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.
William Odell
As of recent, our theatre group (The Acting Out Players) just put on an incredible and award winning production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins. A powerful and controversial piece that can make people talk and hopefully listen to the needs of many working class and angry Americans who suffer under a system that is meant to uphold their rights. The most important award for our group was getting EXCELLENCE In performance for our cast by the Theatre Association of New York State (TANYS). Read more>>
Mehtab Kirtan
Recording projects are always the most meaningful to me. I’m a 90’s kid who grew up with CDs. Having the physical product, including album art/lyric booklets were always the coolest things ever. I still have a CD booklet from A Perfect Circle’s “Thirteenth Step” hanging in my office area: to keep me inspired to package and complete my own music as they’ve done. Read more>>
Tianyi Liu
The project that holds a special place in my heart is ‘Roadside Banquet’. At its heart, it was a meticulous venture into the realm of 3D virtual shot designing and precise lighting simulations. The inspiration stemmed from traditional Chinese landscapes and roadside settings—capturing the essence of our rich heritage and the serene beauty of our countryside. Read more>>
Scott Knapp
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far was Avengers Infinity War. It meant so much to me for many reasons. I’ve always loved comics growing up, and have been especially drawn to Marvel heroes and stories, so working on this film was amazing. Read more>>
Ann Duvall
Being part of a chorus like the Flamenco concert I just participated in; or any one of the previously staged plays where my writing came to life; or through any number of healing environments; all showing me creating and collaborating brings healing. Read more>>
Michelle Thomas Richardson
My most meaningful project would have to be Seeing Doubles, the culminating exhibition of my time at Tarleton State University as their Artist-in-Residence for the 2022-2023 academic year. For the exhibition, I continued to build the Screen Series, which responds to the 24-hour news cycle and the cyclical nature of history as portrayed through the media. Nearly 100 individual works echoing devices dating back to the 1890s forms a space that comments on the ongoingness of social issues with a lens for women’s rights. Read more>>
Adorable Monique
Projects are meaningful when one can reach the viewer and seed an uplifting spirit and sense of significance as the artwork is apprehended. Also, serving the community generates a positive change and is an act of healing. In addition, artworks crafted to engage in a worthy cause, such as an auction, raise awareness and support to assist the community. Read more>>
Kiirstin Marilyn
Back in 2020 if I had been asked this question, I would have said my album, There Are No Cats in America, which was released on October 23, 2020. For one thing, it was my very first full length album after a career of putting out multiple EPs from several different projects and groups; it was full of songs that dealt with causes I’m extremely passionate about as an activist; and though it was started before the pandemic, it was completed and released during the pandemic, which not only gave me something to focus on daily other than the trauma we all were collectively going through, but it gave me a creative outlet to pour my trauma into and I think that helped me survive the pandemic mentally. Read more>>
Rande Leaman
There are several very meaningful interior design projects I’ve had the good fortune to work on. One of my favorite things that clients have said to me is how much a newly remodeled home has affected their lives. Good design can change the way you live in your space- it enhances your quality of life. A lovely couple I just finished working with had several spaces they didn’t know what to do with and therefore they were unused. They recently told me they now truly live in every room of their house. The formerly unused living room is now a beautiful space to sit with their daughter and read at night. They gather as a family to watch movies in the new family room, and the kitchen now has a “lounge” area that’s perfect for friends to hang out and chat with the person cooking. Read more>>
Nick Gomez
Just over a year ago, I recorded my debut album with my working quartet. The album, “Patience”, is now available on all streaming services and features original compositions by each performer: guitarist Zack Caplinger, bassist David Reynoso, drummer Karo Galadjian, and myself. I chose each of these musicians for their selflessness – always serving the music above all else – and the melodic integrity of their improvising and composing. I remember the recording sessions in September 2022 as one of my most rewarding musical experiences. We recorded each track together looking at each other through windows in the studio and didn’t overdub any of the solos. The end result was seven tracks of soulful performances with a palpable spirit of respect and collaboration. Read more>>
Kayley Nell Walker
I have been working on a children’s book and accompanying song about various museums of Nashville with my good friend and co-author, Rachel Rodriguez. We are delighted to have received the Thrive Grant from TN Metro Arts Commission to bring this project to fruition. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity as an independent artist to celebrate the arts and culture of this community while encouraging literacy among youth. Our goal is to distribute this book to Nashville Public Library branches as well as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (fingers crossed!) Keep an eye out for the finished product as well as a Song & Storytime Release Party in 2024! Read more>>
Gregg Chadwick
I paint portraits of cultural and political figures, both past and present, that inspire me. There is something almost magical in the process of creating a portrait. It feels like alchemy to will an image of a breathing soul from a blank canvas. Each time I begin a painting of a person, I aim to bring the subject’s hopes, struggles, and dreams into my artwork. I begin by looking and listening to the story of the life in the person before me. I try to capture these stories in the eyes of my painted portraits. Often at the moment when a new painting is revealed and they see their finished portrait for the first time, the person portrayed will audibly gasp. “There I am”, they seem to say. Read more>>
Monika Dr Demmler
My next album Love Bomb is based on Einstein’s letter to his daughter about the universal force of love as an antidote to war: “There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us. Read more>>
Caitlin Murphy
I think the project I am currently working on is the most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date. I could make some great arguments for my debut EP “Soft”, but there is something that feels a little bit more transformative about my life and the music I am making right now. I am in love for the first time so there is plenty to write about. We are also in a long-distance relationship, so there’s even more the write about. I’m producing the project primarily by myself, which is intimidating but also really exhilarating. I am constantly learning new things and expanding my tool belt as an artist which makes the process really rewarding. I’m super lucky to have an amazing team at Not-So-Sad guiding and mentoring me through the process. I can’t wait until it’s officially out in the ether. Read more>>
Charlotte Maya
When I envisioned my writing life, I never imagined that the memoir I would write would be about my husband’s suicide at the age of 41. Sam was kind and funny and smart. He had a successful career, clients who trusted him, and family who loved him. He was the kind of father who coached his children’s t-ball teams and left work early to attend their parent-teacher conferences. Read more>>
Shreyas Ayaluri
I like to think of myself as someone who has a lot of stories to tell. Stylised stories of hope, love, and pain and I do that over an over again. I also occasionally rhyme. Some times, but I digress. The vehicle that I use to ship these narratives is comedy — so you won’t see it coming. Does that mean my screenplays have no message? Well, I try my very best to mask the heavy stuff but if you look for it, you’ll find it. Watching movies have always caused in a stir in me that I find difficult to put into words so I’ll take the help of Nicole Kidman who famously said the apt words — “That indescribable feeling.” Read more>>
Melanie Anne
Nothing Special has been my most beloved project since its conception. It started as a class assignment at the Art of Acting Studio and has gone on to be an important show that changes with the times and has been able to travel the country. We’ve had tours through LA, NYC and the Twin Cities. The show focuses on one woman, Edie Sedgwick, and how she interacts with the world. It takes place in 1965 in Andy Warhol’s factory. The factory is where Warhol made his screen tests, his underground films, his Campbell’s soup cans and countless other pieces of art. This was the perfect setting to tell a story about art, consumerism, human nature and how the past repeats itself. Read more>>
Eva Pimentel
My senior year of high school I got to take the opportunity to go into AP art! one thing that everyone in that class had to do was come up with a portfolio of 9-13 pieces. this portfolio also had to have a theme. after weeks of going back and forth on what my theme was going to be, I chose fears and phobias. This theme meant a lot to me as someone who struggles with anxiety, painting these phobias helped me better understand them. I also wanted the viewer to better understand what its like to live with anxiety and phobias if it wasn’t something that they had themselves. it felt like I was letting go of the fear I had with every brush stroke. needing to bring my fears to life was scary at first but ended up being very therapeutic. the whole portfolio took me 9 months making a total of 13 works. Read more>>
Tania Torres
The most meaningful project I’ve ever had the privilege to work on is undoubtedly the children’s book titled ‘Time with T & Bernie.’ This project is deeply personal to me, and the backstory behind it adds layers of significance to its creation. Read more>>
Jennifer Sabatini
I am so grateful that I have had many meaningful projects in the 3.5 years since opening CASual Art Works. With our business, we get to celebrate all kinds of meaningful moments in our clients’ lives. From buying a house, to having a baby, graduations, getting married, or even the loss of a loved one – including their 4-legged family members. This warms our hearts that our clients choose us to create special pieces that will be cherished for the foreseeable future and makes it difficult to choose just one meaningful project. Some of these moments have to do with capturing and memorializing something for a family. Read more>>
Jason Klamm
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on in my career is my latest book, “We’re Not Worthy.” It’s the history of 1990s TV sketch comedy, which I wrote for a number of reasons. First, I’ve been performing sketch and improv now for thirty years (I started when I was 13) and have been watching and listening to sketch since the early ’90s. Fortunately for me, the ’90s was also the most prolific decade in the history of sketch comedy, and it created so many TV and movie stars that it seemed inevitable that someone should write this history. As a lover of comedy and specifically sketch, I felt like I was the right person to do this. Read more>>
Moriah Markowitz
No matter the project, it is meaningful. Whether if its sharing an important story, topic, or simply just exploring each piece of art has purpose. Funny enough, for me personally the final product doesn’t even come to mind. The process, the music, the inspiration, the cast is more important to me which leads to the piece performed being organic. All my choreography is created in rehearsals without preparation, to see how my thoughts and ideas transform when put on other minds and bodies. The ending product is always a gift, an unexpected, full hearted gift. Read more>>
Thomas Whittaker Kidd
DNA Bridge Transparency, white saviour, half wine barrel, get in. These are my abbreviated thoughts about an installation I made that has four figures dressed in clothes found on Dockweiler Beach in Los Angeles. It’s about getting together and talking while being in the same barrel. Here is where you can see it: https://thomaswhittakerkidd.com/sculptures-and-installations.html Read more>>
Persaeus Molina
My most meaningful project would have to be my main signature piece, Toxic Space. This piece is the third evolution of a piece I made three years ago. It was first inspired by the song Space Cowboy by Zillakami. In an interview on YouTube Zilla explained the meaning behind his song and it struck a chord with me. Space Cowboy is about one of Zillakami’s friends who sadly took their own life. He made this song for all those who lost their lives to suicide or struggle with suicidal thoughts. Now my piece Toxic Space is my own take on this topic, which is comfort in misery. Many have lived with depression their whole lives and can feel uncomfortable with emotional growth. They’d rather remain in their “comfort zone” than seek help. My piece is made to represent how much one suffers while they’re stuck in their comfort. Read more>>
Matt Rota
There is not one most meaningful project I’ve worked on. I’m lucky that I’ve been able to carve out a repution in the illustration world where most of the project I work on are meaningful. Since studying art as an undergraduate I’ve always had the goal of working on assignments that are heavily involved with social justice and politics. I get to work with clients like the New York Times, ProPublica, The Equal Justice Initiative, And In These Times. My favorite projects involve longform stories which allow me to really get into the topic, do research, and create a full series of images on a topic. Read more>>
Girvan Swirv Bramble
So after being in this industry for quite some years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to have worked on quite a few incredible projects. I’ve been in films like Ant Man & the Wasp and Dune. TV shows such as Henry Danger, Jack Ryan, and Love Death & Robots: Jibaro. Stunt Doubled for Mike Tyson, Terry Crews, Kenan Thompson, and Jovan Adepo. Worked with music artists such as Beyonce, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Karol G, the list goes on. Read more>>
Kitty Felde
I was a public radio journalist for decades, explaining government to grownups. Now I explain it to kids via The Fina Mendoza Mysteries – a series of books and podcasts about the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman from California who solves mysteries inside the US Capitol…and teaches civics to elementary age kids. Read more>>
Shie Rozow
I recently published a book called “Every Note Tells a Story: The Transformative Power of Music in Visual Media.” I’m passionate about using music to tell stories and have spent my career doing exactly that. Over the years I realized that how music can affect a narrative, as well as how the process works is often a mystery to filmmakers, and even some music professionals who are interested in entering this field. I’ve heard something along the lines of “I’m not good with music” or “I know I need music, but I don’t know exactly what or where” or “I’m sorry I don’t speak music” from countless young directors (and sometimes even seasoned ones) and realized there is an opportunity to address a subject that isn’t focused on much in film schools, nor are there many resources addressing it available to the general public. Read more>>
Maggie Hartmans & Brittany Zampella
We just finished a feature documentary called “A Good Neighbor” that has been very dear to our hearts. It’s about an amazing activist named Lucy Molina who advocates for cleaner air in Commerce City, CO, one of the most polluted zip codes in the nation. Lucy’s kids were getting sick from exposure to air & water toxins in the area, so at its heart, the film is about the inspiring lengths a mother will go to protect her children. The film follows her 2021 city council campaign as she advocates for her community. At its core, the film is about the ways that racism, pollution, climate change, voting and local elections collide, all centered around Lucy’s amazing story. Read more>>
Jessica Anderson
I am currently wrapping up my sophomore album, and I have to say that this is my most meaningful project to date. Sonically, it is an ode to Soul music. I wanted to pay homage to a genre that often people think is dead, and instead push the sound of soul music forward. At the same time, lyrically I wanted to move in a different direction from past projects. I have spent a lot of time in my career thus far singing almost exclusively about trauma, pain, and justice. All of this is important, and it also takes a tremendous toll on the artist to chronically source emotion from such a heavy and dark place. I would not take back my previous projects by any means, but I am excited to be working on a project that centers JOY. Read more>>
Jackie Schwartz
The most meaningful project I have worked on is a limited series called MASHED. This story was brought to my production company Besties Make Movies by writer and lead actor named Madge (she/her). It’s her personal story about dealing with a pelvic condition called Vaginismus, in which any type of penetration from sex to putting in a tampon is extremely painful. The minute my business partners MARS (they/them), Stacey (she/her), and I read this, we knew we had to make it. Madge’s voice in this was very strong, writing with both pain, humor, and vulnerability. Part of my production company’s mission is to create art where it meets advocacy, but not hit you over the head with it. This did exactly that. Read more>>
Mark Indig
A 6 month photo project of small business storefronts “CLOSED ON SUNDAYS”: The dictionary defines shopping as “the purchasing of goods from stores.” That definition may require some adjustment in the digital age.
How do you shop? Big box stores, chains, malls, boutiques, mail order, the internet? How do you decide what and where to buy? Advertising campaigns? Celebrity endorsements? Product placement? Social media? Read more>>
Maria Staroselets
I’ve spent nearly two decades working as a Creative Producer and Director within the entertainment industry. Over this extensive period, I’ve had the opportunity to create films, events, and performances in a diverse range of locations and settings. As time progressed, I discovered my true passion lies in crafting sets and narratives within natural environments—such as city parks, urban streets, and unconventional spaces—distinct from traditional theater or concert venues. This led me to specialize in site-specific entertainment. Read more>>
Finch Liu
In our dual exhibition, my talented co-artist and I present “Dandelion,” an installation that delves into the delicate equilibrium between nature’s ephemeral charm and humanity’s technological and artificial constructs. This layered piece contrasts artificial dandelions set on cotton with their voxel projections and sculpted renditions, urging viewers to ponder the true essence of hope in today’s world. Read more>>
Nora Clark
I am currently producing and directing a feature length documentary entitled Beyond A Shuffle. This is the most meaningful project of my professional life thus far because it merges my skills in production with my love for tap dance. From 2006 to 2010 I attended Columbia College Chicago for television, majoring in writing and producing. I remember during my studies at Columbia noticing how tap lacked producers from within its community. Read more>>
Ashley Singleton
A couple of years ago during the summer of my junior year of high school, my dad went into rehab. I had always been super close with my dad, so this side of him was very different and difficult for me to understand. Over the summer, we would go visit him in rehab every Sunday and also get to know the other people in his support group. Over the course of three months, I started to understand more about addiction and how it can affect anyone, from any walk of life. It wasn’t until “family week,” the one-week family comes every day for group therapy and activities, that I really started to get a better understanding of what addiction really is. At the time I wasn’t able to share how I felt about my dad going to rehab because I was too nervous to talk about it. Read more>>
Ching Ching Cheng
In 2023 to 2024, I received an individual artist grants from the City of Pasadena. I hosted a few Taiwanese glove puppet workshops at libraries in Pasadena, and worked with Taiwanese glove puppet volunteers to perform a glove puppet show at a public elementary school in Pasadena. Also as a resident artist working with Side Street Projects, I produced an exhibition at their educational wood working trailer and exhibit the year of work along with the glove puppet theater stage. The theme of this project will continue to develop, and will have an exhibition at Red Hen Press in Pasadena in late February, 2024. Read more>>
Missi Jay
I am really lucky because I have had the opportunity to be a part of many projects that were meaningful to me, but my favorite on-going project is drawing portraits. It all started with a dear friend who’s 4-year-old son had open heart surgery. She asked if I could draw a picture of their family with her precious son holding a heart. Creating this special portrait for her brought me so much joy, because I knew how much it meant to my friend. I was inspired and I wanted to create more. Read more>>
Wenjue Lu
Established in 2020 as a response to the chaotic pace of contemporary existence, Studio Wenjüe Lu aims to capture the imagination of the creative world with a commitment to slowness and a profound interplay of diverse artistic expressions. Read more>>
Laisa M. Dos Santos
My next personal project will be my directing debut but more than that, is a story that is very meaningful to me and will honor the memory of my grandma, Dona Neném, and her compassion with everyone around her. Being Latina and telling stories about the Latino community really resonates with me, with my values and my work. The project started as a feature film concept and after a year of conversations and restructuring, I decided that it would make more sense to me and to my grandma if we turned it into a documentary. Read more>>
Kyndyl Miller
Being a musician, you get gigs that you love to do, and gigs that you don’t love to do. And I’ve certainly had my fair share of projects that I haven’t wanted to invest my all into. So when a project that you love comes along, it definitely reawakens your soul and give you that boost and drive that you initially had when wanting to be a musician. Recently, I met a friend who inspired me to write more instrumental music, which is something I always did for myself when I was younger. Through Rippling Records, I have now been able to release my instrumental piano music and without any inhibition, will continue releasing this music once a month! Read more>>
Chris Arnold (A*)
I wouldn’t single out one project as “the most meaningful,” as I’ve been fortunate to engage in a variety of opportunities that have allowed me to create deeply meaningful work. However, one of the more recent projects that holds a special place in my heart stems from a collaboration with the Ron Finley Project, based in South Central Los Angeles. Read more>>
Elizabeth Addison
A heartbeat before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was elected Exhibitions Chair for the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art. My first official NCWCA exhibition project, The Ground Upon Which We Stand, a regional exhibition hosted by Abrams Claghorn Gallery, was scheduled for installation on April 1, 2020, 15 days after the shutdown. I found myself in an uncertain world with unknown exhibition parameters – and dozens of artists depending upon this opportunity. Read more>>
Farah Mitha
When I was young, I was an exceptionally sensitive and emotional child. The world seemed to impact me on a deeper level than it did most others. At the time, I wasn’t aware that, in addition to my own teenage challenges, I was absorbing the struggles of others, including the pressing issues of the world. Among these, racism, inequality, and the tragedy of people taking their own lives deeply affected me. It was heartbreaking to think that someone could feel so hopeless and unloved that they’d choose to end their own life. On top of all this, I grappled with body confidence, self-worth, acceptance, bullying, and being misunderstood. I rarely discussed these feelings, preferring to keep my imperfections hidden while not fully comprehending them. Read more>>