Do you remember the moment you realized what you wanted to do professionally? Was it magic? Was it scary? We wanted to hear from some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community and so we asked them to tell us the story of the moment when they knew they were going to pursue a creative career path.

Billy Hawkains

Junior or senior year of undergrad, so 2016 or 2017. After finishing a workout, a friend and I were stopped by our professor, Abigail Yager, who asked if we were going to see A.I.M by Kyle Abraham perform ‘Pavement’ at the UNCG Auditorium. (She arranged the trip for students in the department to attend the show). Read More>>

Maija Entertainment

I think I always knew. I grew up in the Latvian countryside, where the professional performance world felt like a distant dream — something I didn’t even know truly existed. There were small-town shows, folk and ballroom classes, a few street dance groups later on — but nothing that showed me the full spectrum of what dance could be. Read More>>

Melissa Ann Pollack

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path the first time I stepped onto a pageant stage at 18. I was a small-town girl from West Virginia, and suddenly I was standing there in full glam, lights on me, realizing I could step into a version of myself that felt bold, powerful, and alive. Read More>>

Vincent Thomas

I’ve always been artistic and creative since I was little from music to painting to martial arts and food and imitating people. I’ve always kind of had a flare for it. Just never really the confidence. It’s easy to be creative and artistic. When the people around you are close to you and they support you. It’s a lot harder. Read More>>

Ethan Nelson

I’ve wanted to make movies since I as long as I can remember. The majority of my childhood was spent with my friends and now creative partners, Cameron Duncan and Zachary Bakken, running around town with cameras and zombie makeup. For most of my childhood that was seriously as it was ever taken. Read More>>

Vincent Pereira

I’ve always been a dreamer, someone with a vivid imagination, not necessarily shy but the kind of person who doesn’t like to take up too much space. To channel all that imagination, I grew up devouring comic books, manga, and animated shows like The Simpsons, South Park, and BoJack Horseman, which resonated with me deeply. Read More>>

Alexandru Salceanu

Art was central to me from a young age. My mother nurtured that curiosity, exposing me to exhibitions and encouraging me to draw and paint. In school, classmates often asked me to create artwork for them, and I began by copying masterworks and experimenting with different artistic periods. Read More>>

Gabriella Lin

I grew up struggling to make friends because I always felt a little different, like I didn’t quite fit into any category. Therefore, when I entered middle school, a time when emotions run even deeper and more intense, that feeling of not belonging became even stronger. I often felt unwanted and left out, and it was devastating. Read More>>

Carl Baldassarre

It was a series of moments. Seeing the Beatles on TV (Ed Sullivan Show) in February 1964 was mesmerizing. In the summer of 1968 (I was 9 years old), several moments happened: I heard a Burt Bacharach’s Song ‘This Guys in Love with You’ on a transistor radio. Read More>>

Dante Joy

The first time I truly knew I wanted to pursue a creative, artistic path professionally was the moment I started working with Balboa_Unlimited. Before then, modeling was something I enjoyed, but it didn’t feel like a pathway—more like a possibility. That changed the day he gave me a real opportunity to step into myself. Read More>>

Dacota Maphis

I won an award in fourth grade with a watercolor painting, also a few other awards at that elementary school as well but didn’t give it much mind. Creativity was always hanging around the things I made for fun but never thought it would be a way to make a living. College time arrived without an idea of a majorRead More>>

J.J. Carr

I’ve wanted to be in the music industry since I was a young 4th or 5th grader. I was a really shy kid that wanted to do just about everything up until that point. I grew up listening to Hip-Hop and R&B Read More>>

Angela Rustici

Opening a box of Crayola crayons for the first time sent me into a world of color that I would continue to explore for a lifetime. Just that smell alone can ignite a need to create. I was around age 5 and was asked to make a card at home for my teacher. I had no idea where to begin.Read More>>