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.

Bel Fernández

I was studying Law in college, and I didn’t know which path to take because I didn’t like the career I was pursuing. I started delving into the world of tattooing, and from the first tattoo I did, I loved everything about it. The sensation of tattooing and the ability to imprint my art on the skin are fascinating, and I still feel the same excitement every time I tattoo. Read more>>

Elina Zhelyazkova

I was working as a store manager in a large fashion retail company when I discovered watercolor painting. I was so fascinated both by the mesmerizing process and tons of learning opportunities online. I eagerly sought more and more sources of knowledge and information, new ways to improve my skills. Read more>>

Mo Jiang

I’ve always been deeply interested in art since childhood and have received lots of training in the field. However, it was during the pandemic, specifically in 2020, that I decided to pursue it as a career. At that time, I was studying illustration in New York. In March, as the virus spread, our dormitory advised everyone to find alternative housing, so I had to try to find a place to stay. Read more>>

Liz Borden

I knew that I would be doing this professionally since I was a child. My mother said if we were having people over, I would ask which kids were coming, and I would either put them in my band, which at that time consisted of dancing and singing to records, or I would write a play and put them in that. it shows me pretty much. I’ve been playing out musically/professionally since I was a teenager. I’ve always enjoyed acting, and I’ve always enjoyed the technical and behind-the-scenes aspects of the entertainment business. Read more>>

Rahquelah Conyers

Creation was always something that enthralled me. I was obsessed with how things were made, to see people convey emotions at the drop of a hat. Ever since a youngin, I knew I wanted in. Entertainment was a world without limits in my young eyes, and as a child, I constantly craved this freedom. I didn’t know, or rather, it didn’t matter to me exactly how I wanted to create for a while, yet I always felt it would involve music. Read more>>

Don Welch

From as long as I can remember, I knew that I wanted to and WOULD have a career in this industry. In fact, I was known a s a child prodigy, singing and performing in concert as a soloist professionally from age 14 before moving into theater as a national playwright in 1986. back in my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. Now over 35 years later, I am still here, adding Television directing and Film directing to my resume.  Read more>>

Alexis Quezada

I’ve always been a crafty/creative person. Growing up I loved getting art kits as gifts no matter what was inside and was always ready to try something new. In high school, you could find me in the ‘art hallway’ where all the art classes were and I think that’s when I really started to consider that a creative career was something I wanted to pursue. I took every class from pottery to fine art drawing to cartooning to photography, but I took me a while to figure out what types of careers were possible. I knew the starving artist persona so often portrayed in 90s movies couldn’t be the only path for me as a creative. Read more>>

Breccan Conroy

I’ve always been a creative, just by nature. It was just a matter of time before acting found me. I like to say that I woke up and decided I was going to be an actor. It sounds more fun that way. I always knew I was meant for more than a 9-5, I think all creatives do. I felt I had a greater purpose even as a young child. School was never for me, I dropped out of high school to test for my GED before going into college as a ‘pre-med’. Soon after I found that wasn’t for me either. I knew that there was something out there that was going to feed my soul, feed this passion that was untapped inside of me. Read more>>

Erin Geyer

Throughout my life, I have always had a passion for creating. Whether it was designing birthday cards on the computer as a young child, painting, or drawing, I was constantly engaged in artistic endeavors. Art has consistently been my favorite subject in school, even during my elementary years, and as I entered high school, I began considering it as a potential career path. Fortunately, I had the privilege of attending a high school with an exceptional art department and a teacher who encouraged us to explore visual arts as a profession. Read more>> 

Danny Sales

We did a lot of moving when I was a kid and things were pretty crazy. The first thing that gave me the assurance that it was okay to not fit in was music. In 3rd grade, my step-dad gave me my first album, American Idiot. The next time I saw my uncle, he then added on Insomniac and Dookie. Green Day filled that void in my heart that told me I didn’t belong. The artistic expression of angst and confusion became an outlet for me to understand myself. Read more>>

Maryellyn Lynott

I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t painting, I studied under professional artist, Dan Mistrik, when I was 8. I was his youngest student. (All his other students were adults). I learned the classic techniques in oil painting. From there I received my BFA in Illustration/painting from Carnegie Mellon. After graduation I moved to NYC and apprenticed under Giancarlo Impiglia and some illustration work to make ends meet. I discovered you could afford manhattan rent if you went into production vs painting for a living. Read more>>

Michael A. Phoenix

I’ve always had an unwavering love for movies. As a child, I spent countless hours writing stories inspired by films and books that had consumed me. I vividly remember mimicking my favorite actors’ movements and reciting their dialogues—movies were my world. Read more>>

Te’Neshia Wilmer

From a young age, I recognized my inclination towards a career in fashion, but wasn’t until 2019 that I truly committed to taking designing and making clothes seriously as a professional pursuit. Read more>>

Jennifer Yoo

I had been feeling stuck in life for quite some time, not necessarily unhappy with what I was doing but also not completely satisfied. Then the pandemic hit and I lost my job. An ad popped up for Berklee College of Music on my Facebook feed so I thought I’d take a class or two online until my job/the world opened up again and the rest is history. I ended up taking two classes (non-credit): a lyric writing class and music publishing then immediately ‘upgraded’ my classes to be for credit and enrolled into the Advanced Professional Certificate for Songwriting track. Read more>>

Wesley Verhey

I’ve always dreamed of being an “artist” in some way or another, however in 2013, when I was in my third year of Studying Economics I had an experience that completely changed my perspective on what was achievable. My now friend, EDX, a well known artist and DJ from Switzerland ran a contest, which I won. He invited me to join him on tour to his hometown Zurich, after which we took a private jet to Ibiza where he played at Ushuaïa with Avicii.  Read more>>

Nichole Ruiz

It was the summer after I graduated college with a degree in Public Administration, something I did not know what to do with that I found myself on a film set for the first time. It was very exciting, my best friend who was also a film enthusiast asked me if I wanted to PA for a feature film called “Baka Bukas” (Maybe Tomorrow) and I immediately said yes. Read more>>

Shireen Ghosh

I don’t think I ever had a single moment, it was more an accumulation of experiences over several years. I’ve never had enough definite certainty to know I wanted to be a composer or musician for sure – I just kind of fell into doing it, and discovered surprisingly that I kind of liked it… so I just kept going!  Read more>>

Maria Bautista Signorini

I learned from a very young age I wanted to pursue a career in the artistic industry. However, I didn’t know what specific career I wanted. I started and completed a 2-year program in Fashion Design after graduating from school in my home country. However, later on I switched to a different career in the arts. I chose Illustration because of my passion for drawing and telling stories with my art. I think that even though I didn’t pursue my career in fashion, it influenced my illustrations.  Read more>>

Michael “Mikey Rapz” Romano

Birthed in the home of hiphop ,The Bronx and also having family in the music industry started my career at a young age. By the time I was 10 I was traveling with my aunt to Music related business meetings and hanging out at the studio watching the music production process. This is when I found my love for music but also my passion for logistics. Learning how to complete a project, build contacts and develop talent/art into a tangible vision.  Read more>>

Jillian Rae

I have been head over heels in love with music ever since I can remember. To be honest, I’ve never really thought seriously about doing anything else. Growing up in a small town, singing for anyone who would listen, starting violin lessons at the age of seven & doing my first big performances when I was nine, growing up with a ridiculously supportive & hardworking single mom who did everything possible to help me follow my dreams…  Read more>>

Siddharth Lal

My life’s journey in the past 3 years has been nothing short of a wild ride. The learnings that have taken place, the experiences that I have had – have taught me more about myself than all my years before. March 2020 – everybody has a story to tell about that month. A period that’ll completely change the way we look at our lives and think about our priorities was right around the corner. Read more>>

Rubbrheads

We’re Rubbrheads, a Chinese rock band sojourning in Los Angeles, with current lineup including vocalist Yunxuan “John” Yuan, guitarists Changheng “Arthur” Zhao and Qingye “Billy” Gao, and drummer Haoyang “Harry” Li.  Read more>>

Seth Beamer

I love this question, because to me I can’t really think of a time where I wanted to do anything else. Sure, I’ve pursued other outlets and ways of making money, but in the back of my head all I’ve ever wanted to do is make music and create things. The leap to making it my professional path, however, has not always been so cut and clear. It took me a long time of putting myself out there, doing work for free, bleeding my finances dry, making connections, and saying a whole lot of “yes” until I ultimately can now say I work as an artist professionally. Read more>>

Travis Knight

I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist. Drawing was the first thing that held my attention. I didn’t grow up around professional creatives. It just always seemed that painting and drawing was a hobby. I fell in love with comic books during the early 90’s boom. Artists like Todd Mcfarlane and Jim Lee lined my walls. It seemed that drawing comics was a way to make a living! Read more>>

Megan Wolfkill

As a child, I gravitated towards coloring, drawing, and creating. Art was my favorite of the extra curricular classes, and I prioritized it all through my schooling. In addition to art, I was very involved with ballet and jazz dance and decided to double major in Studio Art and Dance in college. Throughout my time at Tulane University, I was sure I would move to New York City after graduation and pursue a career in dance.  Read more>>

Saraphym Wright

I have always been an artist and have always wanted to pursue art in some way but never knew how. In 2020, after not getting a job I wanted at a skate shop, I started doing resin (the two were not connected at the time). I made my first ever resin pyramid on June 22nd, 2020, and from then on, I could not be stopped. I started posting the pieces I was making and my friends wanted to buy them! Read more>>

Chezale Rodriguez

I knew I wanted to be a participant in the performing arts and entertainment as a dancer, singer, musician and all around creative person from very early on. Performing and expressing myself came very naturally to me as a young person and my family encouraged my talents in those areas. I began my journey as a student of the Arts in grade school being enrolled in orchestra, choir and dance classes; and continued on that path continuously throughout all my schooling into adulthood. Read more>>