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.

Jon Snow

My journey as a creative has been one full of stops and starts, and almosts. Growing up, I only ever wanted to be a professional basketball player. That was my passion, my obsession, really. I would do Pete Maravich drills on the back porch like it was my religion. I practiced my shot for literally hours a day. But I lacked the mental fortitude to ever be that cold-blooded competitor that was my hero, in Michael Jordan. Read more>>

Sean McCole

Definitely my freshman year of college; I knew that nothing else intrigued my interest. My childhood fascinations could no longer be tamed and I knew at the start of my adulthood I had to do something about it. I first delved into psychology (that was always my favorite subject in high-school) but soon realized, this was not going to be my professional path. Read more>>

Diara Nicole

I always had a passion for Modeling, I started at 14 and I am now 20 year olds. Back then I didn’t think I’d accomplish half the things I have but now there’s very little I can’t say I’ve done. Even though I am still perfecting my craft i due believe I’m established in this industry. About a year ago I took a chance on myself and quit my 9-5 to pursue this career path full time. Read more>>

Nina Osegueda

I realized I wanted to be a heavy metal singer when I went to my first metal show, in college. My husband took me to see Dragonforce, who just released their first album. I was spellbound! I didn’t realize that this was the music I was searching for, or that the metal world was still thriving, though in a less popular/underground way. Hearing someone sing clear vocals over fast and heavy music was my awakening. Read more>>

Damien March

Since my school days I always knew I had a talent in the visual arts. My friends in school used to get a great laugh at the characters I drew especially of the teachers, I was often reprimanded in class for “wasting” time drawing. My teachers used to say this drawing during class is wasting time and it will never get you anywhere. Read more>>

Jordan Rivers

Music has always been a huge part of my life. As a child I would listen from the other room as my parents listened to U2 and Led Zeppelin and loved the energy and emotion that it made me feel. I didn’t start playing my own music until I was 15 years old. My father passed away of brain cancer when I was 15 and picking up his old guitar seemed the only way I knew how to express myself. Read more>>

Duke Paul

Five years ago I moved from Maine at the age of 25 and took a construction job in Rockville, Maryland driving around an excavator all day. A friend of a friend heard I could play music and asked if I would play at their bar. I figured I might as well. It could be fun. I’d never really played in front of an audience before, but I was up for the free drinks and food. Read more>>

Callie Young

The day I wrote my first song, I knew I would be writing songs for the rest of my life. I started my musical journey at the age of 9, taking vocal, drum, and guitar lessons. As soon as I learned my first guitar chords, I started coming up with my own progressions, then immediately started playing around with lyrics and using this as an outlet for my emotions. Read more>>

Ochoa Boyz

We all grew up early in the entertainment industry. As we got older and closer as brothers we wanted to find ways to work together, so we started our music group (Ochoa Boyz). Read more>>

Jaime Aracena Marciel

Photography, painting and music is a hobby, however my artistic and creative mindset has allowed me to differentiate myself professionally in my professional career as an engineer, since I always have innovative solutions that break the status quo. This creative and restless mentality is currently leading me on the path of digital ventures like starting my own start up Read more>>

Michelle Pennington

The first moment I knew that I wanted to be an artist professionally was in 9th grade in high school. At this point I hadn’t taken an art class since 6th because I was not a fan of the teacher in that class, but fell in love with my teachers in high school. They were so caring a supportive and encouraged me to push my skills further. They also met with my mom and taught her that I do have options for a career in the field of art and told me to consider teaching or graphic design. Read more>>

Mila Molinari

Being born into a family of circus/theater parents has definitely influenced me. As a newborn baby being taken care by actors backstage while my parents where on stage and with a childhood working as my father’s magician assistant and being taken on tour with my parents to puppet theater festivals around Brazil have really inspired me to become an artist. So since the beginning I had no doubt of what I wanted to do in life. Showbiz was part of my “first breath” into this world. Read more>>

Jordan Covington

If you asked me 10 years ago what I wanted to do with my life, I would have told you software engineer. I never thought that performing would take such a hold of me. Performing didn’t come out of nowhere. Growing up in the church, I was in the children’s choir and did poems and short plays for the holidays of Easter and Christmas. And no hard feelings toward my mother, but I was forced into these activities. It was never really my choice. I was in my school’s choir and I liked to speak in front of people, but to me these were more like hobbies instead of something I was passionate about. Read more>>

Carlos Chavez

I believe I was in my second year of college studying business when I started noticing I wasn’t excited about what I was pursuing. Acting had always been a close friend of mine but at the time I thought it was more of a hobby than anything. I wasn’t allowing myself to believe I could have a career in the arts. Read more>>

Kostas Siozos

Since day one when I picked up the bass and started jamming with other people. That was summer 2002 back in Arta, Greece. I remember I asked my parents to buy me a bass guitar and soon after that, I was already in a band. The moment we played our very first show, I was that’s it. There’s no turning back, I’m gonna be a musician. Read more>>

Diallo Duke

I knew what I wanted for myself for a while now as a kid I used to always be into movies, shows, games, all types of media. That brings me to say I would put myself in the shoes of one of the greats along with my wild imagination just sparked a vibe and greatness in me. Read more>>

Can Canel

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a career artistically was actually when I was just a kid. I come from a generation who had the chance to watch some of the iconic movie series in film history, such as The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Matrix. and many others at the movie theaters. Since there were no online movie streaming platforms like Netflix in my childhood, Read more>>

Julia Julez” Williamson”

A movie that changed my perception of being a professional artist was Titan A.E. It was the first movie I had ever seen that combined 2D and 3D animation and it blew my mind! After that I was hooked. I couldn’t see myself doing anything that wasn’t art related. I tried my hand at animation and 3D rendering (and found it wasn’t for me) so when it was time to start applying for college, I decided to major in graphic design instead. Read more>>

Reveng Sairany

My love for music first began as a child playing the Violin in Orchestra, once I grew older I began DJ’ing college parties and producing music with my friend Mike, from there the passion and love for what I do has only grown. Read more>>

Noba

I first knew that I wanted to pursue a music career at a young age. I believe I was in the first grade. My parents had said that after quitting ballet music was all I ever wanted. I had also seen either Destiny’s child or Mariah Carey. I was enamoured by them and their performances. I just loved what they were able to do. It also looked like a lot of fun! Read more>>

Bobby Starr

I believe I knew I wanted to be an actor once I performed in my first play around seven or eight years old; I actually played an angel in a Christmas play. There is something about learning lines and portraying the exact vision of whatever the Director wants that gets me excited. Acting for me granted me the same peace that I received while playing athletic sports. It was kind of like God knew all along that, although I love the sport of basketball, he has something different in store for me. Read more>>

Theadina Von Seyfried

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative and artistic path when I was just a small child. I grew up in a very artistic environment. My father did real estate but also painted and took me to many art galleries as a child. My mother was always playing classical music, putting on Old-Hollywood movies, and created a beautiful home with stylish interior designs. Read more>>

Jordana Pedroso

Since I was a child I had a lot of contact with artistic materials and different techniques. My sister took painting classes, my grandmother sewed clothes and I always felt influenced by them. When I started studying Visual Arts in college I felt very free to create and with the influences that I sought over the years, I discovered passions that involved making complex and delicate pieces, and this ended up becoming my profession as a freelancer. Read more>>

Joshua Sinclair

I was a freshman in high school and I remember having a conversation with a junior while we were both trying out for the golf team. He said to me; “life is all about the people you meet and the stories they share.” I had been playing the guitar for about 5 years at that point but I knew it was something I wanted to pursue because I absolutely loved everything about it. Read more>>

Melissa Carter

I’ve basically known forever. Growing up, I dreamt of being a Spice Girl and wrote songs constantly. When I was a teenager, I decided I wanted to commit to being a professional actor. So, I got my BFA in acting and worked in theater for the better part of my 20s. I definitely didn’t make it, but booked everything from Equity gigs to hair commercials. Over the years, music and audio tugged at me more and more. At first, it took me time to listen. Read more>>

Kalasia Wilson

So I used to do make up whenever I was at a very young age. I started at the age of 13. At first I was very horrible at it but that’s what makes everything best practice makes perfect so I started practicing when I turn 15 I practice more on my eyebrows, but they were very bad at first I didn’t start getting good at make up until I turned 17. lots of people tell me I should become a make up artist and at first I was scared to do it because I didn’t really believe in myself but eventually I took that risk and I started my own make up business Read more>>

GAGE

I knew i wanted to pursue a artist career when i first saw Michael Jackson perform The way he just stood on stage before he performed just standing there and the crowd going wild thats something that intrigued me alot. Just having that power to make people feel that way due to your music was something i knew i wanted to do Read more>>

Sarang Lee

I actually never thought about pursuing a creative path until I was a senior in my high school year when I got to think more deeply about what I really enjoy doing and something that I can confidently say that I won’t easily get tired of (I still struggle to find what I really enjoy doing sometimes.. even to these days.) Then, I found an old album that my mom kept since I was 6 (as I was cleaning my room to move to a new apartment). Read more>>

Sujin Kim

I graduated from CalArts, where I studied experimental animation. During my first year, I created an experimental digital animation that was selected to be screened at the International Short Film Festival in Berlin. My film was screened as part of the Sound & Vision program, curated by Christoph Schulz, at the Volksbühne – Berlin’s most iconic theater. Read more>>

Morgan Mayfield

As early as I can remember, I wanted to express myself through art and music. I have always had a gift of art from sketches to paintings…even singing, guitar, keyboards and of course drums. I didn’t need many friends growing up because I always had an aspiration to create through art and music. Read more>>

Sonya Keshwani

Fashion design was in my soul from a very young age. Probably from the first time I walked with my parents down Fifth Avenue and peered into the windows of the designer shops. I began creating a portfolio of couture inspired designs, and found that the imagination of fashion brought me to life. Read more>>

Kevin Staley

I grew up in a very musical family and I was blessed with parents that supported me in whatever I took an interest in be it sports or music. I just sort of naturally gravitated towards music singing in church and trying several different instruments in band before I finally settled in on piano and percussion. I think from a young age I knew I wanted to be a musician because it was my main outlet and passion. I loved sports and was pretty good at basketball but music was all I ever saw myself doing. Read more>>

Angelica Sotiriou

I knew I would live my life as a creative early on in my life. As a child I was truly an empath. I was a keen observer. All of my childhood memories are framed by what I was feeling and sensing at the time. My most profound memories and significant remembered images would and are triggered by a smell, a sound or even the specific light of day. From the years of my early education, Read more>>

Jonathan Guy

I knew I wanted to pursue this path when I returned to the US from China. It completely changed my perspective and I knew that it would for students as well. Read more>>