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.
William Tracey
At the age of 25, with absolutely zero intro or experience with any art medium. A close friend of mine, Tyler, showed me how to wrap a sea shell with wire and add gems. I was instantly hooked. Something about the connectivity of energy I feel flowing through my body when I hold and twist the wires, attaching them to the surfaces of a multitude of gems. This alone was enough for me to expound on as much as I could learn. Being driven the way I am in every facet of my life. Starting an art career was to be no different. After my first few months of dabbling with wire. I gave myself the task of “touching” or working with wire every single day. Some days feeling unmotivated, I’d still pick my wire up. If only for 15 minutes, I was bending and focused on learning. Weeks became months and months became a year/s. My first two years spent wrapping probably hundreds if not a thousand various simple not mind blowing designs. But I attained knowledge of how wire bends and a fairly decent concept of stone setting. Read more>>
Kenzie Jayne Middaugh
Over the last decade, I’ve tried my hand at all sorts of art, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon glass fusing that everything clicked – and I’ve never looked back. Although I tried my hand at glass fusing for the first time in 2019, my story really begins during the global pandemic. When things started to open up after the pandemic, my mom wanted to do something fun for Mother’s Day 2021. We took a class together and this is where my curiosity really sparked. After the glass, as we grabbed lunch, I mentioned how great it would be to work there. Within a week, a job opening popped up at the studio. I was an Interior design student at the time, looking for something to keep me engaged and to spark new inspiration. Read more>>
Cae Harris
My journey into the world of makeup artistry has been both exhilarating and enlightening, much like a well-executed smoky eye—complex, layered, and ultimately satisfying. My skills were honed through various avenues, including a treasure trove of tutorials, hands-on practice, and yes, the occasional brush with disaster that made my friends wonder if I had been channeling my inner raccoon. However, one of the most transformative experiences of my learning process was attending masterclasses led by the incomparable Danessa Myricks. Her ability to blend humor and professionalism created an environment where learning felt less like a chore and more like an adventure. Read more>>
Julian Parke
I started by learning how to produce and make the music. I would come home from high school 3/4 into my junior year and all of senior year and just make music. I never sampled at first, I don’t even know why. It took me months to sample, I was always just playing chords with the little music knowledge I knew but was definitely learning. I would always play 7ths and pretty much stuck to the white keys because I didn’t know how to incorporate the sharp and flat keys, but I kept going and going, and that is why I’m here now. I have grit. Grit is something I believe to be so crucial and needed. That passion and that grit drove me to keep learning and I was starving to learn more. Day in day out, just improving at such a rapid rate, especially during the summers. I’ve changed now in ways the me from that time wouldn’t even begin to believe, it’s crazy. Read more>>
Alejandra Bustos
Writing music has transferred over from writing poetry for over 20 years. I love to write period. I started early on in childhood writing in diaries almost daily then learning about poetry and loving to rhyme words. Loving to write is the most essential but when I learned to love to read, it took me to another level in writing because of the expansion of my vocabulary. I think the main obstacle is always oneself. Procrastination, fear, and insecurity to believe that what I do is good enough to share with the world and perform on a stage. That is another part that is so important to put the work, into practice, and build the discipline to always work hard and beyond to always be ready. Read more>>
Ben Guidry
Most of what I learned about visual arts is through trial and error, and older mentors that I have met throughout the years. I find that when I am feeling too comfortable or automatic with my art practices, that is when I am learning very slowly. Speeding up the learning process includes a lack of comfort as one must open themselves up to make mistakes and be able to reflect on them. General skills that I find are most essential include perseverance and adaptability. The willingness to take risks in the face of failure is intrinsic to any artistic practice, and it is when I get myself out of my comfort zone that progress the fastest. Read more>>
Mary Cutrufello
I began taking guitar lessons at age 9. There was a guitar in my childhood house that no one knew how to play. It’s not even clear why it was there. It fascinated me. My mother–ever the educator–said I could play it if I took lessons. So I did. I was an indifferent guitar student for the first couple of years, dutifully learning my chords and scales without really understanding how it all fit together. I had been writing songs too though, thinking that that was required; all my rock heroes had their own songs, after all. Two major events jumpstarted my musical journey. The first was the Major League Baseball strike of 1981. With my main summertime passion suddenly gone, I had the time and the headspace to really delve into music in general and guitar specifically. I didn’t really get back into baseball until the mid-90s, by which time I was playing music professionally. Read more>>
Sejal Gupta
Design and craft are most often, and historically too, seen as antithesis. Design is representative of a larger movement, while the role of the designer is to serve the overarching forces of design trends and increasingly homogenous aesthetics—aesthetics that tend towards Western notions of “good design,” minimalism, and cleanliness. For me, learning Graphic Design has meant resisting it. Having spent the majority of my life outside the US, my design lexicon was and continues to be heavily influenced by non-Western understandings of “good design.” I think Graphic Design in particular is activated by the social and cultural environment it inhabits and is not a monolith. My biggest learning curve in the field has been redefining what the subject means to me and finding ways to introduce my voice through my work. Looking back, I wish I didn’t let myself fall prey to the expectations of what I thought my work must look like to be considered objectively beautiful. I would like to believe that I have moved on from this tendency, but I still often find myself going back and forth between the two—especially when the Design World is saturated by the sheer quantity of work. Read more>>
Louis Mellinand
Cinematography is a craft in which you never stop learning from. It is something that takes a lot of effort to master, and in that regards, I am still very much learning and have a long way to be where I am. I got to where I am today by practicing this art form on a daily basis, taking risks, asking questions and exploring similar mediums such as photography. Moving from France to Chicago, I arrived determined and knew that I had to take any opportunity that was thrown at me. I knew that to become better, I had to simply create films. I rapidly became friends with Carlos Lerma, whom I met the first week of my Freshmen year. He and I had very similar ambitions, and to me I saw not only a great friend, but someone who was willing to grow with me within this art form. My first film that I have ever shot was “Wish We Never Met”. Read more>>
Tracie Jackson
I was introduced to traditional drum and dance rhythms from West Africa and the diaspora at the age of 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1995. I had never seen or heard of the art form before. I attended classes at Tulane University that were accompanied by live drumming and thought it was the best “work out” ever. I remember cringing when the teacher would explain the meaning of the rhythms and sing the songs that represented the rhythms. After all, I was merely interested in the work out not the culture, history or significance. Further, I was not an experienced dancer. I was not conditioned, not flexible, and had never trained as a dancer. However, as I continued to take classes over my ten -year span in New Orleans, the rhythms and music began to take hold. I moved to Houston, Texas in June of 2005, knowing only my then husband and two young sons. In an effort to adjust, I sought out African dance classes. Read more>>
Christian Robbie
Edith Wharton taught everything I know when it comes to being a writer. Wharton’s novels on New York Society, with their lush descriptions of social etiquette and interior design, helped me hone in on the details that make the page come alive for the reader. My twin passions for architecture and writing wouldn’t be what they are today without her guidance. And, yet, reading alone didn’t make a writer, writing did, and I absolutely recommend writing, writing, writing! It takes patience, persistence, and determination to be a writer, and it is a writer’s job to learn how to keep that tenacity and spark alive. Read more>>
Karen Jones
I had an mis-belief when I was younger that my art was at a high enough skill level to make a good living as an artist. I was always a good painter and I thought that if I made a painting that someone would always just buy it. Simple. I thought all I needed to do was to find my buyers, easy. I now know that skill and determination isn’t enough. In hind sight, I wasn’t skilled enough. A good painting needs to stop people in their tracks. It needs all of the foundations of art and it needs the understanding of which art camp you are in. If I was in the commercial artist camp and wanted to regularly and consistently sell art, I needed to make art that was buyable. Read more>>
Laura Ashley Smith
I think for me, I learned photography over a long period of time, through trial and error. I used photography as a tool in my other creative practices, but never saw it as it’s own practice until 2 years ago. It’s like that saying, “it happened slowly, then all at once.” Looking back in my life, I see multiple points where I picked up cameras and I was interested in taking photos, and in many ways I used photography as a way to showcase my other work; I see how I was always drawn to it. Two years ago, I came across a woman film photographer from British Columbia after researching an upcoming trip to Whistler. Her photos were everything I wanted to express. I had access to a couple film cameras and just decided to buy some film and figure it out. Since, I’ve studied by way of online platforms, podcasts, and photographer meetups. I think what kept me from finding photography in this way for so long was a lack of representation. I didn’t know you could, I never saw anyone do it. No one ever encouraged me or offered this path to me. It really took me being open and diligent in my pursuit of knowledge to believe this could be a successful path for me, trying new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Read more>>
Sylwia Vaclavek
Oh, my journey with photography started many years ago. To cheer me up after a dental procedure, my husband gifted me a DSLR camera. He has been an avid wildlife photographer for years and wanted to share his passion with me, just like his dad did with him. This was 18 or so years ago. We have been photographing wildlife and landscapes as a hobby since then. More seriously, I became interested in food photography about three years ago. Seeing all the photos of beautifully styled food on social media, I wanted the same. I was nervous when I signed up for my first food photography course. Different emotions and, of course, self-doubt crossed my mind. What if I can not do that? I do not have any creative genes, and it is hard for me to imagine and visualize things. Read more>>
Avishai Dayanim
As a composer, and specifically a composer for media, I have watched more than my fair share of YouTube tutorials, read countless books and guides, and have been fortunate to learn from incredible professors, faculty, and peers at several NYU Screen Scoring Workshops and as a Music for New Media Program undergraduate student at The Peabody Institute. On top of that, I have had incredible opportunities to experience the industry firsthand through various internships with remarkable composers and a leading music software company. Many of these opportunities can be hard to come by, especially for someone who is starting their media scoring journey. That is why I have found that simply consuming media – that is, listening to music, watching films and TV shows, and playing video games can be one of the easiest and most accessible ways to learn. Immersing myself in media has taught me incredible lessons that anyone can benefit from. Read more>>
Jessica Anderson
I am a firm believer that learning is a journey. There is always more to learn, and therefore I always remain teachable. It’s always practice, not perfection. I began teaching myself how to make jewelry as a teenager, creating macrame necklaces & bracelets. At 19 I got a job at a local bead store. Being submersed in the bead and jewelry making world, I quickly learned the basics of stringing, wire wrapping and pearl knotting, as well as some bead weaving techniques. I also learned a lot about gemstones, findings, and tools of the trade. Doing repairs, and creating jewelry for other designers became part of my day to day activities, in addition to making my own jewelry. In college I took metalsmithing classes which gave me an edge over what I already knew. Read more>>
Beth Barnard
Learning the art and craft of portrait and figurative sculpture over the last 7 years has taken me on a journey that’s literally taken me across the country and via video, across “the pond” as they say. It began here in Nashville, where I live, at the Open Studio of Alan LeQuire, a successful local sculptor, where I first attempted to draw, and eventually began to sculpt from live models. My first attempts at sculpting were pretty abysmal, but I fell in love with clay the moment I touched it. When Alan went out of the country, I then transitioned to work with live models at Warehouse 521, owned by artist Jeanie Smith. I opened a studio at the Clay Lady Campus where I took a class from sculptors Mark Schleiker and Nan Jacobson, both of whom specialize in working with water based clay. Then the Pandemic hit. Read more>>
Justin Armstrong
Hundreds of small painting study experiments in college and after! I have nearly all of that photo documented and organized on my computer. They’re essentially journal entries of procedural growths and occasional eurekas. The earliest small experiments contained 1 to 3 large brushstrokes; I seriously wanted to start somewhere near zero in terms of abstract art composition. Early on I decided that I liked distinguishing marks and colors from one another so that any blending or blurring would stem from our eyes dealing with it all. The smaller the shape or the sharper I wanted edges to be, the more I need to learn how to use masking tape. Fast-forward a few years, and now some of my artwork push several thousand distinct gestures based on patterns or semi-random color choices. You could compare the progression of my art process to a steady increase in resolution, like a computer screen has pixels. Read more>>
Brittani Johnson
My journey into graphic and website design actually began on BlackPlanet.com! At just 16, I probably had no business being on the platform lol, but looking back, I see how God used it for what I do today. I was captivated by profiles that really stood out and was determined to figure out how they were doing it. Turns out, they were enhancing their pages with HTML coding and creating visuals with graphic design software such as PaintShop Pro and Adobe Photoshop. That curiosity led me to dive in and teach myself both graphic and web design, reaching out to some BlackPlanet.com users and learning by trial and error. Read more>>
Ujjwal Bhattarai
I began my journey as a self-taught artist from a young age, earning the playful title of “bathroom singer” early on. Despite this light-hearted teasing, my passion for singing and performing has been a constant driving force in my life. I have always been drawn to the spotlight, eager to take center stage and lead from the front. This desire to share my voice and connect with an audience has been at the core of my artistic endeavors for as long as I can remember. Reflecting on my journey, there is little I would change, even with the benefit of hindsight. However, one area I wish I had focused more on is writing and releasing my original music earlier in my career. Creating and sharing original compositions would have allowed me to express my unique voice and connect with my audience on a deeper level. It would have also helped establish my identity as an artist more firmly. Read more>>
Danielle Cosby
I’m still learning every day. Every new experience brings fresh lessons, opportunities to course-correct, pivot, and grow. My learning has been shaped primarily through on-the-job experience. I’ve had the privilege of observing mentors and other leaders in action, soaking in their wisdom and strategies. I’ve also learned immensely from my own mistakes—often the most impactful teachers. Through it all, I’ve always embraced a mindset of humility. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, which keeps me open to learning, evolving, and adapting with each new challenge that comes my way. Read more>>
Andrew Dengate
As the son of an artist, I was always told to consider a different career path. I followed my heart into a science-based education in college and then followed it again into outdoor retail and recreation. I spent a lot of time learning skills unrelated to art, design, and illustration, but around every corner, there was another opportunity to spread those wings and flex those muscles. I was in a pool of dirt bags, ski patrollers, and small business owners. Uniquely, I understood their visual needs, but didn’t know how to take what I had as a sketch, and turn it into refined digital artwork for production as logos, on products, and for other marketing materials. I had spent so much time painting and drawing, but was faced with the need to make money, and not just dabble and play as I had for many years. Read more>>
Carlie Hatley
I learned how to macrame through YouTube videos and countless attempts and failures. When I first started learning to macrame, I couldn’t even create something as simple as a keychain. Knowing what I now know, I wish I had taken more creative risks and stopped wasting my time perseverating over how the final product would turn out. In that regard, I was my greatest obstacle. However, I am too stubborn to quit learning something until I have perfected it, and macrame was no exception. That being said, I think that having grit is the most essential key to accomplishing just about anything. Read more>>
Wesley Clark
I learned filmmaking through a combination of reading books on the craft, watching behind-the-scenes footage and “making of” documentaries, and most importantly, gaining hands-on experience while working on my first feature film “Sirona”. It’s been a journey of self-teaching and learning by doing but, my first feature film opened the door allowing me access to industry professionals who have helped me learn more as I continue to work on my craft. Read more>>
Dirk Braxton
When it comes to writing, I really studied the people that I look up to, and still do today. I started writing when I was 11 and I would try to imitate a lot of my favorite artist at the time such as Slick Rick, ODB, Bizzy Bone, Lil Wayne, MF DOOM, etc. When it comes to producing, I just learned by playing around in FL studio as a teenager. There really wasn’t many tutorials online when I started, so I just did whatever I thought sounded nice or until I found out what worked. If I was to start over, I would really focus on emphasizing being a student of the craft, really zoning in on how the music makes me feel, and learn how to re create that feeling. I would learn the basics of writing and producing and then just lead with the heart from there. Read more>>
Emre Gokalp
I was about 7 years old when I first picked up a guitar. I vividly remember my cousin, Can Gokalp, staying with us and spending time with my father. They would often hang out, playing the guitar and singing together. My father, a brilliant tenor, performed leading roles in some of the most iconic operas, like Verdi’s La Traviata and Puccini’s Tosca. He was also like a close friend to me, and I was always eager to get his attention so we could play games together. Wanting to be part of the music, I started imitating my cousin on the guitar. It didn’t take long for my father to notice that I had a natural talent for it. He did some research and quickly found out that Ahmet Kanneci, one of the most influential figures in the history of classical guitar in Türkiye, was living in Ankara—where we were based. Fortunately, Mr. Kanneci was kind enough to accept me as a student, and from there, things took off. Read more>>
Olive Capri
My burlesque journey began when I took my very first class in my local community, and I was hooked! From there I started attending shows, the very first professional I saw perform was Madison Jane, they had me mesmerized it was then I knew I just had to immerse myself in this fabulous world. From there, I fell down the rabbit hole of YouTube tutorials, and let me tell you, Vera Valentinaa became my queen! Her videos were like the perfect guidebook to what a polished, professional burlesque star should be. She really set the stage (pun intended!) for me. Read more>>