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.

Julia Saqui

I learnt the skills on the job, and I think people forget that that is the case for most jobs. When hiring its important to remember you’re looking for the type of person who could take the role and run with it. Read more>>

Nina Louise

Like many artists, my journey began in childhood through play and imagination. I declared I wanted to be an artist as early as first grade, and I followed through on that dream. I took every art class available through school and eventually diving deep in high school, especially during my AP Art class. That’s where I first connected with acrylic paint and began exploring spiritual themes in my work. Read more>>

Laura Gonzalez

Like many professional photographers, this all started as a hobby. In 2011 I bought my first DSLR camera and began experimenting, taking photos of family and friends, then slowly taking classes. I looked up everything from online classes, mentorships, in person workshops, YouTube videos, you name it! When I decided to specialize in newborn photography, I knew safety was top priority for me. I had hands on experience with mentors that could guide me in how to properly pose and handle a newborn baby. This I believe makes the biggest difference in hiring a professional. It’s essential to know what you are doing when caring for a stranger’s baby. Read more>>

JC Torres

I didn’t take the traditional path and honestly, that’s been one of my biggest advantages. Everything I know about marketing came from real-world experience. I’ve spent over 14 years diving deep into different industries such as entertainment, tech, finance, satellite communications—and every step of the way, I picked up tools, insights, and lessons that helped me grow. I learned by saying “yes” to things that scared me, by observing brilliant people around me, and by getting my hands dirty in every part of the process from content creation to big-picture strategy. Read more>>

Madison Newton

1. Learning by doing is my number 1. I see others doing beautiful pieces of art, and it inspires me to create but with my own spin and style. Hours and years of practice, stepping out of my comfort zone, getting good feedback, and evolving my own niche all played a role in my growth. Read more>>

Alyssa

To be honest, I started learning to paint on my own back in high school. I was really drawn to it, so I spent a lot of time practicing independently. Later, I pursued a Fine Arts degree in college, which helped me refine my skills and deepen my understanding of painting and drawing. That’s where I learned proper techniques, how to use brushes and other materials effectively, and developed more discipline in my work. Read more>>

Bernardo Figueroa

I didn’t learn what I do in a straight line. I didn’t go to school to become a woodworker, or a designer, or someone who makes sound systems by hand. It happened slowly, almost sideways—through curiosity, through building things I wanted to exist, and through needing to figure things out as I went. Read more>>

Anthony Damaschino

I’ve always believed that everyone has a book in them. Each of us carries a story, a narrative, a lived experience worth sharing. The uniqueness of our lives and how we interpret them makes every person interesting. So, deciding to write a book wasn’t some grand, intimidating pursuit for me. It felt simple: all you need is a computer, your thoughts, and some sense of how to tell a compelling tale. The barriers to entry are minimal. Read more>>

Matthew Krell

Tracking artistic growth in the first person is challenging. True progress often becomes clear only with time, such as when reviewing an older performance recording with mature, impartial ears. Despite growing up in a small coastal town in Canada, I was fortunate to have exceptional teachers in piano, music theory, and drama. Their influence profoundly shaped my understanding of the traditional learning process required for musicians in post-secondary and conservatory training. I began my undergraduate studies at 20, which motivated me to complete my schooling efficiently. Summer and winter sessions defined my undergraduate degrees at The Master’s University and graduate studies at the University of Southern California, all before the widespread availability of online learning options that surged post-pandemic. I believe I completed these degrees as quickly as possible. Read more>>

Ira Storozhenko

My journey would rather be called unique, and it began a long time ago, when I entered the film university in Russia, and continued when I moved to the United States to pursue my education and get a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. So take it or leave it – I have had the two most different styles of teaching. And hell – I have learned a lot of how and what to do and what not to. Read more>>

Panchita

As a visual artist, I’m completely self taught. I like to think that I’ve inherited a lot of skills from my ancestors, all very artistic and creative people. My dad is an incredible painter and I feel very connected to my ancestors when I create.

When the pandemic came, I had been painting on pots and furniture at that point for about 2 years. I had the strong urge to bring my paintings to the 3d and heard about air dry clay and bought some from a company called Sculptd. I watched a few Youtube videos to get the hang of the basics and from there I was off. Read more>>

Sarah J. Hull

There’s always the technical side of learning and that is so much easier to quantify. For that, since 2018 I’ve been working though the Certificate and Diploma program in technical embroidery with the Royal School of Needlework which is based in the UK. Also seeking out and studying with teachers and mentors both in person and through virtual access within whatever technique/media my artwork draws me to – from various textile techniques, to glass, to artist’s book creation – there are so many talented people who are willing to share the technical side of their work. The conceptual side of my work comes from reading, going to art exhibitions both in museums and local galleries, attending lectures, attending concerts in all different genres, and from my yoga and meditation practices. Read more>>

Damon Eagleton

I’m a multi-instrumentalist, and each was a different learning experience. I am a self-taught drummer (started around 3 years old), and mostly learned from playing in church. As I got older, I started to find videos of professional drummers and watched some of those to get pointers from guys who had been in the business for a while. I would watch them and incorporate some of the concepts into my own playing to form my own style. I took piano lessons from elementary school through Jr. High, and then again my last year of high school. I played the sax in the middle school band, but the majority of my learning happened at church. I am currently teaching myself bass guitar. Read more>>

Nick Alimonos

Most people these days do not treat the literary craft in the same way they would other artistic mediums. You would not expect someone to pick up a violin for the first time and learn to play beautifully after only a month of practice — at least not to the extent that someone would pay to hear their performance. You would not expect someone who has only just started painting to have their work displayed in a quality museum. Unfortunately, there is often little consideration given to the years, sometimes even decades, of practice required to master the art of storytelling. Agents and publishers do not ask you about your experience or level of education, and aspiring authors have taken note, expecting to write a bestseller within a year or less. While Amazon has made finding readers more accessible, the craft has suffered as a result. Read more>>

Reewa (Reevs) R

Music is a gift, and I firmly believe it cannot be taught in the conventional sense. It can only be nurtured, refined, and polished, much like a diamond. I began my studies in classical piano at the age of four, having started to learn from my father at just two. My first public performance took place when I was four, where I had the privilege of singing a Hindi bhajan. I consider myself extraordinarily fortunate to have been born into a family where music is both a tradition and a passion. Each day is filled with the discovery of new notes and skills to be mastered. Both my parents are singers, and my grandfather was one as well. I feel truly blessed to have this musical gift coursing through my veins. Read more>>

Leslie Sims

My journey into art jewelry has been both reflective and liberating—a soulful return to my roots and a reconnection with my creative essence. As a child, I delighted in sketching, painting, and playing with accessories—always drawn to vibrant color palettes and bold expressions of style. My mother, ever the fashionista, had an effortless flair for accessorizing, and that passion quickly became mine. I still remember flipping through the pages of Essence and Ebony, captivated by the poise of African-American women styled in striking, self-assured ensembles. My family nurtured creativity with pride. My Nana, a gifted milliner who built a successful hat business across multiple locations, showed me what it meant to turn personal vision into a legacy. Their influences lit a creative spark in me that never truly dimmed—it simply evolved. Read more>>

Yuna Jo

I picked up my first DSLR camera in 2013, fresh into junior high, full of curiosity and excitement at the thought of exploring an unfamiliar world. My interest in photography and film came naturally at a young age, and I let that passion fuel me to absorb anything and everything I could possibly access online (YouTube videos, photography blogs, Google search). By teaching myself foundational skills and practicing in between academic and extracurricular responsibilities, I gradually developed my style over time. Read more>>

Tesh Parekh

Growing up, I was good at drawing and watercolor painting. So I used to paint for fun in my free time. As an adult, I came back to painting later in life. I was curious about oil painting, so learned that on my own. Painting in oils is a complex process even if you paint in direct style. It has taken me long time to work out my current Oil painting process which is solvent-free. Watercolors offer lot more freedom to explore and learn. When painting in realism, every single thing is important and essential: drawing, color, values, composition and so on. I tend to explore certain things more because of my personal preference. E.g. I draw and paint in watercolors more often as both are very portable mediums. Read more>>

Che Askew

It all started from YouTube. I fell in love with a series of musicians making music on YouTube in the early 2010’s. Since then I wanted to learn how to make music from song writing, to production and audio engineering.
The hardest obstacle was lack of resources. I come from a single mother with 5 kids so money wasn’t plentiful. I learned how that hurdle is easily overcome with hard work and people skills. Overtime I’ve gained opportunities learned new skills and continuously practice and hone the craft. Read more>>

Jennifer Tra

It was all very much self directed learning at first. If I was years back in time, I’d tell myself to immediately find a coach who could guide me and practice, practice, practice!

The most essential skills to have were not what most would think at first — communication and networking were and still are key to sustaining my career. Second is acting, and third is being able to be creative and take direction.  Read more>>

Lynette La Fontaine

I am grounded in my Michif culture and my art work involves traditional materials, protocols, relationships to knowledge keepers, Elders, the land and waters, and ceremony. I learned many of my skills from traditional mentorships and time in community. Each traditional art form takes years to build a relationship with a knowledge holder or Elder, learn the processing and understanding of materials, as well as learning to work with the materials in my art practice. Traditional art practices are laborious and slow. I respect the need for a lot of patience, focus, humility, and discipline for working with natural materials. We have to be mindful of the health of the animals, land, water, plants, and each other when working with our traditional materials, which are often the parts of fish, birds, and animals we traditionally harvest and cannot eat, such as hair, skin, fur, scales, and more.  Read more>>

Lex Torgerson

When I was little, I did crafts with my grandmother a lot. Mostly sewing. Still do even! When I was in middle school, I started reading Japanese comics and watching anime. Of course it only made sense to combine the two when I heard about “cosplay.” Then right after high school, I started offering commissioned work. After a few years, cosplay got really really popular and everyone was doing it really competetively while I was mostly doing it for fun. I can’t take the heat whether I’m sewing for myself or someone else, so I quit doing that, and stuck to sewing the occasional piece for friends. Read more>>

Brandon Follick

I think this is true for every comedian ever, but I had no choice but to learn by going on stage as much as possible and sharing my writing as much as possible. I grew up around witty adults and made friends who celebrated how insane I was/am, so I knew early on that I was funny. But being funny has always felt (and still feels) like some mercurial sensibility that needs an incident to reveal itself. Sometimes I present as a normal, unassuming person, so being funny can feel like holding onto static electricity until there’s something to touch. Read more>>

Pinkiee J

Learning any new skill has it’s highs and lows. The beginning stages of Content Creation can be scary at times. Finding your niche, jumping into a over saturated field, the need to know information. My early stages of creating I had no sense of direction. Overwhelmed, overthinking ideas, searching for my “people and or Audience “ There is so many components that aided in my discouragement. So I spent time watching others, seeing what my current viewers engaged in the most in! Shortly after my consistency posting of my style and makeup artistry, I learned that The up side to creating is once you realize it’s personality and individuality base your unstoppable! Read more>>

Gaspar Avedisyants

I came to New York in January 2023 to study at the New York Film Academy. It was my first encounter with filmmaking – and also my first time in the U.S. Film school became the starting point where I began gaining my first knowledge and building my first connections. It wasn’t exactly a chill time for me – I was learning everything from scratch. But at some point, I started to realize that I actually knew something. That feeling is incredibly motivating. It keeps you going. Read more>>

Joshua Lance

I went to schools at different times in my life. I also went to the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy last year to gain a classical foundation for my portrait skills. Learning drawing and composition skills has helped me see better. I’ve gone through years of self doubt and low confidence but I never gave it. Read more>>

Lena Bekh

I was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan. That time it was a Soviet Union republic. When I was a little girl I was dreaming of beautiful toys and dolls, but there were only very simple ones in the shops. My parents got me 2 craft books about stuffed toys. I was about 5 years old. And that time my creative journey has started. I asked my mom to teach me how to sew and knit. And my grandma taught me basics of crocheting. Read more>>

Dan Zalles

I’m a performing singer, instrumentalist songwriter, music producer, and video producer. I’ve released ten solo albums and five albums with bands, all containing my songs. All these albums are available for streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and all other major streaming platforms. Read more>>

Karen Vetter

When I was in my mid-thirties and we had two small children, I was working as a Medical Administrator for UNR medical clinical practices one of my friends asked me if I wanted to take a pottery class with her. So I did. My first teacher was amazing and 10 years younger than me. She had just earned a Masters Degree for UC Davis in Ceramics. I took classes from her for almost four years. They had to move from the area and I bought a lot of her equipment. My husband and I built a studio and guest bedroom on our property. Dreams to Reality Pottery was born. Read more>>

Alex Mounir

Trial and error. Constantly pushing. I wasn’t born with the talent I have now. I worked really freaking hard to get where I am. Constantly pushing means constantly growing. The craft is a never ending learning game. There will always be room for improvement, and experience plays a huge factor into it. I know in 5 years I’ll look back at where I am today laughing because I’ll have grown so much. I also credit a huge role to my acting coach Mari Ferguson, I would never be where I am today without her. Read more>>