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.
Steven Muleme
It all started when I was still young and in primary. Art wasn’t a part of the subjects, but I remember I always had a separate book where I used to draw different artistic images. And so, when I joined high school in 2002, I was extremely excited to pursue my dream because Art was then included on the National Academic Carriculum. My creatives included visual art, Music, Dance and Drama, Interior Designing especially at home and writing short poems from lived experiences. However, my skill in Music, Dance & Drama were cut short by parents who did not want to see take that direction. Read more>>
Tanya Gurule
I can remember in my late teens seeing work by Anne Geddes, and being drawn to her newborn photography creations. Thinking how wonderful and very curious how Anne created her art. As I grew up, I was always drawn to newborn photography and the beautiful creations created with the tiniest and purest humans on earth. Read more>>
Aura Wang
I grew up in China. When I was 4 years old, I began to study Chinese calligraphy. This was probably my first approach to art.
In China, students who have better grades will usually go on to studyscience, so at that time I was almost forced to do focus on science, because most parents think an art major is for students who can’t do well in school. But my heart belongs to art. In college, I even majored in computer science at first. After 2 years in college, I realized: art is the path I enjoy. I should choose it as my career path so I could enjoy a meaningful life. Then, I left my college program and came to New York to study art at SVA. Read more>>
Starfox (of the Fleet)
I had a story in my head that I couldn’t write music and would therefore never be able to be the lead singer of a rock band. I ended up moving in with someone who was a full-time videographer and part-time musician. Being so present in his creative flow greatly demystified the songwriting process for me and alleviated some of the fear I had around it. At that time I was also taking a lot of risks in my life and saying YES to things that excited and scared me, which created a whirlwind of emotion that served as fantastic songwriting material. With my newfound inspiration, creative support system, and songwriting toolkit, I was finally able to write my first song…which turned into 10 songs in 10 days. I had always been a talented musician and performer but once I broke the songwriting seal, I knew I had everything I needed to become a groundbreaking rockstar that could propel themselves to intergalactic success. Read more>>
Jessica Meyer
My love for dance started when I was 2 ½ years old as my mother put me in a variety of activities to discover my niche and that is when I found dance. My determination to pursue the art of dance emerged during my time in the second grade where I would orchestrate my schoolmates during recess to do dance choreography instead of partaking in typical activities of play. This was the beginning of my ambitious journey of living in my truth and love for dance. Since I was 6 years old, I participated in the competitive dance world with different dance studios traveling all over Florida and the states until the age of 17. My mother saw that I really loved hip hop so she found a dance studio that embraced my hip hop talent at the age of 8. This was my first time implementing my own choreography and freestyle in a hip hop solo on stage at competitions. In the midst of this at the age of 9, I was began to be a protégé of a well-known ballet dancer, Ron Holiday who had his own show at Radio City Music Hall called “Cat Dancers.” He took notice to my superior technique and talent in ballet at the young age of 9 to begin pointe work. For many ballet dancers, starting pointe is the ultimate dream which caused much jealousy from my peers as the usual age to start pointe is age 12. He would always say I would “be a star” and that is exactly what I aim to achieve not just in my dance career, but in every passion I pursue as an artist. Read more>>
Aidan Guthrie
I’ve always had the desire to go into the film industry. It’s a bug I picked up when I was young. In my family, you can roughly divide everyone’s careers into one of three paths: finance, engineering, and filmmaking. At Christmas every year, I’d spend my time creating home movies with professional actresses, casting directors, ADs, gaffers, and directors. I see this as the start of my film education and made the dream of being a filmmaker feel more practical. Soon enough, I would frequently spend my time daydreaming about having my own production company, drafting ideas for movies, and rattling off all of my “divisions” for different genres. Read more>>
David Bixler
I was young when I knew that I wanted to be a musician, sixth grade in fact. I had no idea what that career choice would entail, but looking back I was drawn to creating even though I couldn’t necessarily articulate that desire at that age. l certainly didn’t think about the necessity of making a living, and in a way I am still like that. Obviously as an adult with a family I have had to figure out what I had to do in order to survive, but that has always been secondary for me. It caused some rough times, but I think those rough times ultimately were the crucible for understanding the worth of the path I was placed on. Read more>>
Jesse Garcia
I was asked once in high school what was to become of my life if I didn’t take my schooling serious. At the time, the world was changing and technology was becoming more prevalent and accessible so without much thought I said “I’m going to be a musical artist”. When prompted with the question of what instrument I knew how to play, I had to be honest and answer “none, but I think I can do it with just a laptop”. When I first graduated from high school I had a yearning to explore the world and experience things that I had only ever seen on TV or the internet. This lead me to attend my first music festival in Chicago. In that moment, as I stood out in a sea of 20,000 people dancing and grooving, I felt as if I was exactly where I needed to be. In that moment, I looked up at the stage and I knew that one day I wanted to be that person in control of the music, the emotion and the story telling. I had no idea where to begin but I had enough self belief to know that I could figure it out and so, 10 years later, I stand here as a professional DJ who maybe has not mastered every aspect of the art form but is far from a beginner and even further from a dreamer in his bedroom. Read more>>
Beau Beatrix
Owie! began in 2022 during a chaotic and difficult medical journey through chronic illness. I was in the early stages of uterine cancer which eventually resulted in a hysterectomy, after which materials that I originally was just a little sensitive to, I suddenly became severely allergic to. This unfortunately included metal allergies to most common jewelry materials. Read more>>
DAvid Pattee
I grew up in a creative household. My mother was a great artist who was a great cook and made her own clothes. Being creative was encouraged and we were given the tools to express ourselves. Read more>>
Jonah Wisneski
Well, from a young age, listening to music was such a meaningful, important, and almost ritualistic part of my life, that it consumed a lot of my free time. Then, as I got older, seeing live music became an extension of that love. Music felt powerful to me, and I would obsess over songs or bands, so much so that when I was in middle school, I would sometimes dream about being a musician. But it wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I began to actually learn how to play an instrument. Given my affinity for music, this felt like the next logical step, so I dove head first into learning guitar. Read more>>
Rochelle Gomes
I can’t pinpoint an exact moment when my passion for singing began; it has been a part of me since early childhood. As far back as I can remember, I was always immersed in music—singing in the shower, belting out tunes during karaoke sessions in my room. I vividly recall getting my family involved, inviting them to create percussion by clapping or making other sounds to accompany my singing. Read more>>
Esther Huynh
I knew I wanted to pursue creative work professionally was in early in college. I had spent a good portion of my academic career thinking that I would go into science. My expectations leaving high school was to go down the path of a medical profession. Read more>>
Will Van Moss
I’ve always been involved in the arts since I was a kid. I fondly remember attending my first musical theater summer camp with my younger sister when I was about 6 or 7. I also loved going to various dance and acting camps from an early age. At 8, I joined the local choir in our town in Belgium, which really sparked my interest in the arts. Read more>>
Oliviana Marie
I have been passionate about the arts and music for my entire life. My mom is a singing teacher and my dad is a pianist, so growing up I always knew I wanted to do what they do! From the minute I wake up in the morning, to the second I fall asleep at night, and sometimes even in my dreams, I am creating. I’m inventing new worlds to explore, making up melodies at the piano, choreographing show-stopping tap routines, or crafting clever lyrics in my head. I live for creating and collaborating with other imaginative individuals and feel honored to have the opportunity to explore my passions professionally. Read more>>
Jordan Kasedy
I was lucky to have very creative parents—my father works in music and my mother in film—so they always supported my interest in the music and entertainment industry.
Although I was always drawn to the industry, I found my true passion through experiencing live events and the behind-the-scenes action in music. In 2014, I met the owners of Drysdale Group, a company deeply involved in Montreal’s events scene. I worked with them for nearly five years, participating in some incredible events and festivals. Those years gave me a lot of perspective on my career path, leading me to work directly with artists in management. Read more>>
Belz
Growing up I watched every musical show on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and at the time there were so many shows like Hannah Montana, Victorious, High School Musical, etc. so singing and dancing was something that I had just thought everyone did. I signed myself up for voice, piano, and guitar lessons and immediately got started with learning jazz and classical piano techniques from the greatest teachers. Then, I saw Wicked for the first time in the third grade, and I heard the most amazing vocals and was astounded. I realized that I wanted to become that good, and I developed an interest in not only writing my own music, but also musical theatre. I then gave my first performance of “Stay” by Rihanna at a local town festival just two weeks after my first piano and voice lesson. I knew right then and there at that show that performing was something I loved doing, and I wanted to continue doing it professionally. I felt my hard work pay off with the applause, and even more so, I was proud of myself. I couldn’t wait to do it again. Read more>>
Oluchi Nwokocha
I knew I wanted to be an actor at an early age. I used to watch the hour long marathons of Law and Order: SVU when I was younger and I knew then and there that I wanted to tell impactful stories. I wanted to be on TV with Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer (RIP), and Christopher Meloni. I was gonna be an actor. The only problem was that I am Nigerian and in an Nigerian household there are only five suitable careers: Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Nurse, or Failure. So, if I didn’t want to be deemed as a failure I needed to pursue something that was in the top four careers. I chose Nurse. Only problem is I am trash at math and I don’t like blood so I would make a horrible nurse. Needless to say, nursing was only in my head and I never took any classes in college. I didn’t actually start pursuing acting until my sophomore year of college. I was considered a late bloomer. Most people start acting when they are 5 and are child actors. I was 18 and I had a lot to learn. Throughout my time as an actor, my parents have come around (finally) and I have experienced many triumphs and setbacks on my journey as an artist. Read more>>
Wilson Malek
I discovered my love for music during my teenage years.. I remember watching bands like Green Day and being completely drawn in by their performances. I would spend hours in my room, strumming my guitar, dreaming of one day performing with the same energy and passion that they did. Those moments were pivotal, as they planted the seed for my love of music. Read more>>
Francis Boncales
Just like other artist origin stories, I grew up being obsessed with drawing but didn’t take art seriously until junior year of high school. It was my girlfriend at the time who reignited my obsession. She always encouraged me to draw, especially when I didn’t take it seriously. One time, she planned a date to go to a gallery in the arts district in downtown Dallas. I thought it was a fun activity but little did I know how influential it was going to be for me. I wish I could remember the artist but I was in awe. It was then that I decided to pursue a career as an artist. I spent the next two years of high school developing my craft and figuring out what type of artist I wanted to be. I had bad grades and people knew me as someone who didn’t take things seriously. I was motivated to not only prove to them but also to myself that I could make something of myself. I had to play catch up so I could graduate and go to a good art college. I ultimately had to take one year of community college before applying to the Rhode Island School of Design, which was my dream school. It was the only college I applied to and funny enough had no idea that it was an Ivy League school. After being accepted and transferring, I spent the next three years working the hardest I’ve ever worked to get good and keep up with my talented peers. It was tough but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Read more>>
Megan Le
At age 17 I decided I wanted to pursue an artistic life. The first equity theatre show I ever did was a production of The King and I and I was about 8 years old. I remember getting a paycheck like the adults in the show and I had no concept of money then really until I bought a huge trampoline with some of my earnings. I grew up with my brother and single mom and watched my college professor mother also work two OTHER side jobs. She hustled her butt off and I know she only loved the teaching. But she did what she had to do. Looking back I think that made me want to pursue only the things I loved. Then when I was 16 and had done a couple other equity shows, I realized that the adults in the shows were actually living off their earnings! They were spending all their time training, rehearsing, doing shows and that was all they needed to do! Granted this was still a limited 16 year old perspective and probably not accurate, but that seemed like magic to me. But aside from “making a living,” it was the first time I felt inclusion and cohesion in my life. Inclusion because I always felt so out of place everywhere I went, but in the theatre I felt like I belonged. Cohesion because I always felt that at dance class I was trying to be a good dancer, in school to be a good student, at home a good big sis, like I was always trying to be the thing that THAT situation needed. Very people-pleasing. But in the theatre all parts of me came together and it made sense. It was then when I realized I love spending my time training, auditioning, rehearsing, performing. It checked all the boxes for me, which at the time included: 1. do scary things, 2. express myself safely and 3. play. Read more>>
hanyü
As a child, I dreamed of many careers, from physicist to writer to linguist. So when I announced in high school that I wanted to be a conductor, everyone thought it was just another phase. I began learning piano at the age of 4, and during my teenage years, I developed a deep passion for orchestral music and composition. I dedicated significant time to learning various instruments, sometimes attending lessons for up to eight in a single week. My ambition was to study composition in college and then move on to conducting. Read more>>
Filippos Fragkogiannis
Starting my freelance business was driven by a strong desire for autonomy and self-sufficiency in my career. After graduating from Vakalo Art and Design College in Athens, I was drawn to the prospect of being an independent designer. The freedom to set my own schedule and pursue my own interests within the creative industry was rather intriguing. Read more>>
Noriko Livingstone
I would say 2020. I was working at a natural plants museum and I started embroidery using embroidery kits during my lunch break as a hobby in 2019 and I made an embroidery dress using my own tulips design for my daughter as we were invited to a wedding party in the UK in 2020 though it was cancelled due to covid unfortunately. I started designing and embroidering when I had time as I really liked them and also applied for many publishers for 2 and a half years. Finally a publisher gave me an opportunity and I also got a sponsorship deal with DMC France. Read more>>
Sofiia Maksymovych
Both my parents were studying at the Academy of Arts when I was born, so I had the opportunity to spoil my mother’s semester papers from the age of one, as soon as I could hold a pencil. So I started creating art from birth. Despite the fact that my parents had completely abandoned art, I decided on my life’s work at a very young and unconscious age. My childhood was quite stressful, so painting became my main tool against anxiety. I went to various art schools, and after high school I entered the Lviv Art College. I studied easel painting and graphic design. Read more>>
Sean Hamilton
I like to say that I never really “chose” to be a musician. I’ve made many choices that have taken me to that, but I don’t remember feeling like there was a singular decision when I decided that being a creative is what I would do with my life. I started drumming when I was ten. My mom and I are history buffs, and growing up in Pennsylvania there was a lot of colonial history there. We went to a French and Indian War living history re-enactment and we decided it might be a cool thing to get into. When we did, the members of the group suggested that they especially needed drummers and fifers (in colonial times, kids as young as ten could join the army in those roles). So, I went to the band director at school and asked to join the band as a drummer. At this point, the school year had already started, and he said he already had too many drummers but if I practiced and worked hard he would let me join. It was in those years immediately following I found my passion and love for music and drumming through classic rock, emo, metal, and hardcore which eventually moved towards classical music and jazz. Read more>>
Judy El Hassan
Since I was in middle school , I used to love art , there was always something within me that tugged me towards the act of creating. I’ve always dreamed of printing my artworks on products or even creating something from scratch ! But one particular moment that I clearly remember made me realize that this path is truly for me is when I was telling a senior of mine a story about my latest creation , I was truly invested in that story and I hadn’t even realized how passionate I was up until they looked at me and said , you’re truly an artist ! It truly brought tears to my eyes. Read more>>
Kandace Duke
I knew I wanted to be a creative after I’d went to college, doubled majored in Forensics & Biomedical Sciences, and realized I didn’t enjoy it as much as I do art. All my life up until Freshmen year of college, I’d been involved in something musically whether it be musical theater, choirs, or other fun music groups. It wasn’t until I spent the whole first year of school that I started to feel incomplete, like something was missing. Occasionally, I’d video record myself singing a cover of a song I had stuck in my head and then post it on social media. Unfortunately, that wasn’t cutting it–It wasn’t enough. I felt like I had been drained from something that was keeping me nourished all this time; deprived really. I started to even notice that vocally, I wasn’t doing as well as I once had, and even my confidence level started to decrease. Read more>>
Madison Henline
I think I’ve always known I wanted to pursue a career as an artist. For as long as I can remember, art has been all I’ve ever wanted to do. From elementary school to high school to college, I always moved forward with the intent of following the path of a creative, wherever that might lead. Read more>>
Richard Vargas
I believe any form of Art is part of a life-force or energy that has been in existence long before our early ancestors started making attempts to walk upright. We are merely the vessels used to expand it: Read more>>
Lauren Kuperman
The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally was at the age of twelve. I remember watching a segment on Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) with director Ciro Neili talking about being a showrunner. As a kid, I was mesmerized by all of the drawings. From that point forward, I knew exactly what my career was going to be. However, my passion for art began at a very young age when my parents gave me a crayon and a kid’s menu at a restaurant in Toronto, Canada and I used it to draw a smiley-face. It was like a “you’re a wizard Harry” moment. Read more>>