We asked some of the most talented folks in the community to talk to us about projects they’ve worked on that they still think about, projects that really meant something. Have you had such an experience? Are you looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out the stories below, they are exciting, entertaining, and most importantly – inspiring.

Estelle Ford-Williamson

A number of years ago, I was asked to meet with my church’s own Mother Teresa, a 60ish widow named Gini Eagan, and her friend, who was one of the former Lost Boys of Sudan, now living in a community near our church in Stone Mountain, GA. This very tall, smiling, basketball-coach’s-dream-of-a-player was named Majok Marier, and he carried a notebook full of essays he’d written in English as a Second Language classes about his experiences fleeing the Sudanese Army at the age of seven. He was now about thirty. Read more>>

Matthew Csernansky

The most meaningful project for me was a four-ton sculpture made from half-inch corten steel using only mechanical connections. This piece I call “Folded Weight” would have to be the one that challenged me the most and was the most rewarding in the end as well. I love the idea of weight and scale, and the large scale sculptures of Andrew Caldor and Andrew Goldsworthy. I wanted to find my own way of exploring those concepts. Read more>>

Caroline Chamberlain

One of the most meaningful pieces that I have made is the first peacock artwork that I made. Back in 2019, I started to advertise my string art on my personal facebook and showcasing some of the small pieces that I made as gifts for friends. One of my neighbors contacted me, and asked if he could commission me to make a peacock for his wife as a birthday gift. The piece had to be fairly large to get all the feathers and details, and this design was something I have never made before. I ended up making this piece on a board that was 2 feet by 2 feet large, and I was ready for this new and exciting challenge. This piece probably took me over two weeks to make because of all the details. Read more>>

CREAM CAMINO

Hands down it’s our latest unreleased project which actually has a single, “Little Babe”, due to be streaming everywhere Sunday, November 27, 2022. After a fun summer of shows at festivals and fairs, we’ve been hard at work in the studio to bring to our fans and new listeners what Cream Camino sounds like now that we’re a four piece. Read more>>

THE OTH3RS

We probably would have to say our most meaningful project that we have worked on would be the “.Wavs” project which will be dropping really soon. We did produced the whole project for our longtime collaborator Jay Kell & Shelby Ruger. Every song was engineered by Relli who we have been working with since the beginning of our career suits all family. The project is the first of its kind in our opinion. We push the sound of what’s coming out in Houston and music in general. The team let us have full control over the creative process allowing us to display our sound to the fullest. Read more>>

Mikayla Meyers

I have been teaching high school level English at a residential behavioral mental health facility for going on three years now. At this facility, I have been given the privilege to be a consistent, reliable force in the lives of children facing extreme traumas, addictions, and mental illnesses. While children are placed in this facility, I encourage them to explore creative writing not only as a creative outlet but as a coping skill and therapeutic activity. I have a benchmark set that any student who writes at least 23 pages of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, raps, etc. Read more>>

Michael Carter

I’ve worked on several different projects over the years. It would be hard for me to put one above the others because each shoot is unique in it’s approach, concept, and motivation. Some work that means a lot to me personally would be shoots that I’ve done with a good friend Max Gorman. Max had a concept that was breaking down barriers and stereotypes of women in the corporate workplace. Read more>>

Oba Rowland

Well I currently have 19 project circulating through streaming. I am pretty fond of all of them to be honest but if I had to pick one that impressed me most, it would be a 5 way tie! lol Between my very first Album FEEL ME (2010), FOUND ONE (2015), NORTHLAND (2018), BLACK SANTA 2 (2018), and HOPE YOU’RE PROUD OF ME. I have to link all 5 of these together because throughout my career these where the projects whee i fell like Ive accomplish the “unsought of” for the moment. Nobody and i do mean NOBODY, in music during these time periods where creatively expressing themselves the way I was from where I’m from. Read more>>

Courtney Plaszenski

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my most current project, a feature documentary for a non-profit missions organization called SOS Adventure. This ministry serves the poor and shares the love of Jesus throughout the continent of Africa. I’ve worked as the Media Director for SOS Adventure for the past two years, shooting and editing content from our big festivals to promotional content for various programs within the organization. Read more>>

DJ Chocolate Rocket

I have two different projects that make my heart warm. The 1st is my Goddess Takeover mixtape, and the second is my Takeover event. These 2 things came about after working on a collaboration with other DJs and seeing there were no female voices on the final compilation. I have a passion for independent artist, and I especially love to highlight dope female artist. The highlighting of female artist is what the Goddess Takeover Mixtape is all about. These womxn provide feel good music that most wouldn’t have the opportunity to witness. Read more>>

Swee Ling Brown

Definitely designing and constructing my sister’s wedding dress. We are extremely close and I probably know her better than she knows herself. I wanted to do something special and felt so honored I was able to do it! I got very fortunate that she was so easy going with the whole process and basically let me do whatever I wanted in all aspects from sketching the design, to choosing the fabrics, and adding the final touches because she trusted me so well. Read more>>

Liz Linder

A meaningful project that stands out is a recent one. I had an opportunity to capture fathers, children, and reunited families to strengthen the bonds between them. Father’s Uplift, an advocacy organization founded by Charles Daniels and Samantha Fils-Daniels has a mission to change the world by fostering a sense of resilience and connection between fathers and their children. The opportunity to elevate not only individual family connections, but also this client’s visual communication serves the greater community. Read more>>

Amanda Gomez-Rivera

I think each project I’ve worked on has represented a phase of myself, even if that project has nothing to do with what I might be going through/doing/learning at the time it’s made. So, I think the most meaningful is whatever I’m currently working on because with each new project, I feel growth. So, that would be my first feature film, “Immaculate Deception.” It’s currently in pre-production. Still working on edits of the script, we put the proof of concept in festivals, and are looking into pitch competitions. It’s the first long-form project I’ve ever done and it’s taken years just to get to this point. Read more>>

Jonathan Fairchild

The most meaningful project I”ve worked on would have to be the two songs I just finished post-pandemic with Jasmine Crowe. Poolside and Love is the reason. Poolside is about coming to life in Hollywood but loving the simplicity of good company and relaxing near the poolside. A stop and look at the flowers concept with a good uplifting beat, dancing, and soulful vocals. The song is very true to what I do to relax and find joy in daily life, stop taking a beat and look at the beauty around you. Sometimes we need a little reminder of gratitude in daily life. Read more>>

Karl Keels

I released a project last year known as 4 below Freeze. It has a lot of significance because the music was a direct reflection of where I was mentally and emotionally the few years leading up to that process and what was currently going on in my life. My collaborative partner Becker and I operated a studio in the Towson area; where in my free time I would work on music. In 4 months I recorded about 75 songs. One of them was my most successful solo record to date, “Palo Santos”. When i release that song ahead of the project, I got an overwhelming wave of support that i did not experience before. Read more>>

Brian Benham

I have been fortunate enough to have worked on many meaningful projects. However, the ones that stand out the most are the ones where I can tell the client’s story and add to it. One client wanted me to build a shelf to display his model train from his childhood. As the design progressed, I knew it couldn’t be just any shelf. So I created a shelf with a tunnel shape cut into the supports so the train could pass through. Read more>>

DS Will

Throughout my career as a creative, I have had the pleasure of working with some worthwhile artists. Through these collaborations, I have seen some meaningful projects come to fruition. One that recently stands out is the short film entitled Kings. Directed by the brilliant Aniyah Bourne and presented by both the M.A.N.iFEST Committee and Brainstemology LLC, Kings highlights the journey of black men, from Africa to America, overcoming systematic barriers and stereotypical myths. Read more>>

Jerm V. Dweeb Kil.

I currently run/operate a merchandise brand & creative performance by the name of “Dweeb Kil.” (@dweebkil): Throughout the East Coast (in spots across North Carolina, Georgia, & Florida). This kind of creative endeavor is made to house my artwork/illustrations, streetwear I can screenprint & fashion into existence, & the catalog of revolving creative collectibles I’ve made to purchase at various vending markets/events. As a freelancing graphic design artist, I conduct creative design work within digital/artwork assembly sessions: Tailored to advertise newly found (or existing) brands, music/bands, & beginning small businesses (through my own illustrative packaging design service “Valentine Heart Studio Art”). Read more>>

Vik Lizardo

My most meaningful project was my first one. Not because of the concept in the story or anything too deep in that sense but because it had such a positive impact on my life. I simply wanted to keep creating. I was 24 at the time and I had to present my senior capstone in college, it was a short film. The audience absolutely loved it and my favorite part was that I loved making this project and, at that moment I knew this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Brenda Walker

The most meaningful project to me was my recent short film. NAKED. A story that discusses topics related to Black women such as Colorism, Codependency, Competition, and Body Image. I always knew that I wanted to write a story that was centered around Black women. So, once the pandemic hit, I had nothing but time. Then the process of creating NAKED began. I conducted a research project, where I interviewed a diverse group of 50 Black women ranging in different ages, tones, career-paths, and economic statuses. Read more>>

Claire Sherwood

The most meaningful project I have been involved with was the creation of a 6-week series of art classes for Women inside a maximum security prison in the State of Delaware. I was awarded a grant by the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum and the State of West Virginia to create an art program that meet twice a week for 6 weeks in 2006. During this time the inmates worked to create a collaborative community painted quilt as well as a braided rug made from reclaimed plastic garbage bags. Upon completion of the project the artwork was displayed at both the Delaware Contemporary Museum and Marshall University in Huntington WV. Read more>>

Nimleth

When the epidemy of COVID stroke, I was a professional drummer on tour with a metal band, in Eastern Europe. Painting had always been a meaningful hobby to me at that time but I was only focusing my career on touring. I managed to come back home at my parent’s house in the countryside in extremis one day before the complete lockdown. Read more>>

Lindsy Davis

Looking back, the most meaningful project I have worked on is the one that started the journey into Gestaltism theory and perceptual manipulation. In fall of 2013 I started my last year of undergrad studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. Three years after my father passed, one of my closest friend’s father also passed. I was lucky to be a Teachers Assistant throughout my final year so I had open access to most areas of the school after hours. While over thinking and letting my hands go on auto pilot in the printshop I pulled a mono-print and it was like nothing I had made before. Read more>>

Sophie Pace

VILLA JOY, my home, a studio space and gathering place, located in the inspiring, quaint and historic town of Alderson, WV, is now a most meaningful project… Just 30-seconds from the lackadaisical and sometimes torrid Greenbrier River, this main location is also connected to 5 other global satellite Villa Joy locations in England and the USA… It is a place of creative and individual intentions rather than goals… Read more>>

Amanda Schoppel

It’s difficult to pick just one meaningful project. My business is built on creating meaningful custom projects for folks. We work together to commemorate life’s important moments. Designing and carving representations of large, singular life events, to memorializing loved ones (both two, and four-legged), to creating annual birthday charms for babies, who become teenagers… Read more>>

Jelicia Lloyd

In December 2018 I was invited to be a part of a street art show that featured local artists in Bryan Texas. I figured the show would be small but something fun to work on to showcase my work locally, mostly to inspire other young black kids like me trying to pursue their dreams and become an artist or a creative. The show itself was titled return of the Mack, and the theme Was the 80s. And before I even knew I was going to be a part of the show I just had this really cool ideal to do an Afro grunge, inspired collection. Read more>>

Joua-Chia Lo

As an artist, I feel like every moment matters. And I’m not referring to just the moments artists spend on their craft. I’m referring to every waking moment in the real world that has an influence on what our minds want to depict. Just like many famous artists have shown, the way we feel about life and how we process the everyday motions of it truly impacts the tone of the artwork, the message to convey, and the historical contexts of where it fits within our society. Read more>>

Wolfe Brack

I am a Black, queer, self-taught artist based in Kansas City, MO. I’m also the Artistic Director for the InterUrban ArtHouse (IUAH), an organization that seeks to increase accessibility and equity in the arts. Speaking from experience and from talking with others, it’s common for artists from marginalized communities to feel out of place or unwelcome in mainstream art spaces, so working to change this situation is something I’m passionate about. As Artistic Director, I consider all of what I and our team do at IUAH to be one, big, meaningful project. Read more>>

ShaLeigh Comerford

In 2019, I was commissioned by the non-profit organization Arts Access to create a new work with Davian Robinson (DJ), a dancer who lost his sight as a child. I knew from the moment we began working together that we were forging an expansive collaborative partnership. Our personal movement research and choreographic ideas had an incredible collective synthesis with one deepening the other. He called me on the phone one day while he was completing his degree at UNC Charlotte to share with me that he had just experienced his first dance performance without needing to ask his sighted mentor what had just happened. Read more>>

Glorious Abhor

We’ve been working on an album called “Subliminal Tambourine Hypnosis” since the start of 2020. Of course turmoil hit when the pain go ahead when the pandemic started and it’s caused us a lot of setbacks, as plenty of others the world over… that being said, we’re hoping to have it finished by the end of the year and slate a release in the spring of 2023. Read more>>

Kefan Shi

I want to share one of my most meaningful pieces, the drawing I created for WWF, named Garden. I love this piece so much. This piece was an commission work from WWF to depict the birds in the river basins of China, hoping that people would be more aware of the protection of birds. I was happy when I received this invitation because I love to draw birds. To me, they are a symbol of freedom and beauty. I like watching them flapping their wings and grouping together. This piece allows me to depict them in a delicate and detailed way with my pen. Read more>>

Barr Foxx

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on is the award-winning documentary, Cosplay Your Way: In Color. This project was a labor of love and the embodiment of many things that are important to me, which are cosplay, spotlighting creatives and creating compelling content. It was birthed out of the desire to give cosplayers, especially cosplayers of color, a platform where they are welcomed and encouraged to engage in the art of cosplay. Read more>>

Joylyn Howell

I have been fortunate to work with so many amazing creatives on a variety of meaningful projects over the past 30-40 years of my life. The most meaningful projects for me are projects that have a goal of stopping child abuse, domestic violence, and cancer. It is also very meaningful for me to be a part of projects and support causes that educate people on these issues and other traumatic issues and how we all can be better equipped to handle them for ourselves and others. Read more>>

Marilyn Swick

Ocean Child, which I co-wrote with Laura Koons. The storyline follows a young girl’s journey towards her destiny as a mermaid and attending the underwater School of Mermaidology & Neptunism in spite of her mother’s fears of losing her forever as a mermaid. The screenplay has been winning laurels in the film festival circuit for several years and we just wrapped on production last month in Plymouth, MA and Oahu, HI. The film also features 8 mermaids from ages 6 and up that traveled from Hawaii, Texas, Virginia, and throughout New England. Read more>>