes to learning anything, you must be patient. Growing up in theater in a small town, there are only so many opportunities presented to you. I had to be able to seek out everything around me that could lend itself to further my growth. It became a patchwork of skills and experiences. I took band and choir lessons during school, participated in drama club, and performed with the school color guard. It wasn’t until mid-way through High School I discovered I loved dance and started paying for my dance classes at a local studio. When college came around, I had set my sights on getting a performance degree, with many voices telling me not to, Read more>>

Iris Berkeley

It seems like there are two big camps in the “how to hone your craft” question: Dive in headfirst and try to make your living from the beginning, or take your time as a side hustle and see where it goes. I studied both music and journalism in college — probably about the most appropriate thing one could do in order to go into a career in radio and DJ events — but it wasn’t until years later that I really felt like I was ready to take the plunge and make it my day-to-day life. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t have had it any other way! All of the “random” professional experience I gained over my years of doing music and radio on the side has, honestly, made a huge impact on how I do what I do. Read more>>

Heather Van Winckle

I went to school for sculpture, which always seemed like a catch all art discipline that could include just about any medium in a broad sense. I was drawn to that limitlessness. I experimented with lots of materials from molding latex rubber to casting aluminum, from welding steel to hand sewing silk. Sometimes those skills were applied and turned into art pieces, and sometimes I failed or didn’t achieve what I was hoping for at all. I’ve become used to failure and because of that I am adept at learning new skills for potentially little outcome. Working with leather was just born out of that discipline. I had a strong background in sewing on machines, and one day I decided to try hand stitching some pigskin to make some Christmas gifts for friends. From there, I just kept trying new techniques, reading books and watching tutorials, and making lots and lots of things. Read more>>

Tiffany Selvey

I learned to tattoo by going through an apprenticeship. Every apprenticeship is different—some last a few months, others span years; some are highly structured and supportive, while others can be more challenging. Essentially, an apprenticeship involves finding a mentor, someone with enough experience to guide you through the dos and don’ts of tattooing. Read more>>

Laurel Richards

Learning our craft for the ARChers Pod has been a start-with-what-you-know and then learn-as-you-go kind of process. We both started off with our own unique backgrounds: Laurel is trained in video and audio editing as well as has experience in radio broadcasting, and Leah is an avid reader with experience with social media account management. Fortunately, with our skills combined, it wasn’t that far of a reach to consider starting a book recommendation podcast together. Read more>>

Destin Cramer

It took a long time to get to where I am today, artistically. I always had the passion, but didn’t necessarily understand how to progress further in my art career. I understood that I needed to draw and paint almost every day to succeed, but I wasn’t practicing with intention and I think that’s what took me so long to get to the point where I was happy and confident in my craft. For a long time I would just draw whatever I wanted, and while that was good for fun, it wasn’t actually good practice. I had to learn to expand my comfort zone and draw things that were difficult, weird, or even uncomfortable to draw in order to better understand form, shape, and how to make drawings look 3D. I took a few classes in college on the fundamentals of art and design as well as art history and this helped me have a much better understanding of the essentials of what makes art “good.” Read more>>

Anka Snider

From as early as I can remember, I knew I would contribute to the world creatively. Growing up, I was surrounded by siblings who excelled in math and science—the quintessential left-brained thinkers—while I found myself thriving in an entirely different space. I was a good student but often struggled with math and reading comprehension, spending countless hours with tutors. Despite those challenges, I never stopped loving the process of learning. It’s ironic, in hindsight, that I earned my MFA—an achievement that feels worlds apart from the struggles of the girl who couldn’t make sense of word problems in grade school. However, I made up for what I lacked in those areas with creativity, which came as naturally as breathing. Read more>>

Melissa Grilley

I am a self taught studio florist, I don’t have any technical school training so I am super proud of that. I spent 18 seasons in the greenhouse industry so my floral knowledge was obtained thru this years of on the job training. I have always been creative but I didn’t know it was something I would actually do when I grew up. I initially went to college for criminal justice with the hope to become a lawyer one day. However the creative part of my brain was the winner and I began channeling that and have turned into owning my own floral business for almost 8 years now. I think being creative some of the most important skills is being able to adapt to all situations and think in the moment. Obstacles that have stood in my way gosh maybe trying to prove myself in the industry that I deserve a spot. Read more>>

Bhoomika Prasad

I did my undergraduate degree at NIFT Kangra in India, where I was first introduced to weaving. Growing up in India, textiles were always a big part of life. Honestly, I think my love for them began with my mom—she’s always been so passionate about sarees and embroidery. Watching her admire the details in fabrics and her working on them sparked something in me that made me want to explore this world further. Read more>>

Martin Aripez

I learned most of my stuff from YouTube and people I’ve met in the craft. Most are super helpful and supportive of one another.

Nothing beats experience. I’ve met so many good people that look at the work I do and say “I wish I could do that”. The hardest part is starting. Once you make your first project, you take what you learned, failures or something that worked out, and take it to the next project. Read more>>

Victoria Clark

I began modeling during my freshman year in 2017, when I joined a modeling troupe at Savannah State University. Looking back now, I realize I could have accelerated my career by taking modeling more seriously back then. But, when you’re young and trying to figure things out, you’re constantly exploring new interests—picking up one hobby and moving on to another. This exploration is part of why my modeling career didn’t progress as quickly as it could have. If I had the same passion for modeling then as I do now, I know I would be further along in my career. Read more>>

Canada Walkinshaw

I had a very old school apprenticeship. Which meant hanging around a shop until they stopped telling me to get out. Also meant doing a lot of free labor and going through some good ol’ fashioned hazing. Definitely gave me some thick skin that has helped a lot with the job. I ended up kind of getting taught by everyone at the shop, so I am very lucky to have been taught by numerous talented artists. Because of this I got to get a good grasp on multiple different styles which helped me to develop my mashup style I have today. If I could’ve done one thing different during my apprenticeship it would’ve been to travel more and to do guest spots and conventions. I’ve been comfortable too long in one spot and I feel it stunted me at an artist. Have more experiences would’ve helped me develop more, I am trying to start venturing out now though! Read more>>

Bret Blakely

For me, it was YouTube. Outside of taking a photography class in high school, my interest was always at a distance. I appreciated beautiful things, loved the outdoors and travel but outside of disposable cameras in high school and a very basic and cheap camera as a young adult…i never had any real knowledge. It was only after a trip to Rwanda with my now wife about 7 years ago that i went from someone who likes pictures and memories….to someone who is full blown in love with everything about the creative process and experience that comes with photography. It was 6 months into our first year dating and was the first big trip we took together. i brought my cheap little camera with a $100 zoom lens on it and snapped anything and everything. The last couple days of the trip were spent on a safari and i think that is where my already growing interest and desire for capturing the beauty around me went from warm to boiling. Read more>>

Natalie Tisler

A significant part of my poetry journey has been learning and developing my style as a writer. In the early stages of writing poems, it was something so personal that I wasn’t sharing it with anyone. I think for me this allowed me to really develop my voice and discover what I personally liked because I wasn’t inhibited by anything external. I was able to become confident injecting my voice into a poem, breaking up stanzas in a way I felt was most impactful and seeing which literary devices I felt most connected to. Read more>>