Every once in a while we have the good fortune of working on a project that we feel truly matters, a project that we’ll still be thinking about years from now. Maybe even something we can imagine telling our grandkids about – surely you’ve had moments like that where something you did in your professional life really mattered?

Yu Zhang

Recently, I received an illustration project focused on a geography theme. My task was to create illustrations for the Oceania section. This was my first time working on a scientific illustration project, which posed a unique challenge compared to my previous work. Unlike other projects where I could freely use my imagination, scientific illustrations require a high level of accuracy and adherence to factual information. Each illustration had to be based on real-life references and carefully researched images. At the same time, since the project was aimed at a young audience, the illustrations couldn’t simply replicate the reference images. Read more>>

 Adrien Stinger

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is the one I’m working on right now. I really grew with this album and you’ll hear the maturity in it for sure. I’ve been through so much the past few years, in good ways and you can hear it in the music. “Therapy” the album is my best work by far and I can’t wait for the world to finally get to hear it. Read more>>

Rose Champagnie

I just created a botanical arrangement for the funeral of a hypothetical small child. This is my most meaningful project to date because of where it will lead my work how it joins multiple sides of my creative impetus.

Because of who I am and how I think, this is more of a collage/puzzle/textile than a story, but one of my big goals right now is to express who I am more freely, so here you go and you are very welcome. Read more>>

Perla Polo

We are a small team and the work of creating content was suffocating us.

We had been doing increasingly basic designs or simplified versions of past designs for several months.

We decided to take a nice break from content creation to concentrate on the work in the workshop, until after a few months we managed to harvest new designs. Ideas began to sprout one after the other and now we have a collection coming out that we are very excited about as it includes several elements that we love. This new collection is called Polo&Storch Fruit Co. Read more>>

Streets Soprano

My 8th album “U Hear Me 2” is by far my most meaningful project I’ve curated along side my mentor Benny the Butcher, to date. U Hear Me is my 2nd most successful series behind Young Black King. The 2nd “UHM2” installment was an example, trust in yourself & the team around you. At the same time, being a demonstration that one can achieve the goals self sets without being afraid of failure, without having the ability to achieve high level marketing, or big industry artist features. This is also special being my first time releasing music featuring my Black Soprano Family label mates, Rick Hyde, Fuego Base,& ElCamino. Read more>>

Paige Esterly

During the pandemic, I began work on a play about Eve Adams. Eve is an often-overlooked historical figure, a queer Jewish immigrant who came from Poland to America in 1912. During prohibition, she opened NYC’s first lesbian bar, Eve’s Tearoom, also called Eve’s Hangout, which served as a community hub for queer women of the era. She also wrote and self-published a collection of short stories called Lesbian Love, which is now considered the very first ethnography of lesbian life in America. But despite all this, since she was a woman, a Jew, an immigrant, and a lesbian, she is largely forgotten by history. (America, am I right?) Read more>>

Katherrin Billordo

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was organizing my first youth-only art gallery when I was 16/17. The Visionary Art Gallery created a platform for over 65 young Chicago artists to showcase 250+ pieces of art to an audience of 400+ guests. After months of persistent outreach, strategic marketing, budgeting, grant applications, and saving money from my part-time job, the gallery came together. To ensure accessibility and enjoyment for all, I made the event entirely free and included live performances by eight musicians, a food vendor, and photographers. Read more>>

Amy Parker

Along with my sister, who is an evidential psychic medium, we have started a business for memorial tattoos where she does a reading, then I do a tattoo based on ideas that came through from the loved one. This process can be profoundly healing for our clients and it’s an honor to be a part of their journey. Read more>>

Paula Cajiao

My most meaningful project to date is the narrative film I’m currently working on, Let There Be Light, where I serve as the Co-Writer and Director. The story follows Alex Álvarez, a battle-hardened veteran struggling with the weight of PTSD after returning from war. When faced with an ultimatum to seek help or face jail time, she embarks on a life-changing journey, ultimately turning to psychedelic therapy as her last hope for healing. Read more>>

Erik De La Cruz

At 20 years old, I started a brand that would be clothing, media, and arts, mixed with environmental consciousness, I had hopes that I would become successful, people would immediately love it, and I’d be the next Walt Disney. I would change the world with clothing and my ideas. I failed for years with mediocre sales—won a few pitch competitions—but the one thing that gained traction was my blog. I was reaching thousands of people with my writing. I’d known I wanted to be a writer since I was nine, but I didn’t see it as a viable career. I loved Hip-Hop and romantic Spanish music, which opened the door to try poetry. I graduated from my university but was still unsure what my purpose was. Read more>>

Terran Eaton

The struggle, in December I shot a project that was extremely difficult to shoot due to it being a bit congruent to my life. I knew my life had been tumultuous in a lot of senses because of moving, bad connections, and betrayal. But after shooting the project I realized that it is a blessing to be in good counsel. I lost a friendships, family members, and even someone I thought had my back betrayed me. But thanks to my Mom and sister and an amazing job Flavor Hills for getting me back to being me. Along with God for aligning an amazing cast to fulfill my passion project. Jay Bethea has been a counselor, prayer for me, in some difficult times. Along with my mother constantly encouraging me never letting me give up. Read more>>

Cherry (mengyuan) Guo

I’ve only been working as a storyboard artist and character animator for a short while, yet I’ve been very fortunate to participate in some short films and series with the most heartfelt stories the world has ever seen.

Being a storyboard artist (story artist) usually involves translating the textual script or creative ideas into visual images. During this process, you really get to know fellow artists and creatives. And it feels so rewarding when you share the same vision, connect over a single idea, and move forward holding each other. I’m grateful that many core creatives are setting up their cameras to focus on people who were once overlooked and underrepresented. These delicate, heartfelt, truthful, and insightful stories that connect people are meaningful projects to me. Read more>>

Amanda Goodwin

Choosing the most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is a lot like asking someone to choose their favorite child. I have limited time to create, so most of what I do has purpose and meaning. I love doing commission paintings for people. Learning what’s important to people and finding a visually creative way to help them remember something special is a challenge I really enjoy. I feel honored to be asked to paint something important for someone. I love finding a way to incorporate special bits of info into a piece that gives it even more meaning than what meets the eye. Giving a piece hidden meaning makes it more fun for the owner to tell others about the piece. When others view it and learn the secret info, it makes them feel like part of the story. Who wouldn’t love that? Read more>>

Tzeleste

An ongoing project of mine is about the trans community of Utah. They are a very small minority compared to the rest of us, and experience much more hate and abuse than any other community I’ve witnessed. It started when I decided to attend a trans rally at the state capitol, and I got to witness the warmth and love that these people possess. It touched my heart in a way nothing else ever has, except for perhaps the very first time I picked up a camera. Read more>>

Victor Vallejo

This project is meaningful because it helps families grow and strengthen in three key areas: Faith, Character, and Generosity. These values are essential for building a more united, strong, and prosperous society. Through this approach, we aim to inspire and guide families to live with purpose and make a positive impact on their community. Read more>>

Alaina Joy

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve had the honor to work on was participating in The Vote Project by @she.posse. It was a powerful collaboration that allowed me to advocate for women’s rights and highlight the importance of autonomy in all areas of life. The project centered around using art to inspire civic engagement and raise awareness about critical issues like bodily autonomy, gender equality, and the systemic challenges women face. As someone deeply committed to these ideals, it was an opportunity to use my creativity for something much larger than myself. Read more>>

Jayanne Aron

I would like to lie and say that each of my drawings is packed full of artistically rendered pieces of my soul, but that’s definitely not true. While well over half of my pieces do contain very personal representations of my identity and painful memories, there is also a percentage of my drawings that don’t. Some of the things I make are just because I enjoy making art, and in those instances I usually choose to draw things that I like or that I find visually appealing. Those drawings are just as important to my portfolio because they exhibit a different side of me. My art isn’t completely trauma-based and disgusting to contemplate, sometimes it’s very playful and lighthearted. Read more>>

Inna Pashina

My meaningful project is life itself, my relation to it, and my understanding. All the time, I
thought I was born to be an artist. I devoted myself to art, trying to become successful. When I
look back at it, I see that art was there for me to show who I was. Art is not separate from life
itself, and it is there for us to investigate life. It’s there for us to play, participate, and keep going. Read more>>