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.

Jesse Lendzion

In 2019 I was new to photography and looking for a project that would double as a way to help others and practice my craft–this was to counter some of the tunnel vision I was experiencing as a new entrepreneur…putting what felt like all of my resources into building my own thing, sometimes felt like I was out of touch with the world around me. Read more>>

Maddie Hinrichs

My most intense and meaningful project I’ve done to date is the solo show I just had at the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska. The show’s title was “I See Myself in You” which perfectly encapsulated the idea of the show. The idea for this series of work started about a year and a half ago. I was in graduate school at SUNY Albany and I painted my first reflection self portrait.  Read more>>

Mark Romero

My artwork focuses on the ancient civilizations and cultures of Mesoamerica. In 2022, I did an artist residency in Mexico City, MX with a local gallery, Casa Equis. While living in Mexico City, I was able to immerse myself in beautiful and rich Mesoamerican history and culture. For the residency, I was able to present artwork in the gallery space but wanted to make sure I could respectfully represent Indigenous cultures of Latin America. Read more>>

Jacq Frances

I make art about my pain. It’s how I metabolize it. Sometimes I share it with the world, sometimes it’s just for me. But it’s the only way I know how to get it out of my head and onto the page. One of my biggest projects to date is my comedy special, The Life and Divorce of Jacq the Stripper. I was ending a decade-long career and marriage at the same time. Read more>>

Sue Goberdhan

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on, by a LONG shot, has been my most recent play, CHUMP. A short introduction to what the show is about: The Kumar Family suffers a tremendous loss when they suddenly lose their family’s matriarch. While the family gathers at Grandma Baby’s “Nine Day,” they learn a hard but necessary lesson about the root of their grief, the fortitude of their joy, and the tension that arises from everyone’s favourite card game: T’ruup Chaal. Read more>>

Sarahndipity Johnsen, M.Ed.

One of the most meaningful projects for me was producing, directing, and starring in “Enchanted Planet”. When the pandemic was first announced, I felt a deep need to support families and children in a larger way. My husband, Justin, and I created a green-screen studio in our living room and filmed the first season of a “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” feeling show. Read more>>

Porch Light Apothecary

We generally like to approach our albums and song writing from a place coming from the heart. We strive to write songs that are not just words and music, but that are deeper than that and have the potential to really reach someone in a special way. Some of our songs, including a couple on our upcoming release “Stillness in the Fire”, have come from loss, and grieving close to us or injustices we see in the world around us. That of course means they’re not always the brightest, happiest songs, but we’ve always felt if we can in any way help even one person out there through a tough time, we’ve done our job. Read more>>

One 9

Thank you. I’ve started out as an artist, teacher who transitioned to film directer. Some of my films I directed are: Nas: Time is ILLmatic, L.A. Burning, and currently directing HUSSLE. A series on the life of NIpsey Hussle. Read more>>

Alexa Loch

I guess I can start by saying that most of my pieces have greater meaning. I use a lot of bold colors that help describe my mood or things I go through at the time I paint them. If I’m not using colors, I use the objects I paint to help describe a story more deeply. I say most of my pieces have meaning because there are some that I paint for absolute fun. Read more>>

Whitney Bankston

The most meaningful projects I’ve Had, we’re Underestimated Goat 1 & 2, the reason being is because all my life I’ve been ooverlooked and underestimated, so it’s like with those projects I’m expressing those thoughts and feelings and letting the world know why I feel the way I feel. Read more>>

Max Venus

I would say the most meaningful project I’ve made thus far would be my album “25”. The project consists of 17 tracks all produced by myself. I chose the name because I was born on the 25th day of September. That number has always meant a lot to me so I thought it would suit the theme of the album. I wanted to go back to my roots with this one & really give my fans an update on my life as a person, not just an artist. Read more>>

Rowan Pippin

For me, my most meaningful projects are the ones which feel like a collaboration – either between myself and the client, or with other members of a team. I love the creative energy that can be generated through a spirited back-and-forth, where everyone involved has a mutual respect for one another’s ideas as well as a shared excitement for the final product. Those projects feel the most meaningful because at the end, the final result is more than the sum of its parts; it’s an encapsulation of a partnership. Read more>>

Jesse Randall

My current project, Spare Change, is about the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. This project was a whole new experience for me. It was my first real experience with development. With my previous projects, I raised the money through grants and private investors but didn’t really have to answer to anyone. I made the films however I wanted to after workshopping the script and getting feedback. Spare Change was part of a new program at Los Angeles City College that funds work by current students and alumni. Read more>>

Enam Bosokah

The most meaningful project that i have been a part of is the Wiki Unseen by Wikipedia. The project sought to bridge the visual gap within the open knowledge environment ie, the internet. The project identified that many Black people, indigenous peoples and people of colour do not have images attached to their Wikipedia articles. This slow down traffic to these articles making them almost invincible. Read more>>

Gerald Sastra

I think my most meaningful project would have to be the Justin Dart Jr. Accessibility Center at the University of Houston, where I had the opportunity to revamp the center by adding branded environments to a very important hub for the students of the university. The project started off when I was a student designer for the Campus Recreation department, and my supervisor (who is one of my mentors), Read more>>

Kat Rizzitello

As someone who is very empathic and connects through their work, all of my projects have been meaningful. However, there is one project that will always stick out in my mind – it was a turning point in my photography journey, and what made me realize that my work not only creates “pretty pictures” and memories but also helps heal. Read more>>

Sultana Rubi

I started playing with clay and making jewelry after our pup Sonny Boy passed away in June 2020. What first started as a means to get out of depression has grown into something bigger. When Sonny was diagnosed in December 2019 my partner and I were devastated. We came across the Live Like Roo organization and after sharing Sonny’s story they provided support, financial help, and much-needed hope. Read more>>

Paula Morales

I have become my family archivist. For more than 20 years I have held on to stories and pieced them together to unveil my story. Through the use of traditional methods of investigation, interviews and energy work I have and continue to work on this window into who I continue to unveil. Read more>>

Mariah Greenhoff

I feel like every project is meaningful and unique in its own way. I tend to bounce back and forth between mediums for a few weeks at a time. When I’m used to working with only clay for a few weeks, oil painting feels fresh and exciting. Color is often the last step in the process when working with clay because glaze doesn’t happen until the tail end of the process. It’s refreshing to start the painting process by mixing color right away. It activates a different part of my creativity and strengthens my relationship with color. Read more>>

Andrew Snorton

There are a number of meaningful projects I’ve undertaken through the lenses of being a published author, as well as the advisory work conducted in press/media and education. If I have to focus on one meaningful project, it would have to be the completion of my second book, “9 stories of faith: volume 1”. Read more>>

Daryn Glassbrook

One of the biggest challenges of my career as a museum professional was keeping a small, privately operated nonprofit museum afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools were no longer doing field trips. Most of our face-to-face programming had to be cancelled due to public health concerns and regulations. The Mobile Medical Museum had to reimagine how we could remain relevant while people were dealing with so much trauma and disruption. Read more>>

Laurah Merisier

At Miami Sound Space, we believe in the power of music to transform lives, especially in overlooked and marginalized communities. That’s why we have partnered with the Everglades Correctional Institution to create The Bluebirds, our men’s prison choir. Read more>>

Isabel Sierra

My current series, a mixed media project depicting sexuality in its many forms, has been instrumental in my cultivating and maintaining a healthy connection to my own sexuality. I began focusing my art on erotic subject matter during a time in which I did not feel I could safely or comfortably explore physical intimacy myself. My art became my sex life, my connection, my expression of sensuality. Read more>>

Jamie-Lee Dimes

1973 Records and my new label 1973 By Jamie-Lee, using my music platform to create conversations. Read more>>

charlize ramirez

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on that has been released thus far was my debut EP titled “If This Is Love” – which focused mostly on the highs and lows I had experienced while dating in New York. My first single off this project called “Always” was about me falling in love. “WDYG?” was the stage of denial/bargaining I was in when the relationship was coming to an end. “Cold Water” was me expressing my anger and sadness about being lied to and cheated on. And lastly, “Moving On” was my eventual acceptance of it all. This EP is truly a reflection of my healing journey post heartbreak. Read more>>

Ray Duncan

I just released a record that is the result of ten years working in sound design for theater. The project is called “Under The Greenwood Tree” and it’s a collection of some of my favorite songs I’ve composed for Shakespeare’s plays in my career thus far. What makes this project all the more meaningful to me is that all this was done in collaboration with my sister, director Emma Rosa Went, and was recorded and mixed by my partner, Oliver Finch. Read more>>

The Recipe

The most meaningful project that we’ve worked on is AB’s Bluestrip Walking tape. The tape was a success, and it was an all-hands on deck effort from The Recipe team and rising producer Bluestrip Walking. DaJuan was the recording/tracking engineer and Francois was the mixing and mastering engineer. The tape was released on February 2nd, 2021 and it is available on all streaming platforms. You can find the project at this link: https://ampl.ink/1l2Eo. Read more>>

Becky Raisman

I’ve released two singles “Summertime Sugar’ and ‘Hyptonized”, released two EPs This Is My Moment and Cruising. As of this moment I’m working on my 3rd EP Warrior soon to be released at the end of the year. I’m in a rock band with School of Rock in Mount Pleasant, SC they opened this year, I went to an open house grand opening and the owner Matt McFarland told me the adult band didn’t have a vocalist Read more>>

Chidozie Adindu

I am currently featured as a recurring character on a TV show titled “KoldxWindy”. The show centers around two Chicago female rappers who are looking to use their music as a way to rise up and out of their current situations. Facing the day to day struggles of living on the South side of Chicago, they use the current popular drill music as a way of expressing their feelings and dealings in order to shed light on their reality. Read more>>

Zac Johnson

The creation of our latest album “Suburban Dictionary” Read more>>

Ariel Lavi

I produced films all over the world. But the most meaningful are the film I produced in Mexico “Metanoia” that won 56 awards and my film I wrote and produced in Nigeria “Dangerous Silence” that won 10 awards. Read more>>

Xiaotong Wang

I think culture gives meaning to design, and as a fashion designer, I am always exploring the balance between eastern and western cultures and using culture as inspiration for innovation. But whether it is fashion design or any other design, the realization of design depends on the culture and at the same time materializes culture as a design result and carries the culture. Read more>>

Michael Hooper

Some meaningful projects I have done recently have been the comedy sketches that I have written, produced, and acted in. I love acting, but I also love writing, as it allows me to fully express my creative self in a way that acting does not allow. Read more>>

Martin Moran

A four song EP titled “A Fashion Square Affair”. Since late 2019, I sought after a sound or genre that would evoke feelings and memories I had growing up. Vaporwave was inspiring and it became my aim to emulate that with this project. From summer 2021 up until the release in summer 2022, all the group effort from production, videos, photography, and engineering came together. Nearly a year later and I’m still finding ways to promote it and let it influence future works. Read more>>

Lady Delaney

My book, All Dolled Up, was an exciting challenge, calling upon a host of skills, many of which I had to develop in real time as I worked on it: book page layout, photography, copywriting. The first half of the book takes the form of a storybook, following the adventures of two misbehaving paper dolls. The second part is packed with DIY craft tutorials teaching you how to sculpt their wardrobe out of paper. Read more>>

Timothy Moore

As a full-time freelance writer and editor, I wear many hats. Personal finance writing and editing are my bread and butter, but I’ve dipped my toes in everything from B2B tech editing and automotive marketing to SEO optimization and home improvement content creation. But by far, the most rewarding opportunity came to me in 2020, when a former boss of mine asked me if I wanted to copy edit for a magazine she worked on. It was WDW Magazine, a monthly print magazine dedicated to all things Walt Disney World. Read more>>

Joan Kim Suzuki

I began getting serious about my art about three years ago. It was during the peak of the pandemic and my kids were all home because the schools had closed. They were bored out of their mind and unable to focus after “attending” class with their computers for hours on end. I told them to sit down and draw with me. We picked up markers rolling around in the house and watercolor palettes leftover from discarded coloring pages and we began to create.  Read more>>

White Lighter

We are working on writing and releasing new songs throughout the summer and fall in hopes of creating our second album. This is the most meaningful work to us so far. We are extremely proud of the songs that are out right now including “You Don’t Have To Go” and “Excuse Me Love.” Read more>>

Marialys Maestre

After 10 years of being in the Makeup and Hair industry in South Florida, I have decided to lead a different approach and mission for my business. I rebranded recently to the “The Inner Muse Collective”. What this means to me is placing importance on the relationship you have with yourself. Starting my business at 16, I can say that I am not the same person I was then, now at 27 years old. Read more>>

Dylan A. Young

Hello, I’m Dylan A. Young and I’m an indie filmmaker from Louisville, KY. I frequently travel to Tennessee to shoot my films and work productions as a sound recordist. My creative projects are typically horror/thrillers because I like the way that you can convey messages through more intense situations. Read more>>

Marissa LaRocca

So far, I have written and published two books: Starving In Search of Me: A Coming-of-Age Story of Overcoming An Eating Disorder and Finding Self-Acceptance and Everyone Is a Freak: Anonymous Confessions About Sex, Sexuality, and Desire. And I am hard at work on my third book, about my experiences with toxic relationships in the LGBTQ+ community as a masc-of-center queer female. Read more>>

Dana

During the summer of 2022, I was invited by the One Little Finger Foundation to contribute a song for a compilation album titled, “Arise Together”. I was immediately moved by the intention and mission of the project, which is to raise awareness and funds to support children with special needs around the world, especially those living in and from Ukraine. Read more>>

Josh DuCray

Recently we began working with a client to bring awareness to lipedema through our art. The client had been searching to find some one to bring her ideas to raise funds to reality so she could begin helping to assist those struggling with lipedema with needed items to ease the associated issues. Her idea was to make vases that represent and show what it looks like and to help provide confidence to individuals such as herself, Read more>>

Anthony “Brew” Brewster

Some of the most meaningful projects for me have to do with my kids . 2 boys , 4 girls . To watch them grow through the years and be introduced to the creative world means a lot to me . That is my legacy to and for them . The journey through music that I have taken has put a footprint in music so why not hand that to my kids if they choose it . I don’t force music on my kids . They need to want that themselves . Read more>>

Anja Racić

I’ve been blessed to be able to work on many meaningful projects in the last six months, including short films, new play workshops, and innovative productions of Shakespearean classics. Although all of these are meaningful in their own way, for today, let’s focus on an independent short film, Cake. Read more>>