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.

Dylan Shrier

I am a multidisciplinary designer and athlete whose career blends a passion for sports with creative expertise in branding, marketing, and visual storytelling. After studying Graphic Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where I also played college tennis, I launched into the professional world working on dynamic projects for major sports brands. Read more>>

Day’sha Ramsey

I originally learned how to be a model and an actress through courses taken with my agency. At 18 years old I started courses with John Casablancas while also attending college as a psychology student. Throughout the years my craft and expertise was developed through obtaining jobs, and seeking relevant opportunities that would advance me further in my pursuit. I’ve had job placements through the agency as big as working with Bloomingdales on multiple occasions. While also remembering to make time for investment work such as working with local photographers/videographers to build my portfolio, as well as local designers/producers to enhance the arts in the community. Read more>>

Jeffrey Adams

Self-taught, entirely. My academic background is in history which is an excellent major for research and writing. My education as a dramatist is from reading and practical experience. Read more>>

Shadan Koohbor

Growing up in a Baháʼí family in Iran, I was exposed to music from a very early age. This atmosphere inspired me to start playing the flute. However, because of my religious background, I was banned from accessing higher education in my hometown. I completed my bachelor’s degree through the Baháʼí Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), and later, I was accepted into Berklee’s Master’s program in Scoring for Film, TV, and Video Games. Read more>>

Faith Stanton

Wow — that’s such a great question, and honestly, the answer has so many layers. It really depends on the what, where, who, how, and when. My journey has been shaped by different people and experiences throughout various stages of my life. When it comes to acting, I’ve learned so much from the people around me, especially my peers. My best friend Claudine, who’s an incredible actress, has taught me countless invaluable lessons — just by watching her, working with her, and learning alongside her. I’ve also attended different schools and programs that helped shape my skills and deepen my understanding of the craft. Read more>>

Caden Gilbert

I’ve been around music my whole life, so picking a specific moment that I began learning would be challenging. However, I finally decided to buckle down and “learn” guitar around mid-2020. In the height of the pandemic, when I had nothing better to do, I decided I’d teach myself guitar. I learned chords to play my favorite songs, and that was how I got decent on my own. Read more>>

Nancy

I taught myself. To be honest. I never thought this is what I would be doing, but life gives you challenges and sometimes you have to pivot. I first started doing mixed media, making altered books, and then journals as a fun hobby in my free time. I just kept learning different techniques and moved from one new little concept to the next. It became a rabbit hole of all types of interesting ways to blend and layer. I love old paper and textiles, so those get added into a lot of my work. I hate throwing things away because they might be just the perfect thing to add to the next project or maybe one next year, who knows? So upcycling and repurposing are very important to me too. Read more>>

Genesis Shine

I have been passionate about creative writing for most of my life, even earning an award in the 8th grade. Around that time, I began writing my first poetry book, which I used as a diary until I turned 18, when it was unfortunately lost due to a basement leak. By then, I had also developed an interest in media and promotions, inspired by watching sports agents effortlessly articulate their thoughts during moments when I felt unheard and misunderstood. Read more>>

Aimee Tiede

I’ve loved visual art for as long as I can remember. Even back in preschool, I was drawn to color, texture and creating. My parents framed a finger painting I did at the age of 3 or 4 and it hung in their home for decades, only recently giving it to me. It’s faded over the last 40 years, and I have to laugh every time I see it where it aptly hangs in the bathroom, but it is a poignant reminder of my lifelong love of art. I was fortunate to grow up in a creative and encouraging household. My mom studied interior design, and my dad was a talented hobbyist woodworker who built furniture and other pieces for our home. There’s even a photo of me as a baby sitting in a car seat out in the garage while my dad worked on one of his projects. Read more>>

Cam Williams

I terms of a songwriter, I learned how to write songs initially by taking a creative writing class in high school. That class was taught by Mr. Hessee my senior year of high school and was life changing. He taught me to think about themes, prose, alliteration, different rhyme patterns, and how to tell a short story with a complete story arc in my music. That class was just the foundation because I still needed to experience more life to take my writing to another level and be able to express myself in a meaningful way. Ultimately life became the best teacher and provided the best lessons. Read more>>

Beau Raines

I have been feeling this idea intensely, coming to the realization that I find myself with a series of methods or intentions with my creative process, at least from a technical standpoint, that are now deeply rooted in the way I personally want the work to be done. I have two thoughts around this:

1. I am curious how differently my experience developing a creative tool for myself would have been if the journey had started with these realizations explained, and a goal set in this perspective. An understanding of what to aim for, the idea of leaning on what’s been done before, and using the experience to cultivate a personalized canon of methods and approach to the craft. Read more>>

Raven Skyriver

I learned how to work with glass through the traditional method of apprenticing with artists who had a deep knowledge of the material, and of their craft. I am not sure there would be a lot I could have done to speed up the process of learning. To become a skilled maker of any craft or art form it takes thousands of hours of practice. Once you have a mastery of the medium, then you have the artistic vocabulary to express yourself. I would equate it to learning to master and instrument. There aren’t a lot of ways to cut corners. The most important skills, are a good work ethic, and good attitude and dogged determination to keep learning and pushing yourself. Some people have an innate ability that makes the learning easier, but it still boils down to dedication and practice. Read more>>

Matthew Corey

Being in audio production where I was both recording bands (including my own bands) and making beats for rappers, skills come from research or experience. Like learning other crafts, diving into both is absolutely a must. This is because you might acquire knowledge by researching how others are doing things online, you might be lucky enough to have someone showing you how to do things or answering questions, but all of that knowledge lacks context to the project you’re working on and personal taste. It’s only through your own experience that you can apply that knowledge and determine whether it’s working or not. Here’s what I mean: Read more>>

Kristina Martin

I watched other YouTubers and decided I could do the same thing but maybe add more to my videos. I don’t think I could have done anything different to speed up making the videos though I do wish I learned more about Adobe Premiere Pro back then (I’m starting to learn more about that software now :) Read more>>

Danielle Rodriguez

I took a pottery class in college, but it was only until COVID happened that I found it. I heard about a studio that opened near me, and eventually I sign up for a class. It was just a really good time, It felt really approachable to me and a welcome break from everything happening. Read more>>

Heidi Roussel

Honestly, I learned to do what I do through a mix of formal education, experimentation, and a whole lot of trial and error. Art school taught me the technical foundation, but the real growth came from showing up day after day, messing up, and learning what not to do. If I could go back and speed up the process, I would’ve asked for more help and not been so afraid of looking like I didn’t know something. I think I wasted time thinking I had to prove myself before I could truly learn. But learning is the proving. The most essential skills for me have been curiosity, resilience, and the ability to receive feedback without taking it personally. Learning how to critique and be critiqued, genuinely, not defensively changed everything for me. Read more>>

Steve Courchaine

I did not attend art school, but developed my craft through many years of practice and pure determination. Although I started out in a business career, my true passion was painting, and I would take up a brush as often as I could. It was a natural progression towards art, and a true calling. Read more>>

Pasquiat Smith

I’ve been a creative person since a child. I would draw shoes, super heroes, jewelry, and more. When I got to my senior year in high school, I had an art class with a teacher by the name of Patrick Burton. In this class I learned many things like different painting techniques, how to store paint, different styles (or eras) of painting, how to mix colors, etc. After I graduated high school in 2013, I stopped painting completely. It was not until 2021 when my son was interested in the characters from the movie Spawn and I told him that I could draw the characters. I went to the art supply store and bought a bunch of paints, brushes, a light box, and more. From then, I have not stopped painting and plan to paint for as long as I can. Read more>>

Andrew Stevens

There’s a lot of writing advice out there, and I mean, a LOT. But anyone who really knows what they’re talking about will tell you that you shoulden listen to none of it, but also, all of it. Makes sense, right? Well, let me explain.

Like anything in life you want to get good at, there’s always advice, but the main way you learn is by doing. I think a lot of aspiring authors can get tripped up on the “aspiring” part, focusing on all the things they don’t know how to do, all the techniques they think they need to master, all the right words and sentence structures, that they forget the most important part–the writing itself. Read more>>

Wenqing Bao

Before joining So Me Seattle, I had many years of professional experience, primarily in project coordination and management. This background gave me a solid foundation in organization, execution, and communication. My two co-founders also bring strong and complementary backgrounds to the team: Songsong has a fine arts background and holds a quilting instructor certificate from the Japan Handicraft Instructors’ Association; Mei is a seasoned maker with years of teaching experience. Both have prior experience in entrepreneurship and working with large nonprofit organizations. Together, our diverse strengths make So Me’s foundation and operations both professional and full of heart. Read more>>

Rebecca Fox

I’m mostly self-taught. I started by taking a sculpture class at City College of San Francisco. In that class, there was a welding area. I had never thought about welding before, but I decided to give it a try and something instantly clicked. I kept learning by creating sculptures and figuring out which tools, materials, and processes I needed along the way. Read more>>

Rhyan Turnbow

For my whole life, as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for documenting & creating. Specifically with a camera. I used to steal my parents phones to record & direct silly movies, make music videos with my Polly pockets, and photography every single ordinary thing around the house with my moms cherry red point and shoot camera. One year early in my high school days, my mom surprised me with the nicest camera I have ever laid eyes on. It was a very basic Nikon dslr, but man was I smitten! I’ve never had anything like this! I was over the moon, and then I realized how many buttons.. and modes.. and setting there were on this camera. Read more>>

Michael Ouzas

You never stop learning to write. The gift of being a writer is that every single movie or episode of TV you watch has something to teach you. The curse of being a writer is that it can be hard to relax when you’re watching something because you’re constantly analyzing everything. You see something truly beautiful and, as you’re crying, you’re thinking “How did the writer make me feel like this? How can I do that in my scripts?” Or you watch something that doesn’t quite work and you wonder “How would I have done this better?” Read more>>

Nite Owl

Throughout life, the best way for me to learn something is by repetition. Doing it over & over & over again. I didn’t say by watching it on You Tube or from the sidelines, actually doing it! Reps!!!! My racing coach & mentor, Wes Brown says… “You do something a million times you’re gonna be a master at it”. When I played high school & college football, I was one of the best route runners because I spent hours studying the route tree & how to maneuver on the field. Same with Flatland. It took me well over five hundred attempts before I landed most of my difficult tricks. Who am I kidding, it’s all difficult. Lol! Read more>>

Hannah Madison-Taylor

When I first began my career, there really wasn’t a specific type of degree at a university, or very many resources that provided a ‘how-to’ guide for what I hoped to do. In the very beginning, a lot of skills and lessons I learned were on the job, and while I was working on projects. Looking back, I would say I think some of the learning process could have been sped up by my joining more professional organizations early on, with access to mentorship programs.I truly believe connecting in with the right people in your field, and finding a few great mentors, can be a game changer for your career goals.The most essential skills I started out with during my early career journey, were discipline and tenacity. Read more>>

Joe Pontillo

For stand-up comedy I never took a class, unless you count a public speaking class I took in college. The best grade I received was for a speech where I technically advocated committing a crime (Pirating music). I just thought I was funny and if I went on stage and started talking, hilarity would naturally flow out of me. Eventually that did happen but it took years of getting on stage regularly and realizing that one of the keys to comedy is having some semblance of a recurring act. Of course you can do different jokes every night but at least have some regular bits you can pull from to keep the flow going. Read more>>

Davron Bowman

I’ve always had a natural inclination toward creativity. As a kid, I had a hyperactive imagination, thrived in art classes, and was endlessly fascinated by design. I picked up a camera at age three — an old-school Polaroid with the flip-up flash — and I was hooked. Photography became my lifelong passion, but due to growing up in a strict religious household, I wasn’t allowed to pursue a creative career or attend college to build my skillset. That dream stayed on the back burner for over a decade. Read more>>

Devin Pruden

I picked up my instrument later on in life than most of my peers. So, my path is a bit different. During my senior year in high school, I was pushed by the director to join jazz band as the drummer. He even loaned me a drum set to take home so I could start practicing. My first years on the instrument were spent by just getting used to playing the instrument and playing to songs I’d hear. After a while, I started to quickly get involved playing in bands with friends. Read more>>

Hitomi Gonzales

“Pursuing your interest” is the first step we often overthink. We get stuck in analysis paralysis, use the excuse that it’s saturated, then delay the action verb, “pursue.” I recall spending way too much time deliberating on an instagram handle, reading books on how to get started, and struggling to niche down when in reality we discover ourselves, unravel talents, develop skills, and rebrand along the way. We’re often emulating other people’s work and if I were to go back in time to speed up the learning process, I would have just shown up authentically as myself—unapologetically in my rawest state. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable and we surpass the bounds we’ve built unconsciously. Go all in—as you are—and watch the magic that is you. Read more>>

Sage Mayer

Acting is something that you are constantly learning. You learn how not to act and there is no way to speed up this process. You learn from observation, mistakes and classes. Because in a class you will be called out if you aren’t authentic. Read more>>

Ceci Tucker

I feverishly got swept up into the non-toxic beauty world after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in 2015. I wanted to clean up my beauty, cleaning & household products so as to not further disrupt my endocrine system due to the chemicals that come in traditional everyday products (especially the ones with synthetic fragrances). It started with my make up bag and tossing out any “toxic” make up, and switching to an alternative “clean” brand instead. That then led into swapping out skincare products, and eventually my household products as well. In 2017 I moved into a new home, and wanted to toss out all my candles (that always gave me headaches) and transition to a more natural option. Read more>>

Sarah Samira Yancey

Starting my design career, I got really lucky to work alongside a great mentor, Creative Director Howard Nourmand, at his creative production studio Grand Jeté in Hollywood. That experience was foundational. I was exposed to the real world of creative work early on and thrown into a fast-paced environment with a wide range of projects for some big-name clients. Honestly, it was a “thrown into the cold water” situation (how we say in Germany) and that kind of pressure forced me to learn quickly across different creative disciplines like design, animation, photography, and video. Read more>>