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?
Zofia Perez
Hello. My name is Zofia and I’m 19 years old. I’m an entrepreneur. I am autistic and I was born with Down syndrome. I live in Florida with my family and my older brother lives at his house. I love how God made me. He made me a sensory expert which gave me the BIG IDEA to start my own business, MySensoryArt.com. My business gives me the freedom to make my own schedule, my own money, and my own choices. Read more>>
Marshall Harris
I recently (September – December 2021) spent three months in France working on an artist residency/mentorship project sponsored by FACE/FA and FACE/Santo (French American Creative Exchange). This project is termed a social participatory practice and functions, unlike anything I had been involved with previously. During this Residency, I would be living and working in a region just outside of Paris called Seine-Saint-Denis. I would be working with Monte Laster as the FACE director, His artistic assistant and coordinator extraordinaire Dee Curtis, as well as two middle school-aged classes and an American Rules football organization called The Flash which is located in the city of La Courneuve. Read more>>
Kai Kevin Goh
Even though live in San Diego, most of my jobs shooting come from LA. I’ve driven up to LA in the daytime, do a 8-12 hour shoot, and then drive back down. There was even one time after a consecutive 5-day overnight shoot that I was driving home so tired, I fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the road. After that, I decided that it would be worth it have some sort of work base in LA. So after months of searching with my friend Fong from college, we finally found a place in Alhambra and just signed the lease. Read more>>
Joe Billy
So, incidentally enough, I am currently about to start releasing new material which will amass into my next full length album! This album has been the biggest and best project I have worked on for my solo music ever. There has been so much thought, energy, and considering going into this entire collection of songs; from composition, to lyricism, to production, artwork, and so on. It has also come with it’s more than fair share of frustrations and hurdles haha! I began the process on this album in early 2020. Read more>>
Boo Sparks
My most meaningful project to date is a collaborative installation called Peeking Portals. This project came into fruition like most projects. Starting with conversation and inspiration. With out determination and discipline this project would have stayed as a dream and conversation. After traveling for 6 months in 2021 I decided to make this project concrete and began the steps. Beginning with concept, drawings, plans and funding. After 2 months, mainly working by my self, I completed the 11 foot tall Stonehenge. This is no ordinary Stonehenge. It houses 8 interchangeable miniverses/mini dioramas, created by 8 different artists. Read more>>
Natalie Chernow | Dance choreographer
The F1 Miami Grand Prix was one of the biggest events in our city this year. Over 240,000 people attended over the weekend, and I was hired to choreograph the opening ceremony performance. Since it was the first time F1 would be in Miami, the performance was slated to be a celebration of the vibrance of our city. The only caveat…. I only had 7 days to put it together, Selecting music, picking out costumes, hiring dancers, scheduling rehearsals, choreographing, teaching and cleaning the performance. It was the greatest challenge I’ve faced as a choreographer. Read more>>
Megan Miller
In January of 2022 my business partner and I were able to accomplish an amazing feat as well as mark a major check off our bucket list. To preface this a bit, my business partner Gordon and myself are also partners in life. We are both avid campers and love everything outdoors. We have been visiting Yosemite National park every year since our first visit in 2015; which was totally spontaneous, but that’s a story for another day. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Yosemite Valley, it is a truly magical place! Years before we ever started BirdsEye VR we loved spending time there and sharing our experiences with friends and family. Read more>>
Leti Garza Artist
Most meaningful is not in my wheelhouse, because there are so many meaning projects I have been a part of, I cannot write that this project is “most meaningful,” but I can guarantee, it was, and still is, an interesting and fulfilling project. Back story. On Christmas Day, 2018. Protesters came from across the country to speak out against, and bear witness to the inhumane treatment of children held at the Tornillo Children’s Detention Center. It was one of the largest detention centers for immigrant children in the country, and it was in Texas, my backyard, so to speak. Read more>>
Melody Macias
One of my most meaningful projects is my “sleepyhead” painting from late 2021. I painted it from a childhood photograph of when I fell asleep on the couch with a half-eaten banana in hand. When I first drew it onto the canvas, I had no idea where this piece was going to go. In fact, it took 3 months of going back and forth with which color palette was the “right” fit, which areas I wanted to keep texture in, and whether I wanted to keep it realistic. This was the project that challenged me to not give up on an idea, even though that’s exactly what I wanted to do after 2 weeks when nothing felt right. Read more>>
Casa Del Soul
In May of 2021 we hosted an outdoor event called Soul Tech. This was one of our most meaningful projects because the program we were raising funds for was very personal. We started to #partywithapurpose when we were livestreaming on Twitch during the Covid lockdown, but Soul Tech was our first attempt at an in person party where we could also raise some money. Soul Tech was also our first time working with several other people in the community to make a successful event happen. Read more>>
John “Preston” Bounds
Working on the set of the upcoming indie dramedy Chocolate Lizards (Dir. Mark Lambert Bristol) was one of the most exciting and meaningful projects I’ve ever had the privilege of being a part of. I worked as Rudy Pankow’s Stand-In for a few days in November as production shot at different locations across central Texas. Pankow has made a name for himself playing JJ on the hit Netflix series Outer Banks. This was the first feature film I’ve ever worked on, so when I arrived to set on the first day, I took in every moment with an immense sense of gratitude. Read more>>
Wilfrido Terrazas
Throughout my career, I’ve been a part of many meaningful projects, of various kinds. But here I’d like to highlight my two recent solo records, which were released this year: The Torres Cycle (New Focus Recordings, 2022) and My Shadow Leads The Way (Transvection Ltd, 2022). They are very different from each other and that’s perhaps what’s interesting about them. Read more>>
Matthew Fredricey
All of my paintings are deeply meaningful to me. It’s really impossible to narrow it down to the most meaningful. The entirety of my portfolio documents my artistic, spiritual, and personal evolution. Each painting is a piece of my heart and soul. So much love, thought and intention goes into each painting. My art means so much to me. It is my meditation, and my prayer. It is a form of income. It is how I connect with my intuition, my soul, and how I connect with others. And it is a lot of fun to create! It is my hope that my paintings can have a meaningful impact on others as well. Read more>>
Perry Vásquez
My pandemic year was spent creating two public art murals for the County of San Diego’s new Probation building. I was asked to design to the theme of restorative justice. It is an idea that places emphasis on seeking to make things right rather than seeking to punish. The County stakeholders asked me to interview members of the justice involved community and to treat them as a source of ideas and inspiration for my designs. Read more>>
Joseph Hurst
5 years ago Purple man the legendary reggae artist from Jamaica came to San Diego we were the first ones to bring him down here in San Diego and United States! with the help of hits pon hits to get him his visa card and borderman connection as the DJ who helped him also financially along with rude creation To fly him and get his plane ticket to United States to perform in San Diego at over the border in Chula Vista a club that is known for having a great stage and personal experience with the artist. Read more>>
Sean / Crack Mathias / Sizzlack
The most meaningful project that we have worked on was probably our album ‘A Working Title’. This was our first official release. This project came together when Crack & myself had gotten together to collaborate on a few beats. Crack had been producing beats since 2003 while I (Mathias) started working on music in 2007 as an audio engineer & producer. After working together previously on multiple projects without directly collaborating together we decided to finally link up and work together, which ended up becoming CLOAQxDAGGER as we know it today. Read more>>
Marta Kaczorowska
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a project still in progress. A year ago, I decided to pursue a project called “We are the change” it’s a series of interviews with women who are entrepreneurs or running small businesses and are “on the way to the top” (or maybe not even dream about being on the top, they want to live the life on their terms). Whether working moms or helping their community after hours, they have the emotional strength to pursue their dreams. Read more>>
Madison Marie McIntosh
Some of my most meaningful work has been with Grey Team, a Florida-based organization that works to prevent suicides among veterans suffering from PTSD. Last year, Grey Team and I began a collaboration called Voices of the Valiant, whose main purpose is to encourage veterans to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Read more>>
Juan Pablo Baptista
After a long time without doing Jingles, I’m back this 2022 with a new one, and it’s very important for me because is for a company in my Home Country, Venezuela I started when I was about 17 years old to make jingles for TV and Radio, and did it for about 12 years, then when I came here to the US I started to do more personal music and Post production for TV and all the commercial music was abandoned. Read more>>
Guylaine Conquet
The project was to transcribe my story into painting. I would like to go further and do research and start from the base, the different afro hairstyles in africa their codes spiritual meanings religious, societal …. trace the origins of the different hairstyles that we see today, Read more>>
Anthony R Page
One of the current projects for my company, Blue Bistro Creative, is MEN IN MY BED. It’s a short film based on the autobiography of the same name by Mercuries Ryzen. As I read the book there was so much detail in her life that resonated with me. And as we began to develop a part of her life story into a film, I realized how important this would be, not only for the author but for her family, and Black people overall. Read more>>
Jay Manuel
One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on was when I sold beats to a dance company that has disabled and able-bodied dancers. The organization is called Infinite Flow Dance, and they found me on a website for black and disabled creatives. The connection with their founder Marisa Hamamoto went great, and they used my beats in their film called Scoops of Inclusion. The film, which promotes diversity, has been shown in many schools around the world. Being able to connect with a company that is focused on inclusivity is important to me as someone with a physical and cognitive disability. Read more>>
Ken Sallee
By far, my most meaningful project, which is ongoing, is my Friday livestreams on YouTube, called “Just Stream With Me”. This livestream is a Friday night livestream where I host a content creation Q&A and YouTube channel reviews. But the best part is that I invite aspiring or new livestreamers to go live with me on screen! Read more>>
Melinda Wilkinson
As a photographer, I know that the pictures I take might be the very first, or the very last, images of a person. I love celebrating the excitement when I meet my families for their maternity session, and then the pure joy when they introduce me to their precious little newborn. I am always so honored to be one of the first to meet their babies and be able to hold and speak softly to them as I work. Read more>>
Steve Yazzie
I’m currently working on a community film called, “Knowing You, Denver”. It’s a data-driven, community-designed film project exploring Denver’s diverse cultural landscape. I’m working on this project while in a residency at the Denver Art Museum here in Denver Colorado. This project is particularly important to me because it’s giving me an opportunity to connect with the community in ways that allow for real connection and conversations, not only about the everyday activities of our life, but we are also exploring important issues that the city is experiencing. Read more>>
Marley Wolf
I’m very into alchemy so I’m proud to be apart of a lot of collaborative projects but personally it would be by first fully distributed album. It’s titled “Black Tempest Wolf County”. I’ve progressed so much since its release but it’s sentimental to me. I had to do it all myself because I couldn’t afford to delegate. I was okay with that though because I was proud of my knowledge of recording at the time. I did everything accept one beat that I was given by a fellow artist. It was tough but super fun & I learned a lot about where I wanted my sound to go. Read more>>
Cindi Yaklich
I am a 21st-century realist artist focused on the art of objects. If I can somehow make a statement with objects I feel like I have hit a high note that takes me beyond just a painting. This is really hard to do with “things” My most meaningful project came about during Covid and the Black Lives Matter time period. I felt isolated and depressed about what was happening in our world and I wondered how I could create a statement with still-life paintings that meant something. Read more>>
El Javi
On June 10th I released a new EP, “El Javi, Vol I”. The intention behind the recording of this EP was to capture my live sound. There was no edits, recorded in single takes and with minimum production. I felt the need to do this because we live in a time where music is over produced and the sound of a musician or band gets farther away from how we sound live in a quest to make it “perfect” Read more>>
Tebby Burrows
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date is actually an affirmation card deck for kids called My True Reflection, that’s geared towards children of color. I’ve always had a strong desire to tell stories that matter, and to me, nothing matters most than the stories we tell ourselves every day. What we tell ourselves determines our beliefs and our beliefs shape our future. During the pandemic, I was able to actually sit down and write out 30 of the most important things, in my mind, that young boys and girls need to hear daily to give them confidence and courage in this world. Read more>>
James Morse
I worked on an album a few years ago with producer-engineer-audio wiz, Damon Moon, in Decatur. I had just graduated college, was engaged, and was working for an Architect. Needless to say, a lot was happening in my life, so I was trying to process everything, but it felt a bit crazy and surreal, like living in a collage. It was the first time that I had made a studio album in person, which gave me a totally new perspective on music production. Read more>>
Eston Browne
I would say the most meaningful project to date that I’ve worked on is INVOCATION that’s out now. Lyrically, it outlines a lot of the issues that I’ve observed over time during the pandemic. I also believe this project is a bit of a turning point for VULNIFICUS in our maturation and song writing process. I was tested a lot both personally and musically with this project, trying techniques and challenging myself every step of the way. Read more>>
Vizionvry
“FADE” is my latest project I’ve released. This has been at least two years in the making and I can finally show it to the world. It’s my 3rd full length studio album. There are 12 tracks on the album that consist of multiple sub genres of hip hop. For this particular project I drew most of my inspiration from trap, boom bap, and cloud rap. I just wanted this project to really reflect my ability to be versatile, and I feel like we really accomplished that on this record. To date…“FADE” is my masterpiece. Read more>>
Sarah Rimkus
In 2018, I was commissioned to write a piece for a choir in the Seattle area called The Esoterics, a group that performs a cappella choral works with a focus on striking texts and complex musical technique. Since I am originally from the Seattle area, I was excited to work with a group so close to home, especially one with such a specific and strong creative vision. The theme for the concert was “the secular requiem” – comfort and consolation for loss, but totally outside of any religious perspective. Read more>>
Burgundee
I think the most meaningful project we worked on was when we finally made the decision to release an EP and got serious with the band. It was honestly such an exhilarating experience working on the songs and background vocals constantly up until recording day came. We knocked out all six tunes from 12 pm to 12 am! And, it was an exciting experience actually hearing our songs in the studio and being able to hear how each band member is adding their soul and vision to the song. Read more>>
Nora Kaye
I love all my daughters differently! Each project is a deep learning experience that then becomes a foundation of knowledge for the next. Building blocks… or as I’ve always preferred, Lincoln Logs. However, one of (see what I did there?) the most meaningful projects I’ve made is The Cosmos Sisters, my first feature film that is almost ready to meet the world! Read more>>
King Qreed
Recently I just wrote a song named “Jonah” . In the Bible Jonah was a Prophet who was recalcitrant against God’s word. Jonah is not only my favorite book , He’s someone that I relate to. I wouldn’t call myself an Ordained Minister or Prophet, but I do believe I have a calling on my life to lead people.through my music.. The Song Jonah is most meaningful because it’s on a more personal and intimate level. It gets deep into my struggles and addictions and things that I’ve had to overcome. A lot of music today isn’t soul fulfilling or heart healing. Read more>>
Gabrielfrancis Boodoo
I’m currently working on my debut album. Some time in 2020, after I had my release lined up for my EP “unquestionably”, I started to feel pulled back to some of my truest artistic loves: fantasy/sci-fi (Lord of the Rings has always been my favorite!) I stopped trying to be or create a specific sound that didn’t feel natural to ME. I just let the melodies and synths and magic rush right back to me, and it feels incredible. The ideas and songs in this project have come from many different points in the last 4 years. Read more>>
Beth Holland
In December 2019 I had my first photography show at Fountain Place in Downtown Dallas. I had been longing to have an exhibit for years and I felt very lucky to have been asked. My photography exhibit was called “After Hours, America’s National Parks at Night.” I am a night photographer and my goal was to show how our crowded national parks look in the hours when everyone else is sleeping, with no crowds, and complete peace. Read more>>
Jillian Zepeda
I always try and have stories behind each collection that I work on. I think that comes from my creative writing background. I also think having a story and meaning behind the art gives it a voice. You, as the viewer, might not know it by looking at the piece, you might have your own first impression of it. But once we, the artist, tell our version of the collection or the individual piece, you, the viewer, connect with it on a deeper level. Read more>>
Uncle Jut
The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is my most recent NFT photography collection called “Shoefiti”. I’ve been working on this project since the beginning of February after taking a film photo of shoes hanging from a power line. Right away the idea for a collection came to me, and it’s all I’ve been working on and thinking about ever since. To invest so much of yourself into one thing, without having any idea as to how it’s going to be received is such a vulnerable and emotional feeling. Read more>>
Jackie O’Nasty
Before the pandemic I was about 4 years into my drag career and when I look back on some of the costumes and props I made for my acts and I do cringe a little bit. They were usually made out of very cheap materials and held together with duct tape or hot glue. My mindset was very much of quantity over quality and I was driving myself into burnout without even realizing it because I thought I was running out of time. Time for what, I’m still not sure. Maybe running out of time to distinguish myself among my peers? Read more>>
Camilo Rodriguez
The most significant project I have worked on has been to belong to the band of internationally recognized artists such as Guaynaa or Sebastian Yatra, to know everything that is behind a concert and to value the work of each person who is behind and in front of the stage. Many hours of rehearsal, many tests, valuing the time of each person with whom you are working; that makes such a big project very significant for me. Read more>>
Jay Sutton
This is such a challenging question for me because all of my projects have been meaningful in different ways. I can provide a super recent example. Even just before the start of the pandemic, I felt such a creative block. I had been trying to work through it as best as possible by doing small projects but everything began to feel like a chore. Read more>>
Suz Stovall
I knew early on that I wanted to be an artists. Young people are not always nurtured to fulfill their artistic dreams. I have made it a project to inspire young creatives. As well as their parents to allow them to pursue their creativity.. Creativity is part of many careers other than art. Read more>>
CAMILO RAFAEL SIERRA
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is an upcoming album that will be my first solo album after 20+ years of being a singer/songwriter. As a multi-dimensional artist, I have always explored many different disciplines in the art world like drawing/illustration, design, architecture, and animation. Music was always a deep passion. I started singing in elementary school in a kids’ choir that would go to several events and sing classic American songs. Read more>>
Laura Hunt
In 2019, I read a book titled The Happiness of Pursuit, which was about various quests the author and others had taken on. I decided that my quest would be to paint 26 portraits in one year. Wanting to apply a higher purpose to the project, I approached Tarrant County Homeless Coalition with the idea that I would paint portraits of people who were experiencing or had experienced life unsheltered. The portraits would become a fund-raising opportunity for the organization, raise awareness of homelessness, and, most importantly, demonstrate the humanity of the people being portrayed. Read more>>
A.C. Evans
MythoFutuRiddim, a cultural arts festival to date is the most meaningful project I’ve worked on. In 2018 I was working as a full-time graphic designer and pursing a solo art practice in the evenings and weekends. Upon being laid-off, I had to re-calibrate, re-focus and re-center Art art a main component of my daily routine. Read more>>
Anne Soliguen-Vera Cruz
A little backstory…as a Filipina, growing up in predominantly white neighborhoods, I struggled a lot with finding my place and where I fit in. I had friends, but it was apparent to some peers that I was “different” from them. And as a result, I was bullied…because I was Asian. Fast forward to high school – this was where I found my FIRST group of Filipino friends. If I brought Filipino food to school, no one would say it was weird. If they came over to my house and heard my parents speaking a different language, it wasn’t out of the ordinary. I finally felt SEEN. Read more>>
Dre Morris
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was a painting depicting a Cowboy featured at my favorite art gallery in Austin, TX, Richesart Gallery during Black History month 2022. This painting wasn’t that of any Cowboy, but was in fact a black man in the common garbs that distinguishes the western folklore. Not only was this my first art piece to be showcased all over local news stations and publishing houses, but it garnered attention to my brand and business that no other art piece had done for me before. Read more>>
Kaitlin Aguilar
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is a fundraising campaign for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Tarrant County. The campaign was for the agency’s North Texas Giving Day fundraising efforts. North Texas Giving Day is an annual giving day for all nonprofit organizations. Campaigns for CASA of Tarrant County are focused on raising funds to support the CASA mission, which is to serve abused and neglected children in the county with court-appointed volunteers. Read more>>
Lady Danae
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my short film “Pre-Production Meeting” that I recently wrote, directed, and produced. It is a comedy that features some remarkable Arizona talent! This project is meaningful to me because it’s the most diverse cast and crew I’ve ever had on a project. It includes a quadriplegic actor and members of various racial, religious, and cultural groups. Read more>>
Blankslate
Our debut album is coming out this summer, and it’s by far the most meaningful project we’ve worked on together as a band — and as friends! The 12 songs on the album were written and recorded over the last year and include themes of unrequited love, cultivating independence, and transitioning. We’ve grown closer than ever while recording this album and we can’t wait to share it with everyone! We’ve been playing the songs live for almost a year and have been thrilled by the response! Read more>>
Charles W. Bush
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on to date has been a feature documentary called “Born Identity”. In 2009, I was at my 9 to 5 at the time and a gentleman shared with me his experience with church and religion. He said that God gave him permission to be a homosexual. He said he felt he was born this way because he has never been able to control who he loved and who he was attracted to. He seemed very hurt and disturbed with sharing this information with me. Read more>>
Matthew T Rader
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is a 7-year project that documents the rapid changes caused by gentrification in a Dallas neighborhood called Old East Dallas. I shot this entire project on medium format analog film, this required me to be very thoughtful about each photo I took. Sometimes I would spend hours walking around looking for the right photo. Read more>>
Comp 1
There are many project that I would think as meaningful for me. Going back to my first event in 1999 Project 1 @ The WAXX Museum. Reprogram / Still Digging days, I learned a lot from Eric Castillo aka Dj Cee Plus and Adrian aka Mr Bristle. Learning at 20years old about promotion, turntables, scratching, records, graphics, organization, sound, show agenda, rocking crowds, closing out and breaking down. Read more>>
Earl Felisme
One of the most meaningful project this year was surprising a few locals families with Random Act of Kindness blessings. I was able to pour into others during their darkest times and celebrate who they are as individuals. I was able to shower them with love while they were dealing with pain or maybe just needed to be reminded that they are loved and someone cares about them. I was able to create baskets for Valentines Day and even provided groceries for an elderly during Christmas time. I even dressed up in a Santa Claus hat which put the biggest smile on her face. Read more>>
Matt Forderer
UCSD’s Medical research facility at Campus Point in La Jolla. I got to create digital murals for about 5 rooms including a board room, a conference room, a 60′ wall for a banquet facility, and others. I began creating digital images while working with a poet from Austin, Texas on a future coffee table book called “The Micro Cosmos”. We had no deadline but wanted to create 100 images and 100 poems to go along. Read more>>
Francesca Damkar
I would say that my book, ‘Retro Rhythms’ is one of the most meaningful projects I’ve ever worked on. It started out at first as a series of musical doodles featuring international instruments, inspired by two pieces of media: the 1990s film, “That Thing You Do!” and the animated series, “The Jetsons”. I was watching the aforementioned pieces of media when I was hit with what I call, the spark – the urge to create something. Read more>>
Lance Carlson
In 2011(i was and still am a member of the Atlanta Collage Society) we wanted to create an event to celebrate the 100th birthday of collage as a fine art medium. I love doing extra projects, so I began to think of ways we could make a splash. My original idea was to make representational image of Andy Warhol’s , “Marilyn” and create it out of cupcakes which we’d present at the High Museum in Atlanta, celebrate collage and then eat cake. I got a group of ACS members together and we decided that making the same image out of collage pieces would be better. Read more>>