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?

Gabby Burton

I have loads of teachers and mentors to thank for my learning process- my mom chief among them. She has supported every single step I’ve taken to advance my theatre studies from the very beginning. Read more>>

Ebon Jones

I learned the craft by taking a chance on myself. There were a lot of things that I took liberty with. I knew when I was auditioning for roles, they were simple and very stereotypical. I wanted to change that. I made it a goal of mine to write something that was suitable for me. Doing that has opened up a world of possibilities for me. Not only have I written and acted in things that I have written, I have also written and produced original content for other actors. I can’t tell you how much enjoyment I get from that. Read more>>

Pat Shepherd

I started out taking watercolour lessons from well known artists as an adult. The mix and flow of paint was addictive. There was something about the “surprises” with watercolour that really appealed to me. It allowed you to be as loose as you wanted to be or as controlled as you liked. The medium allows you to take chances. Read more>>

Amy Vaclav

I’m entirely self-taught, with a lifelong love for animals and nature that started as early as I can remember— constantly observing and drawing little pictures of things I saw in the wild – which also lead me to my degrees in both Biology and Zoology. My art journey really took shape through a mix of curiosity, resourcefulness, and a lot of experimentation. I learned from books early on, and now online tutorials provide those lightbulb moments that keep me growing. Read more>>

Michael Greear

My earliest memories are of drawing. I would draw Batman during my preschool classes, or mock-ups of vinyl records for rap songs that I liked on the radio, or I’d try to draw the Ninja Turtles using the box art from the VHS of the first movie. This would have been like 1988-89 probably. Read more>>

Renée Laniado Cabrales

Although I made my bachelor in philosophy, I’ve always been drawn to arts and creativity; so, even though my formal education is more theoretical oriented, I began diving myself into projects that sparked my interest. First with video making, learning how to use a camera and editing software with help from my sisters and friends in film school. I started experimenting with visual storytelling by turning my academic essays into what I called “visual poetry”—expressing philosophical ideas through images and sound, using minimal text. That exploration led me into graphic design and eventually into fashion, where I created my brand, gusano. Read more>>

Dominik Yoder

I learned from both of my parents who are piano teachers. Something that could’ve sped up my learning process would be eliminating distractions and planning ahead. I feel most motivated when I have a competition coming up, and I think these competitions are essential in striving for the highest level one can achieve. An obstacles that I encountered is doing what everyone else is doing. I finally have the privilege to know what I want to do and how to get better at it. It seems clear what my objective is; practice as much as I can and continually search for nuances and ideas in my pieces. Read more>>

Loretto Lopez

To come into my own as a stagehand, AV technician, musician, and engineer, I had to be relentlessly determined and patient in my ambition. In short, I went to school, pursued three internships, earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Recording Technology, earned multiple certificates, sought out mentorships, and constantly attended networking events. I also applied to every job related to sound which allowed me to pick up more skills pertaining to the craft. Most importantly, I kept taking classes and workshops outside of school; I found that there is always more to learn and ways for me to further my technical education. Even if these classes and workshops were costly, I viewed it as an investment and that’s the thing; no matter what trade you find yourself in, you need to value your learning and invest in yourself. Read more>>

Alina Joseph

I learned photography from a very young age. When I was about 3, my parents bought me a little pink Fisher-Price camera as a Christmas gift. I immediately fell in love with documenting special moments, and carried it with me for as long as I can remember- it still sits on my nightstand to this day! As I got a little older, I began learning photography on my phone and using my dad’s old point-and-shoot. Freshman year of high school is when I truly began to grow in my craft and learned I have an eye for photography. My photography teachers at school were so helpful and taught me so much, helping me build my own style and portfolio. Read more>>

Aaron Giles

I was a graphic designer by trade for many years. I have always been a visual person but I felt very drained working on a computer day in and day out. I realized that I wasn’t making any of my own artwork. I changed careers and started teaching visual arts to students 7th through 12th grades. I began using my hands again to make art with my students. When I was a teenager, I used to collage for fun but I hadn’t played around with it for a very long time. I began experimenting with collage while teaching classes. I realized that students were inspired to make their own work by seeing me experimenting with my own artwork. Read more>>

Quiesha Davis

I believe poetry became a part of me when expressing myself wasn’t an option. So I would write to get my thoughs and feeling out. It helped me to help my trauma and to believe in myself. It allowed me to evolve into the women I am today.  Read more>>

Fatimah Gbajabiamila

My interest in art and design started at a young age. I loved putting together art projects and excelled at creating. Over the years, my craft shifted toward a more design-focused path, especially after site visits with my dad in Lagos, Nigeria. These experiences made me think about how to translate 2D drawings into 3D concepts. I implemented my findings using mixed media, drawing inspiration from my surroundings. Read more>>

Braxton Cosby

My journey into storytelling wasn’t just education—it was immersion. Throughout my academic years, I dove headfirst into creative writing training, embracing everything from intensive workshops to specialized courses. These experiences spanned multiple formats: screenwriting that taught me visual storytelling, novel writing that honed my narrative voice, and comic book scripting that helped me blend words with visual elements to create something greater than either alone. Read more>>

Candace Renee’

I attended KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts where I studied every area of film, theatre, in-front of the camera, behind the scenes, crew, stage etiquette, set etiquette… everything you could think of when it came to the art, and I was like a sponge, soaking it all in. Read more>>

Kali Yost

My interest in visual arts began with a photography class in high school. Learning the basics of composition and lighting were absolutely priceless as I began creating and editing videos. As soon as I got my hands on a computer, I began editing videos with basic video editing software. I taught myself by making simple videos. The main barrier at the time was a complete lack of tutorials to help as I started making more complex videos. Also, the cost of software was prohibitive and made leveling up out of reach. Read more>>

Andrew Bromley

I have spent most of my life cultivating, growing with love and compassion. All the while learning more about companionship both with plants and with people. As a young boy I would spend many weekends and summer days helping out my Grandmother; she always seemed to have a garden project for her and I to work on. Spending time back at home with Mom, while she also kept a garden in our front yard. So it only seemed natural to continue to grow from there. Fueling my passion to get involved with learning where our food comes from, through Culinary schooling and years of nose-to-the-grind, hands-on experience processing food; I knew I wanted to grow a majority of what I consume, at home. Read more>>

Lucy Sinkkonen

I am a proud self-taught artist! I learned by doing—starting with childhood sketches, painting heartfelt gifts for friends, and eventually taking on commissions in high school and college. Each project became a learning opportunity, and through trial and error, I slowly developed my voice. My Finnish background, rooted in craftsmanship and the tradition of creating with care and intention, has always been a quiet, guiding influence in my work. Read more>>

Kelley Baker

When I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker/writer I knew I had to find the best program where I could to learn as much as possible. I was lucky enough to get into USC’s Cinema Program back in the mid 70’s. Their program was great because it mixed a lot of hands on filmmaking skills with film history and theory, so I had the best of everything. We watched a lot of films, discussed them, and then made a lot of films. We had some great instructors, and it was such a small intensive program that I also learned a lot from the other students. Read more>>

Christoph Gabathuler

I went to art school to study motion design but over the years I have continued to take classes to learn new skills. I am constantly doing tutorials online to learn new programs and work flows. I think learning your craft is an evolving thing and you need to make it a habit to keep developing it. Read more>>

Shreya Thakkar

I didn’t learn design research from a single source. It was more like weaving a tapestry from different threads: my Master’s thesis on aging and healthcare, hands-on roles across home appliances and the automotive industry, and the rich, often messy reality of working with real people. Each experience taught me a different stitch: how to ask better questions, how to spot patterns in behaviors, and how to turn insights into strategy. Read more>>

Daniel Watkins

That really depends on what you mean by “what you do.” If we are talking craft then craft is easy to learn. You learn through repetition. If you want to be a filmmaker, then go make a film, then make another, and another and so on. I don’t believe we should be doing anything to “speed up” the learning process. If anything it should be slower. I know that this runs counter to the way people seem to view process, but the learning is part of the making. It’s not linear in the sense that you learn a craft and then you pursue said craft. Each work is its own lesson. Read more>>

Charles

I learned theater producing, directing, and acting by being a sponge for any and everything I could learn. I read as many books as I could, watched youtube videos, got coffees, went to many plays, watched old movies, watched interviews, read more books, anything I could do to become better at what I do. The most essential skill to being a theater producer is being patient with myself and others. Sometimes creativity and inspiration takes time and I found when I am patient with myself I am happier and more fulfilled as an artist and business owner. Many times the only thing preventing me from learning more is time. There are only so many hours in a day! Read more>>

Joan Livingston

School, in particular my college experience, got me started writing. But my dreams of being an author were sidelined when I developed a writer’s block that lasted over twenty years, one that coincided with raising six children. So, instead I read, read, and read, heading to the public library for stacks of books. These authors, from classic to modern, became my next teachers. I studied how they wrote stories that made me want to read, about the language they used, and the characters they created. This was the first addition to my bag of writing tricks. Read more>>

Alix Schwartz

I have always loved glass, but I never thought I would be capable of creating something with glass until I was exposed quite accidentally to fused glass, which–unlike blown glass–can easily be done in a home studio. I am fortunate to be living in the Bay Area, near one of the five Bullseye Glass Resource Centers in the US, and I started taking every class they offered, beginning with basic fusing and slumping. Before the pandemic, Bullseye would bring in renowned artists from all over the world to give in-person, hands-on intermediate and advanced classes to small groups of 8-10 learners. These classes presented an unparalleled opportunity to pick up new techniques and skills. Read more>>

Tatiana Lahera Kalainoff

My field of data visualization is one where people come from all sorts of backgrounds, from coding to cartography, analysis to art. It doesn’t happen very often that two people have the same path to the field and that’s what makes the discipline so welcoming and diverse. I came to data viz with a background in architecture. I like to say that I was raised in architecture because my foundational design skills come from my undergraduate architecture degree. Architects have a way of seeing that has always contributed to how I process and understand the world, with a lens of systems thinking and a desire to not only make beautiful objects but design engaging experiences that tell a story and spark emotion. Read more>>

Monique Farah

I became a vodka expert by chance. I worked in a restaurant that had a 90 degree vodka freezer where a person stood and poured in a fur coat. I knew I could do better and spent a few weeks learning every thing I can about vodka. Becoming a vodka expert sounds like a lot of drinking, but the majority of the knowledge comes from learning the art of distilling and identifying the subtle note changes that different ingredients produce. The latter does require drinking ;). You have to have a discerning palate as well as a thirst for knowledge because a new vodka is released constantly. The obstacles are staying relevant and I find that writing for magazines and teaching classes online has helped tremendously. Read more>>

Pain Gusto

Well I’m a very observant person and have a habit of retaining the little details in whatever or whoever I find intresting, so learning the craft for me comes more from experiences and observations. I think me having a real passion for music especially hip-hop or anything hip-hop related gives me somewhat of a leg up cause i genuinely want to learn as I live it. Knowing what I know now I don’t think there’s anything I could’ve done to speed up the process and im not sure if would want to, with the way technology had changed things it kind of took away that “get it from the mud” experience or having the knowledge to work around situations. Read more>>

Ido Kashi

The way I think about music today, and how I compose and produce, is heavily influenced by the diverse experiences I’ve had growing up and developing in the music industry. I have both formal training and self-taught experience. I studied piano, music theory, arranging, and orchestration in school but learned production, DAWs, and scoring by observing how industry pros work and experimenting in my studio until something sounded good. There’s no single path to mastering this craft, but every step I took shaped the skill set I use today. Looking back on my journey, I truly believe that everything happened as it should, nothing felt too slow or too fast, art unfolds at its own pace. Read more>>

Ally Morici

My creativity began with hand lettering: putting pen to paper and creating lettered phrases, poems, and more, sometimes adding florals and other details. It was another couple of years before I purchased a (used) iPad and started making digital designs, but that is when my world opened up. I took classes on Skillshare, which was extremely helpful for learning how to letter digitally, try out different brushes in Procreate, and make stamps and color palettes. I credit so much of what I know to artists like Charly Clements and CatCoq, who created virtual classes on the platform and helped me hone my craft. I now use my skills from Procreate to design e-reader skins, bookmarks, stickers, and more. It is fun to consider how my artwork has evolved over the past seven years since I started my business. Read more>>

Iesha Hayes

Most of what I’ve learned came through experience, observation, and trial by fire. I didn’t go to a fancy school for film or media—I learned by doing, by asking questions, and by staying curious. Whether it was directing a project, hosting a podcast episode, or speaking on a panel, I used every opportunity as a lesson. And honestly, I’m still learning. Read more>>