One of the most daunting aspects of pursing a creative or artistic career for many aspiring artists is not knowing how to learn the craft. So, we asked some very talented artists and creatives to talk to us about how they learned their crafts and we hope their stories will help you in your journey.

Ty Higgins

Tattooing (typically) begins with an apprenticeship like most trades. And tattooing is a trade — some people will tell you that it isn’t. They will say that tattooing is an art, and while I agree that tattooing is an art, one must admit that tattooing fits the definition of a trade perfectly. “ Read more>>

Ashley Walker

I became inspired by others I’ve seen on social media and from there I started researching the recommended products to be able to make the items I do along with watching tutorials. Read more>>

Angela Gonzalez

I was introduced to everything that is creative through my church, actually. I didn’t know ANYTHING, but I started taking photos on my phone and was recruited to volunteer. A mentor taught me everything, and a few years after that I started doing videography since then I’ve been in love with it. Read more>>

Jessica Morgan

I learn the best by doing and being hands-on. I put myself out there and tried to see what worked and what resonated with people. When I got started, it was during a time in my life I felt like I had nothing to lose so I was open to trying different styles of content. Read more>>

Ebony Dodson

I learned the craft of performance arts at a very young age. I tried out for the school play in 5th grade. I was so bummed because I only ended up getting the ensemble role. Ensemble roles end up singing on the sidelines in the choir instead of having a speaking role character in a musical. Read more>>

Nish Davis

I learned to sew after teaching myself how to back in 2021. I have always been deeply interested in fashion since I was a kid! I would always sketch designs but I grew closer to styling instead as I got older. Read more>>

Betsy Mitten

I’ve always loved art and sharing what I know, I didn’t have any plans to pursue art or teaching as a career. I have learned through a combination of education, work experience, experimentation, plenty of trial and error and anything but a straight line! Read more>>

Ildely Herrera

I first started taking self-portraits as a way to experiment with my photography skills and learn more about my camera. I had always been fascinated with the idea of capturing a moment in time and freezing it forever in a photograph. Read more>>

Linh Le

I started out teaching myself. I would buy grocery store flowers and experiment with different types of flowers and arrangements to develop my skills. Then I started following florists on Instagram and learned through their tips and techniques. I also invested in floral education by purchasing online courses and practicing while watching those videos. Read more>>

Maliika Nia-Imani

I learned the basics of metalwork and making jewelry at a small jewelry school in Brooklyn, called BK Metalworks. It was a 6-week course with other people like me who were interested in making their own metal jewelry, but didn’t really have any experience. Read more>>

Kensington Watts

I grew up playing classical piano. My senior year of High School my teacher was discussing future career paths in music. He asked if I ever have music playing in my head and if I’ve considered composition. Read more>>

CATAC Akron

The Center for Applied Theatre and Active Culture (CATAC) has prided itself on providing a platform for continued artistic development, both for our resident theatre companies, and the Greater Akron/Northeast Ohio community. Read more>>

Marie Flanigan

I went to school for architecture and worked as a classically-trained architect after graduation. While working as an architect, I found myself gravitating toward the interior design finishes and wanted to be a part of that process. Read more>>

Donald Johnson

I started making arts and crafts with my mom and grandma and I always enjoyed art classes in school. My first year of college, I took some art courses just for what I thought would be easy A’s. I fell in love with the art making process and by my Jr. Read more>>

Brooks Vernon

Filmmaking and writing are things that don’t come naturally to anyone. Like any other craft, they take time and patience in order to develop into real skills. My interest in both of them started when I was very young. Read more>>

Chad Gilbert

I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Montana. My childhood was spent seeing and experiencing these rugged landscapes and vast wildernesses that surrounded me. Growing up in there, I learned to appreciate the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving it for future generations. Read more>>

Josiah Mendoza

The hardest thing about what I do is telling people “No” that ask me to teach them. It’s not so blunt like that, but it’s hard Read more>>

Gianna Clarke

My mom is an interior designer and taught me how to sew when I was about 7 years old. I remember the rush of excitement that would come over me when I saw her clear off our dining room table — that meant she was starting a new project. Read more>>

Allyson Crotty

When I first began my business as a virtual assistant in 2020, I wanted to make a basic, typography-based logo. I was messing around in Canva trying to make one when my mentor, Maggie, told me to try using Adobe Photoshop instead. Read more>>

Miracle Ehioghae

I learned how to do makeup by watching a lot of YouTube videos, I still do. I watched people who had similar looks and techniques like me. I spent hours practicing on my friends with every new technique I learned and knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change the process to speed anything up because this is not just a craft to me but a passion and a talent. Read more>>

Katherine Babcock

I have always been interested in creative pursuits. Even as a child, I was more interested in arts and crafts than anything else. After a severe back injury ended my short stint as a paramedic, I became a mixed media artist for 25 years. Read more>>

Demi Marshall

I first learned to write music/concert reviews and interview artists by reading articles from magazines like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. The first music reviews I wrote were for my college newspaper. Read more>>

Amanda Aaron

Learning about photography is a never ending commitment. Youtube videos, practice, and even photography classes are just some of the avenues I have used to get where I am today. In the past, I utilized natural lighting and outdoor scenes. Read more>>

Uc sepia Ozjuah

Learning the craft has been a journey. I first started when I was a little girl. My father left at the age of 8 and was always told that I was not allowed to participate in things that only boys did. I never really understood what he ment by this and wondered why. Read more>>

Katie Goodman

I think people today assume creatives go to school for their art, and that that’s the only way to do it. I just kind of did it. I did do plays in school and took classes as a kid and through college, but I decided to be a Philosophy major so I’d have something to bring to my art, and just DID theatre every night for 4 years of college, being in plays and musicals. Read more>>

Kassy Menke

I learned through practice, hard work, exploring creativity, classes/school and having some awesome mentors/teachers in my life. Read more>>

A.V. Eichenbaum

I’ve been doing this a long time for someone who hasn’t even hit 30 yet. I sort of hit the ground running, I guess. I started writing for a local college paper, The Gavilan Press, when I was 14. Jan was the editor at the time. I don’t think the paper’s still around these days. From there, I picked up work editing other students’ papers and as the Editor at my high school’s Art/Lit magazine. Read more>>

Chesterr

There isn’t a rule book or guideline to podcasting. In year 3 it’s still very few people I can ask tips of the trade to improve the quality of my product. A lot of it is learn as you go Read more>>

Alexandria Hulslander

I started my writing journey in middle school when a friend introduced me to fanfiction. I thought, “hey I can do that,” and gave it a shot. I had never written a story before, but I had plenty of ideas and figured the only way to learn was to do. Read more>>

Dogon Krigga

I came into my craft taught by Self. That approach provided me with my greatest attribute; finding solutions. Learning this craft through my own devices honed my skills and brought me to a unique understanding of how to organize the pieces and elements of my creative endeavor into a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing end result. Read more>>

Lola Ojo

I am a self-taught artist. I don’t mind working and collaborating with other artists, however, I work best when I am alone. I get a lot of work done when I have time to myself. Read more>>

Alisa Wismer

I enrolled in a design-focused program in college, not knowing how to use any of the Adobe programs prior to attending, so I already felt like I was years behind everyone else. Read more>>

Brianna Zeno-Schlangen

I started becoming interested in doing makeup for fun when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens when I really started to enjoy the different techniques and types of makeup that was out there. Read more>>