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?

Stefani Fryzel

I was walking around one of my favorite bookstores Vroman’s in Pasadena when I realized that the book I wanted to see on the shelves wasn’t there. I was looking for a self-care book for artists. They say if you don’t see the book you’re looking for, then you are the one to write it. Read more>>

Sara Bawany

I have several meaningful projects I’d love to talk about. I am currently an MFA student of Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry at Texas State University. The decision to go back to school to pursue another master’s degree – my ‘fun master’s’ I like to call it – was a huge one, but something that has already paid off so fully, I almost wish I’d done it earlier. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by others who are immersed in perfecting their own craft, those who love on language in the same way and can critique my own work with compassion but with skill. While in this program, I am an Instructional Assistant with the English department, and am the Assistant Managing Editor of the campus literary magazine, Porter House Review. Read more>>

Tristan McGee

The album my band, Old Brier, is working on currently has been the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far. This was essentially an EP of songs that I wrote over the past 10 years since I moved to North Carolina. It focuses heavily on a friendship/realationship that revolved around a misleadnig moral and religous ethic. Often times the protagonist in these songs finds himself teaching and preaching things he activly acted out against in his day to day life. This mixes with the internal strugle of truly believing the things preached, but being discouraged in how to live them out practically and effectvly. Read more>>

Jerome Wetzel

It’s All Been Done Radio Hour. I created it because I was having trouble getting people to buy my self-published books, and thought putting on a scripted podcast performed lived might fill an unserved niche, making it more likely to get attention and followers. I knew of only one such program in existence, and they were ending their run after 10 years, so no one else was doing it. What I didn’t expect was just how much of an amazing team experience it would be. Eight years in, with most of the original cast still participating, we’ve become a family. Everyone contributes how much or how little they like, and in any ways that they like. I’m the organizer and primary writer, but others also write, pitch stories, compose music, direct, run social channels, edit audio, run the equipment, and of course act. Read more>>

Jen Martinez-Bre

I don’t think I can choose one single project that has been the most meaningful – I think that most of the artistic projects I’ve done have had some sort of meaning to them. I can try to narrow it down to two things, however. The speaking engagements I do, usually paid for on my own dime, are something that I wish was done before my time. There has been a lot of talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the past couple years but very few organizations take disability issues into account when discussing DEI – which is why I’ve felt the need to speak at any opportunity I can to give DEI ideologies with an emphasis on disability. Read more>>

Ifeoluwa Winner

Writing songs and transforming them into original compositions or remixes is more significant to me as a content creator. Soothing Sundayz, Restaurant Rantz, WINZMIX, The Fruit Package, and Nursery Rhymez are all the music series I’ve made. In April 2019, I began uploading my first music content, “Soothing Sundayz,” in which I wrote original songs with a calming chill or melodic sound and posted them on Instagram every Sunday afternoon. Soothing Sundayz will always hold a particular place in my heart since it provided a platform for me to find my voice and style as a singer and songwriter. Read more>>

Matt Bell

Back before I really started doing anything creative professionally, I was working as a software developer from this advertising company called VML. I had graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute a number of years prior. One day I saw a video of this crazy machine that would print images in sheets of falling water. I thought it was amazing. Back in college I had dabbled in incorporating electronics into my art, so I thought, how hard could it be and decided to have a go at it. Now, I should mention that the machine I had seen was huge. Something like 15-20′ tall. I decided this was a little impractical for me to pull off directly so I decided to flip the idea over and instead of having water fall through the air, I would have air float up through water. Read more>>

Ernest Figueroa

One the most meaningful projects I have been invloved with is my 23 year association as a co-founder of the national theater conference Directors Lab West. Founded in 2000, Directors Lab West is an eight-day national theatre conference offered to mid-career directors and choreographers by invitation only. The theater conference consists of panels, discussions, workshops, lectures, and symposiums offered free to 30-50 mid-career directors and choreographers in residence at the historic Pasadena Playhouse. Directors Lab West has always been reflective of the current waves moving through the American theatre providing a space for mid-career and emerging directors and choreographers to have a dynamic exchange and interaction with their peers. Read more>>

Jeremy Jirsa

I would say the majority of my work has a high significance of personal meaning running throughout my studio practice. All of my work is autobiographical in some form and stems from my experience living with Tourette Syndrome. While bringing my Tourette Syndrome to the forefront of my practice I find my work exploring​ tones of isolation, self-medication, and depression, ultimately offering a perspective of TS through a false façade of perceived reality. My tourettes manifests itself through throat clearing and the making sounds along with arm/shoulder spasms and head jerking. Living with such an ailment has left me in chronic pain and at times unable to function due to extreme ticing. Leaving one to feel trapped and as if they are a prisoner within their own body. Read more>>

Felicia Chiappetta

About a year ago, I started working for a media outlet that covered local news. The experience taught me how little people valued the arts in a ‘hard news’ environment. I really hated feeling like I had to work extra hard on proving why I wanted to cover art events, people or topics related. I mentioned to a friend around this time that I felt like I should use what I’ve been learning in my Master’s program of Journalism at UBC, to uplift artist voices (something I was never interested in from the start).– I just didn’t know how. Now, I’ve recently graduated and am the editorial director for 8 MAGAZINE, a new-age digital platform, that’s by artists and for artists to uplift local voices carving their way through Canada’s entertainment industry. Read more>>

Katerina Hung

Back in March 2023, with the support of my business partner, I embarked on a personal production that would redefine my artistic path. Punished Gods was not just a conceptual piece; it was a transformative experience that allowed me to explore the depths of my creative vision. Gathering a team of 16 talented individuals, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as we embarked on this artistic journey together. It was my first time taking the reins as a director, stepping out of my comfort zone, and venturing into uncharted territory. The weight of responsibility felt both exhilarating and humbling. Read more>>

Ruzanna Hanesyan

In September 2020, a war broke between Azerbaijan and Artsakh. Many of us were far away from family and home, and I began my weaving as the fallen soldiers names were published each day. In memoriam. Elegy was born from that experience of solitude and grief, it is a poem of reflection, a lament for the dead. In the beginning of the creation of the piece, names were stitched very close together, not meant to be legible. Read more>>

Luisa Azevedo

Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the importance of meaningful projects and storytelling as an actor. Acting is definitely a way to connect to people on a deeper level and its one of the reasons that I feel in love with the whole filmmaking and acting world. I’ve been fortunate to be part of projects that have allowed me to tell amazing stories and one project that stands out to me right now is ‘’Wishiful Thinking’’, because we just had the world premiere of this film on July 15th. I saw it for the first time and I was really emotional and glad to be a part of it. In this project we got to tell Rodrigo’s story, he is the director and he’s also acting on it, and it is a love letter that he made to share his truth with his family and being part of it helping him telling this story in a such beautiful and fun way, it was an honor. I am sure that a lot of people are gonna relate to this film and that brings me so much joy because I want to be part of stories that inspire empathy, and make a difference in the lives of the audience and ‘’Wishiful Thinking’’ will leave a positive mark and will inspire everyone that watches it. Read more>>

Lelia Davis

Each series I create is meaningful in its own way. For my 2020 solo exhibit at G44 Gallery, my primary focus was to depict easily overlooked, fragile ecosystems in order to bring attention to their importance. This was informed by my degree in biology, and aligned with my love for the outdoors efforts in environmental conservation. I toured protected land with environmental organizations such as Colorado Open Lands, and photographed references for my paintings. I donated a portion of my sales from this exhibit to local environmental organizations. Read more>>

Sixian Wang

As an illustrator, a meaningful project to me represents a story that can touch people’s hearts. It could be warm, energetic, encouraging, and can bring hope. Whether it’s a personal project or a collaborative effort, I have always strived for my works to be meaningful. Illustration, as a visual medium, is essentially about conveying information. It is more intuitive than language and allows for a greater imaginative space. A meaningful project is not solely defined by proficient painting skills but also by ideas and creativity. These ideas and creativity stem from life and find their way back into life through the medium of illustration. Read more>>

Amanda DeFrees

I’ve recently have launched a podcast called Fem Forte. Fem Forte is a podcast/video series that is meant to empower the next generation of women in the performing arts by interviewing amazing female music educators and performers alike who are currently in the industry. I am very fortunate to be in a job that allows me to focus ten to fifteen percent of my time on a passion project. I always knew that I wanted to start a podcast. but I wasn’t sure what the topic I was gonna be in. Ever since I started my job as Director of Media with Ultimate Drill Book, I started connecting and talking to a lot of women in the performing arts industry and started realizing the underrepresentation of women and gap in resources for women who want to pursue this career path. Read more>>

Yulu Zhang

I have a series of illustrations called “Blessed Arrival.” The people depicted in these artworks are all welcoming the arrival of a new life, signifying that each birth is meaningful and every life deserves to be loved. The series consists of three pieces: Sky, Earth, and Ocean. The Sky piece represents the potential presence of your ancestors, friends, and family from the spiritual world, as well as some higher beings. Earth portrays the nurturing of life and the diverse habitats of various creatures. The Ocean piece depicts unknown creatures and other mystical forces’ dwelling place. However, regardless of the world depicted, everyone is filled with anticipation, prayer, and readiness for the arrival of this new life. Read more>>

Bruce Rivera

Establishing the Salvage Arts Foundation is undoubtedly my most meaningful project. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to recycled art, we bring together artists with diverse backgrounds and methods to create artwork from repurposed materials. Our journey began in April 2023 with our inaugural art show, ‘All Decks on Hand,’ showcasing artwork on repurposed skateboard decks by over 80 talented artists. Read more>>

Michelle Sider

Currently, I am working on two significant glass mosaic projects with personal and communal significance. The first project, “Transparencies, Reflections, and Landscapes,” aims to create evocative, spiritually-inspired glass mosaics that celebrate light and a sense of place. These artworks are intended to uplift and inspire the soul, fostering a sense of awe and wellness within our community. My psychology background has influenced my approach to using art to heal. As a psychologist, I’ve witnessed the therapeutic effects of creating glass mosaics, which can alleviate stress and provide emotional expression. As an educator, I’ve observed how glass mosaic art promotes peace and calmness among students. And as an artist, I have experienced first-hand the striking restorative effects of creating art. Moreover, surrounding ourselves with uplifting artwork has been shown to enhance well-being, making art a powerful tool for healing in healthcare settings. Read more>>

Rebecca Shakespeare Armstrong

I am grateful to have worked on quite a few meaningful projects with other creatives but one of the most meaningful projects I have ever worked on was doing my first solo exhibition. After getting back into the arts in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, I never thought two years later I would have such a fulfilling opportunity. Everyone who contributed to the show were individuals from my village which made it even more special. My solo exhibit was entitled “Under the SEE”. The show brought attention to the need to discover your personality outside of what we present on social media. Not knowing in 2023 I would be in my first citywide fashion show, the art exhibition really pushed me to grow in my faith and creativity. Read more>>

Meredith Mashburn

The most meaningful work I have poured my heart into to date is my current work “Human Nature.” Born from a spiritual awakening I was guided to help heal our earth through story telling. This work is a declaration, a promise and a vow to live a life of balance with my natural surroundings. As a photographer, my role has been to deliver my client’s vision. As an empath, I’ve immerse myself others experiences to capture who they are or what they want to communicate. My work has been featured in local, State, and national publications and I have photographed countless individuals, families, nature, food, and live events. What I have never done is turn the camera toward my own experiences. Read more>>

Annieo Klaas

I think the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far is what I’m working on right now: I’m getting ready for a show in Downtown Mobile where I’ll get to fill half the gallery with paintings of the sky with sun beams painted across them. Its so meaningful to me because I’m also in the middle of going to pharmacy school (I have 2 years to go!) and this will be the first time I’ve gotten to hang this many paintings together in one space since I had a solo show shortly after I graduated from art school in Seattle. I’m not a very systematic person, so pharmacy school has been a great mental workout for me, and getting to have an exhibition while getting through it has been something I count as an accomplishment and a source of energy. Read more>>

Hill Werth

“We exist, despite.” I am currently in the middle of a brand new art series to celebrate and focus on everyday people that are under represented/ marginalized individuals within our 2slgbtqia+ community. I have been facilitating photoshoots and asking individuals to submit photos that best represent themselves. These photos will be incorporated into my mixed media paintings. The whole point of this project is to share people’s stories so they can be felt, heard, and understood better. Visibility, awareness, and representation in certain spaces is so important. Opening show is on January 5th, 2024 at The Kingston School of Art Window Gallery. Read more>>

Andrea Montgomery

Hands down, Motherhood is the most meaningful complex project of all. Raising two young girls to be fearless, educated, well-rounded, confident, independent, respectful, gentle, and caring is a constant juggling act. It requires patience, resilience, and adaptability. No book could prepare me for this. All I do is to provide the best for them. I want them to be better than me. Of course, It can get a bit rocky working on this motherhood project, but the instant sense of purpose and fulfillment as I witness them grow and develop into unique individuals, is a joy unmatched. They are my muse and #1 fans. Read more>>

Traci McKindra Harper

The most meaningful project I’ve worked actually had nothing to do with design. In the summer of 2020, as a result of a conversation with the CEO of the company I worked for at the time regarding my feelings about the murder of George Floyd, I was presented with the unique opportunity to make significant change in our company. Three of my fellow Black coworkers founded, OmniBlack, an advocacy initiative dedicated to ensuring that our corporate values were part of the actual experience for all, with a specific focus on Black employees. Read more>>

Max Schmitz and Dana Dveris

The project that is the most meaningful to us is our first feature film, “Let’s Meet Halfway.” After both working in the industry and seeing how many projects never get made for various reasons having nothing to do with the actual art, and seeing filmmakers wait 20 years to get their first feature film made, we decided to just go for it. We wrote “Let’s Meet Halfway” knowing we’d have very little money, time, and resources but wanted to make a film that uses its limitations to actually strengthen the story. This is how we came up with the premise for “Let’s Meet Halfway” – a story of a long distance couple falling out of love all within a small town they meet at once a month. The scope of the film is small, but the themes and emotions it tackles are much larger. Read more>>

Amy Newton-McConnel

My most meaningful project is ongoing – Multiplicity. My daughter, my muse, my source of creative inspiration. Small, yet mighty, she is a commanding, colorful and emotional spirit… not to be reckoned with. She embodies innocence, drama, intelligence, complexity and perpetual movement. She has ADHD. In this body of work, Multiplicity, I have attempted to capture the essence of her unlimited energy, psyche, and her soul. Read more>>

Darryl Smith

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is actually my current project that I’m pursuing. During my journey as an artist, one of my biggest issues was diving deep into myself to create works that best represented my mind, my interests, my aesthetics, & my heart. My works before all felt very superficial and were always inspired by others but didn’t truly feel like me. After graduating from art school I felt extremely lost because not only did I not know what path I wanted to follow, but I graduated knowing I still hadn’t created art that represented who I truly was. Read more>>

K Sarai

While some of my work is for entertainment purposes only, I really enjoy creating songs and lyrics with a deeper meaning. One of those songs is called Better. It’s talks about my life in full. The song encompasses the ups and downs of being a child growing up in the south, going to church frequently and growing into an adult with a host of life lessons under my belt. The final line on this song “I just wanna be better in the name of whoever.” acknowledges the current stage of success while also nodding to the need to not only change but to grow and develop. It’s a unusual song in that it doesn’t actually have a hook or chorus. However, the story that needed to be told remains uninterrupted and perfectly scripted. Read more>>

Tony Alderman

I’m a North Carolina artist with a passion for our coast. I’ve worked in this area for decades, and through my past projects, I have gained an affinity with the water, the people, the heritage, and the culture of the Carolina coast. I’ve always been driven to create culturally oriented work and I think the stories of North Carolina’s Down East are worth telling. From hidden whispers of a quiet cove, or the places around it: the towns, the people, and the buildings so full of history. These are the things that capture my attention. Read more>>

Amy Cadwallader

We recently performed THRIVE: an evening of modern dance at Marygrove College in Detroit. Marygrove is a beautiful, old theater which really came to life with the lighting designer’s work. Our performance, THRIVE, included choreography that was only created by Dance Uprising, including several pieces I choreographed and several that were created by dancers within the company. We built all of our choreography around the theme “humankind’s greatest achievements.” I was surprised to see that our creative process led us to a common arc of existence with a struggle, fighting against the struggle, and emerging from the other side. I bring attention to political and social topics through my choreography, but I usually try to keep the pieces lighter and entertaining. Hence the name THRIVE: It’s all about the emergence from the struggle and the improved version of our lives that we experience after something like that. Read more>>

Laeitta Wade-Robinson

Within my years of experience as a videographer, I’ve completed many projects. Out of all of those, there was one that greatly impacted all of my future projects and my perspective on videography. After I graduated from Delta State University, one of my mentors, Tricia Walker, blessed me with an opportunity to attend a three-week-long documentary training for storytelling and videography under an organization called Barefoot Workshops. Read more>>

Anthony Leto

Earlier this year (2023) in March I released an album called “AJ HAND ME DOWN”. This was a project I produced & recorded in my grandmothers living room. With supporting help with mixing from Delarose, Kev Speaks Truth, & Hero STW. Two tracks off the LP ( “Broken Hearted Pirate” & ‘Feel So High” ) produced & recorded at Sauce Bucket Studios with SBChrome. This project highlights many emotions I had dealt with from 2019-2021. Questioning moralities, Heartbreak, Depression, & feeling stray. Writing these records was a form of therapy, assisting me in letting weight off my chest. Expressing & pushing myself as a creator, experimenting with different styles of music. Read more>>

Cristiana Motta

Title: Home – Information Where: Alzheimer’s Home Sanford, Florida With the interest and more intimate relationship with Alzheimer’s, I wanted to get closer to people living the same as me, but close to me. I wanted to show and give them what I was still living with my grandmother. I believed it was important to take the feeling that still exists within us even with the disease and signal this to other people. Read more>>

Jack Tenbusch

SymBionic, my animated short film, would fall into the “passion project” category. Its concept was one I had been dead set on making since transferring into art school, and it was a real challenge for a few reasons, the first and foremost being that it was a solo project where I would be doing every step of animation myself. That along with having less than a year to work on it because I was a transfer student meant I had to hit the ground running! Read more>>

Chelsea Edgeworth

My own home! Seems very cliche to say this, but working our own home and our in-progress homestead has been one of the most meaningful projects I’ve done. We are a family of 5, with our kids being under 9. A few years ago, I decided that I needed to leave the workplace and come home to raise our children properly. Before this, I struggled to balance nightshift work life and bearing our three children. I was experiencing severe exhaustion that led to other physical health issues that then lead to a rocky start of our marriage and a rough start to parenthood with my husband. Read more>>

Emily Drennan

Growing up, I had an amazing childhood. I thought everyone grew up with loving & married parents, opportunities, friends, a support system and encouragement. I thought love, laughter and the belief that I could chase after and fulfill my dreams was something everyone had. Not until I grew older did I begin to see that how I was raised was more of an anomaly than the standard. This cushion of security, safety and faith was largely due to my parents. Their love for each other, for me and my brother and for God were uncharacteristically sacrificial. Their example gave me the springboard to try new things without fear and to pursue my talents and interests. Read more>>

Joey Brandin

2 years ago, I took a fresh start; I moved from Salt Lake City to Provo. After my first album, I started losing momentum as an artist, I lost the files of several self produced tracks that I was planning on releasing, and then a global pandemic hit. I hit an all time low with my mental health. It wasn’t until an opportunity presented itself in the form of a sound engineering job for a cafe venue called Java Junkie that I felt reassured to go back into the studio. It was through that job I met Bly Wallentine of Little Moon (NPR’s recent tiny desk winner) and recorded my second album ‘Deja Blues’. Read more>>

Evelien Kong

This is a tough question because there have been so many over two decades. But honestly, I’d have to say, my current one is my podcast Reppin. I say this because this project is fully mine, not any studio or network. It comes from my whole person, bringing my experience to create a series that I hope encourages an open dialogue and positive contributions, not just from me, but from my guests. I really hope it serves audiences. Also, my podcast has brought me incredible insights and lessons from leaders in various genres that I know will help me and my audience. And lastly, it’s brought me incredible people—my guests to the team behind the scenes—who have become friends. Read more>>