Working on something meaningful is a common desire – but how? We started asking folks to share the story of how they ended up working on a project they felt was meaningful because we wanted inspiration but also because we wondered if hearing from people from across a range of industries would help us identify patterns making it more likely for anyone to be able to find and work on projects that they would find meaningful.
Laura Cash
There have been many projects that I’ve worked on and found extremely fulfilling. The projects I found most fulfilling were projects that I got to do for Adult Swim and Nickelodeon. Can you tell I’m a 90’s baby? I grew up watching Nickelodeon and Adult Swim (secretly of course), so being able to work on projects for them has really been a highlight of my career. While in college I was a part of a collaborative course between SCAD Atlanta and Adult Swim. I had the opportunity to work on a promo piece for Rick and Morty. The project was initially challenging because we had a team full of various different art backgrounds. Read more>>
2AM Ricky
My new album, “Listen If You’re Lonely” is not only some of my most vulnerable work, but the most meaningful. Listen If You’re Lonely is a musical exploration of mental health, relationships, and the daily realities as a black masculine-presenting person. Created with the intent of sparking necessary yet controversial conversations, the album opens the world to the realities of those masculine presenting, within life, relationships, and the nuanced disparities they face within the mental health and social realm. With topics including dating, spirituality, domestic violence / IPV, sexuality, and interpersonal growth, I wanted to shed light from a perspective that is often silenced. Read more>>
Jasper Wong
In 2023, we made the momentous decision to relocate our annual mural festival from Kakaako to the Kalihi district. Kalihi holds a special place in my heart as my mom used to have a bakery there. However, it is also a vastly underserved area, predominantly inhabited by low-income families and public housing. As I started teaching art classes at a community center in Kalihi, I witnessed firsthand the pressing need to support the families in this neighborhood and enhance it with the transformative power of public art, which ultimately inspired me to move the festival to Kalihi. Read more>>
Jordan Abba
Art is something that connects us to the world, our emotions, other people, and helps us make meaning of the things around us. Art, to me, is something valuable that holds a meaning or memory and when I look at the work I can feel a sense of belonging and connection. Becoming a mother has hands down been the most meaningful project I have worked on or I think will ever work on. From it, I have been inspired to create art about what I love the most and how that has impacted me. Read more>>
Katherine Slevin
One of the most fulfilling things in this life is to not only follow your dreams, but to help others along the way. Life is a series of choices and the more we can lean into one another, the better. I think a lot of times following the “American Dream” means striving to be at the top, but we lose others on our journey towards the peak. One of the most harrowing quotes I have read stated: “People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.” It is possible to take on a task or a job and find purpose in it, not just for the sake of “making it” but for bringing others alongside you as you go. And from there, it becomes this beautiful thing, to not find yourself at the finish line yelling “I DID IT!” but to reach the end and say, “Wow, that was an adventure and look at all the beautiful people who I was able to touch and impact and be with and they are here with all those who helped me get there.” Read more>>
Love Atiya
My most meaningful project of 2023 has definitely been my pleasure positive podcast The Love Atiya Experience. I love my podcast because it’s breaking barriers. I was lucky enough to grow up in a very sex positive household, meaning I was allowed the space to have very transparent conversations with my mom that I wish all young adults were able to have safely with their parents. Unfortunately a lot of people aren’t able to get the proper education not only about sex but about PLEASURE, communication, intimacy and all things sensuality. Read more>>
LeAnna Wurzer
A few years ago, I created a painting called “One Piece At a Time,” (18”x24” oil on canvas), which created quite a buzz within military groups on social media. It depicts a U.S. Marine sergeant in his dress blues, putting missing pieces of himself back together as though confined within a puzzle. The painting was created in support of military combat-related PTSD awareness, an issue that is very near and dear to my heart. A photo of the painting was posted online with the following caption with hopes of describing to the viewers the intent of the artwork: Read more>>
Chance Calloway
When I created my queer-centered comedy series “Pretty Dudes,” I was seeking an escape from a certain darkness in my life. Amidst filming a horror short and coping with a recent family loss, I needed a lighter space to balance the weight on my heart. Little did I know that “Pretty Dudes” would go beyond being just an escape; it evolved into a source of healing for me. Through the lens of comedy, I found a way to confront unresolved emotions and situations in my own life. The first season of the show holds a deeply personal significance, and its unexpected virality and success took me by surprise. As I started receiving messages from viewers, I realized the profound impact the show had on them. Read more>>
Sharon Carelock
I just finished two meaningful projects. The first, called “Witnessing a Light Bath”, premiered in March 2023 at No Tomorrow in Underground Atlanta. I choreographed this solo because I wanted a way to artistically describe what it was like to deal with Seasonal Affected Disorder, sometimes called SAD or Winter Blues. Also, I thought my light therapy lamp would make a cool light source for a dance piece. Throughout the choreographic process, I asked myself over and over whether I should make this work. I wanted to be like Bo Burnham and give my audience an honest view of my mental health, even as I entertained them, but I didn’t want to turn my depression into a gimmick. Amazingly, the biblical story of Bathsheba helped. Her story didn’t allay all my fears about how my audience would view me, and I didn’t need it to. Read more>>
Mia Reona
I recently released an EP titled “Mood Swings”. This EP means a lot to me because it is my first official release, and since the release, opportunities have been calling and I’m grateful for it all. The EP is a journey through my mood swings with love, relationships, friends, heartbreak, growth, mixed with a little egotistical fun. A cohesive rollercoaster of emotions that will definitely leave a good impression of my music, and teach a little bit about me in a vulnerable way. Read more>>
Jay Halsey
Many of my photo projects focus on collaborating with friends as subjects by using masks, projectors, and/or unusual/juxtaposing environments as settings. My first mask experiments were two series utilizing a handful of different pig masks and gas masks with friends and even friends’ children wearing the masks in their homes and urban and rural plains areas. The results ranged from surreal and playful to dystopic science fiction to horrific and cinematic scene shots, and a combination of all those feelings and aesthetics. One of my proudest projects with a close friend utilized white screen projections of my landscape photos as the background of timelapse shots of my friend in various poses and masks. Read more>>
Nakeya Walker
My most meaningful project was my art piece I named Spiritual Universe. It is an acrylic painting that helped me understand the world we live in on a spiritual level. The details I included were a sun, moon, woman, animals, ankh, earth, pyramids and a scarab. I wanted to create picture that depicts how heaven and earth is connected spiritually. I chose puzzle piece like shapes for the background because it’s so many things that connect us. This painting means a lot to my personal growth and how we are all a piece of one big puzzle yet we still matter even on the smallest scale. Read more>>
Tommy Lennartsson
Back to nature! This a project I started with in year 2019. By combining materials such as found fabrics I created patchwork with different elements for my expressionist canvases. Now I am back on this journey with a new body of artworks. Both artworks with patchwork and without. With my background as photographer, I often used the nature as inspiration for my photo assignments such as food features, commercial, interior and also the production of own book inspired by nature. Read more>>
Mikayla Khramov
The most meaningful project that I have ever worked on has to be the Ray Bradbury Experience Museum. In 2016, I visited Ray Bradbury’s hometown, Waukegan, IL, for the first time. I had the chance to meet some amazing people who were trying to start a museum for Ray Bradbury, as he still has no hometown museum. The following year, I was invited to join the team in an effort to build that museum. Over the next 6 years, I was a volunteer committee member and creative director, working towards the goal of establishing an interactive experience bringing Ray Bradbury’s imagination to life. Read more>>
Zhongqi Li
The most meaningful project I’ve had the privilege of working on was during my time at Shanghai Riot League of Legends Wild Rift team. As an artist, I not only had the responsibility of creating artwork, but I was also given the opportunity to be part of the publishing team.It gave me a great sense of importance to this project. It was a great experience to be a part of the entire product development process within the industry. Moreover, it was wonderful to be surrounded by such talented artists. Engaging in open discussions and sharing ideas further honed my artistic skills and enriched my creative approach. Read more>>
Paulaidan Minerva
For as long as I can remember I’ve always been a fan of immersive art. art splattered on the sides of buildings, benches that are sculpted in a unique way, interactive art jungle gyms for kids. Growing up in New York, I was blessed to be surrounded by and see so many works of experiential art. Art that brings the audience into its world, at least a little bit. Even before I knew I was an artist, I think these kinds of art exhibits are what I’ve aspired to. Somewhere deep in my soul. The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my first solo show. At my sisters insistence I reached out to the Gallery Eola and began a dialogue about having a show there. at that point in time I’d had work in galleries around town with other groups of artists but never by myself. Read more>>
Jonathan Um
As a musician that has labeled himself as more of a producer/audio engineer, I was making a lot of music for others and putting a majority of my time to develop people I believed in. It was a very fruitful time I will admit, but it took a lot of creativity away from my own projects and music. I recently started a boyband with a few of my collaborators I had similar interests with and now I feel like I am making music for me and the feeling has never been more clear in my life. Read more>>
Soma79
I have a project that I have been working on off and on for the last 15 years or so, which has become my main focus over the last couple years. Here’s the story. Back in the last 2000’s I had been involved in the Boston hip-hop scene, performing around the city and releasing my first CD. The weekend that my CD came out ended up being the last show that my group performed for many years, so I found myself sort of out of the scene with a lot of unsold CDs. That first album was supposed to be a warm up mixtape for what I really considered my proper debut, an album called “Drinking Songs for Children” which had been half finished for quite some time. Read more>>
Stephanie Howell
Each piece I create is a heartfelt invitation for the wearer to embrace the extraordinary in the ordinary. In the hustle and bustle of our fast paced lives, it’s all too easy to overlook the beauty that surrounds us. I believe in the power of slowing down, connecting with the earth and soaking up the precious moments. My jewelry serves as a gentle reminder to pause, appreciate and find wonder in nature’s boundless beauty. Whether you’re exploring a sunlit forest trail, strolling along a sandy beach, or simply savoring a quiet moment in your own backyard, my pieces are there to ground you, spark wonder and encourage you to approach each moment with a renewed sense of awe. Read more>>
Annet Katan
Although I put a lot of meaning and thoughtfulness into each of my projects, the one that means so much to me is the one I worked on after February 24, 2022. The artwork series I created was initially just a class assignment, but it evolved into something more profound as I responded emotionally to the events unfolding in my home country. Despite the negativity and turmoil, I sought to find a way to channel something positive through my art. Read more>>
Toni Evans
There are numerous meaningful projects close to my heart, as I embrace the identity of a bipolar artist. Through my art, I passionately convey the lived experience of navigating this condition. Employing a captivating blend of vibrant colors, expressive words, and masterful brush strokes, I bring forth the essence of depression and even moments of mania. My ultimate aim is to evoke profound emotions in the viewer, daring to push boundaries and evoke thought-provoking discomfort. Read more>>
Luis Tovar
Well, let’s see. Everything I get involved in nowadays has to have strong meaning behind it. Whether it’s my written work, or someone else’s, it has to have a huge impact. For a long time I was creating videos with friends and trying to find my style. One day it hit me. I no longer just wanted to create videos with cool visuals. I wanted to create content that had power and internal movement for the viewer. Emotion has been my goal ever since. One of my latest short films that I wrote and directed, “LAPSE,” is about two photographers from two different eras that meet up in Venice Beach to exchange photos in both digital and print form. The story has so much meaning for me personally, that every time it screens, either at film festivals or private-screenings, it still brings me to tears. Then, when I look around at the audience and see that they’ve had the same reaction, I know they can feel the meaning behind the story too. Read more>>
Taylor Alexander
In the winter of 2019-2020, I wrote a musical called The Artists’ Temple with my then-partner, now-husband, Quinton Alexander and my good friend Jeremy Adam. This was my first project that I led as a lead without a director. It was very special to write songs with Jeremy. I’m not a strong songwriter, so we worked together to craft the music in the show. We threw this show together in 3 months and had a nearly sold out run of shows at The Victoria Freehouse (RIP). I loved getting to poke fun at theater kids in a show about a theater cult that worships a god called “The Bard”. We got to play with physical comedy and musical theater – it was a great time. Read more>>
Christopher La Fleur
As an artist, it’s difficult to create work that isn’t meaningful. Creatives have a somewhat paradoxical relationship with their work–the gift and curse of vulnerability. On the one hand, we have this amazing opportunity to be vulnerable. Many people never have that option in their career. We’re innately driven to create work which reflects our own story, the world around us, social changes and political ones. Work which is the most authentic to us often feels the most authentic to audiences. I find when I create in a profit-motivated way, the result feels stifled and constrained. When I’m working on a project which is solely motivated by profit, it’s almost like I freeze up during the creative process. Read more>>
Melarie Odelusi
The most meaningful project I have worked on is my first collection Woman in Bloom in 2018. It was created in a season of major transition for me as a women, wife, mom and artist. It all began with a profound shift within me, a transformation I never expected. It felt like a battle between two versions of myself: the old familiar one and this new, blossoming woman I was becoming. The intensity of this internal struggle was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if the woman I was and the woman I was meant to be couldn’t possibly occupy the same space. Read more>>
Eric Marable Jr aka Daan Rana
The Flourish Alabama = Full Bloom Initiative, Budding Artists Initiative, Black Arts District. I am Creative Director for The Flourish Alabama (@theflourishalabama). In 2019, my brother Jahman Hill and I created a non-profit organization called The Flourish Alabama. Our mission? To help young artists bloom. We set out to bring arts education programming to Birmingham’s arts anemic school system. In the last 4 years, we’ve expanded our programming to all 7 high schools in Birmingham City Schools, acquired our own space in downtown Ensley, and collaborated with major organizations across Alabama such as Sidewalk Film Center and the Alabama State Council of the Arts. Through our genuine spirit and community support, we’ve reached heights we could only dream of back in 2019. Read more>>
Zahir Muhammad
The most meaningful project that I’ve ever worked on is the ‘Unusual’ project. ‘Unusual’ has blossomed into what is now my debut single, and debut solo-directorial music film. The work put into it, however, was what makes it so meaningful to me. Being that it was my debut, there were many months of vocal work and study done to improve my tone, voice, and lyrics. I worked with my vocal coach and co-composer, Ms. Micaiah Dempsey, to achieve the necessary level of confidence in my voice and inflection before expressing some of my deepest emotions through song. In addition to all of the personal work on my own vocals, there was a ton of work in the studio continuing to move the song through phase after phase with the features from rising star artists Phoenix James and Wiseboy Jeremy. Read more>>
Jim Walters
Early on in my photo journey, I found myself in Downtown San Diego for another photography gig I was working on at the time. That’s when I heard a man playing a trombone on the street corner. I was captivated and so- having my camera with me, I captured his image in what became one of my bestsellers “Playing With Soul”. Years passed and It became a mission for me to find this man again. I wanted to learn his story and share with him all the joy my photo of him has brought to myself and many others around the world who have also become captivated with his image.
Kristen Richard
In May of 2022 I created a 250+ sq. ft macrame installation, titled Am I There Yet, one of the biggest highlights of my creative career. I always thought “making it” was a certain place you get to. I thought in the beginning of my career that place was finally doing installations. Then it happened. I got a 250+ sq. ft blank canvas to pour my whole mind, body, & soul into. Throughout the piece my mind kept floating around the question “So am I there yet?” “Does this mean I’ve made it?” Or is “there” not just one installation, but two, or maybe 10, or is it a years calendar worth of booked installations? Read more>>
James & Leigh Ann Van Fossan
James completed his largest work to-date in 2015. ‘Drama Magnifico’ (oil on linen, 77×100″) contained over 100 interwoven figures in a complex narrative. James spent 4000+ hours and over three years completing the work. He would work a “regular job” during the day to help support his family, while staying up to midnight or 1am working on the painting, sometimes precariously propped up on improvised scaffolding made of books and crates, to reach the highest corners of the canvas. “I did it to affect people. Sometimes I’ve created paintings that take three months to paint, and viewers give them three seconds of their time. I wanted to make a painting that commands your attention.” James admits, “It terrified me. But I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before, something that excited me. And even though the fear was there, I knew I could do it.” Read more>>
Vincenzo Marchese Ragona
One of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on has surely been “Machinae Memoriae”. In this project now at least 3 years old I’ve used artificial intelligence to create new memories starting off old ones. During my third year of university, we were tasked with a more “artsy” project: we had to investigate in any way whatsoever the concept of time. I have to point out that my first attempt at it was a failure that resulted in me not passing that class. Read more>>
Jennifer Carreno
I am Co-founder of KoCarr Films along with Filip Kolarov and we have been making passion projects for the past 5 years. Leaving Darkness Film: I’ve been working on this project for the past 7 years. the process started with generating interest towards the long form of this project by first producing a teaser trailer that got some attention, and attracted an investor. After doing it’s rounds in the film festival circuit our short film amassed a number of awards including: Best ensemble, best make-up and Best supporting actor. I also managed to win three Best Actress awards. Read more>>
Elvina Raharja
The recent project that is really meaningful to me was an immersive performance in Hamilton, Ontario. That performance gave me assurance and confidence about my artistry and life generally. It was truly the sign of divine timing that I got the job. I got the job from a referral from a fellow movement artist that I met through a dance festival screening during lockdown. Both of our short films was in the same programme, we haven’t even met in real life. They just asked me if they can forward my contact for a dance job one day, and I didn’t even think anything of it. Read more>>
Kamelah Muhammad
The most meaningful project I have worked on is being a photographer for the Alzheimer’s walk in Liberty Mo. I have been in partnership with them for two years and I truly love it as this is something that I hold close to my heart. My sister in law reached out to me and asked me if I offer my photography services in a volunteer aspect. Which I told her YES! I have always believed in giving back my time especially when its a cause that affects so many people and families. Alzheimer’s is a disease that has also affected my family from my great uncle to my grandmother its such a horrible disease that I hope one day a cure will be found. Read more>>
Andrew Miller
We have to say releasing our first full length album was very meaningful for all of us. The timing unfortunately matched up with life pausing from the pandemic, which made everything uncertain especially in the performing arts. In January of 2020 we had just returned from our first weekender run outside of our local community, ready to finish writing and recording the LP. As crossing state lines became more restricted that year, plus our equipment at the time not being ready for livestream, band practice became non-existent for an unknown amount of time. To help close the gap of released music, we began to release some of our mastered tracks as singles. This changed our approach to the album and extended the project out further. When we did finally release ‘The Mooring’ this past fall, it was an accomplishment we all felt so incredibly proud of. Read more>>
Max Presneill
Well, like any artist, it is the next painting or curatorial project coming up! But in terms of the past, that is a very difficult question to answer, partly because it depends on meaningful to whom. If I can separate two strands – the artistic practice as a painter and the curatorial role – it allows for 2 answers. As an artist the dilemma is how to present to the viewer, on one canvas, a multi-layered set of interests. These include a dialogue with the history of painting, an autobiographical narrative, and a cultural/sociological examination of visual codes and information. The content covers aspects of masculinity, tribalism/subcultures, power, race and class. This is meaningful to me as an artist and hopefully stretches some of the perimeters of current artistic practice if it contributes some new ways of thinking about how this might be achieved. Read more>>
Aaron Stevens
The benefit of being a tattoo artist is I get to not only share in the meaningful memories, stories, events, circumstances or life changing moments, I get to help someone else remember it, permanently, by marking on their body. Forever in their skin as a reminder of whatever the event may have been. Blessings and sorrows share the same pages on our skin and follow us throughout the remainder of our journey as a reminder. Good or bad, it will be there with you. Read more>>
Allison Volk
My latest project is a short film titled, ‘The Storyteller.’ It’s about a cynical Army veteran-turned-night-janitor; one night at work, the phone continues to ring. When he finally answers, it’s a little boy on the line asking for a bedtime story. The vet must overcome his cynicism to tell a story that will help the boy fall asleep. This project means a lot to me. It’s about someone overcoming their own limitations to connect with and serve another person in need, which is one of the brightest aspects of humanity. We shot at The Shelby American Collection, a car museum in Boulder, Colorado, dedicated to the preservation of Shelby racing history, so the location is beautiful. We were also able to incorporate the racing theme into the story of the film. Read more>>
Syamarani Dasi
From 1969-1982, I was was one of the main artists of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publications. These are the translations and commentaries (by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja) of the ancient Vedic wisdom literatures. From 1997-2010, I was the main artist and one of the main editors of the Gaudiya Vedanta Publications. These are the translations and commentaries (by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja) of the ancient Vedic wisdom literatures. Read more>>
G-Stylez
I have made a ton of projects and all of them were meaningful in some way but I would have to say some of my more recent projects have felt more like I have finally hit my groove. My last two EP’s “D4RK T4LEZ” and “Retro84” have been some of my favorite work yet. I didn’t have any features and I worked with one producer on each project (AATMA on D4RK T4LEZ and Dirtybird B. on Retro84). I dug deep into storytelling on both of those projects with future music video/short films in mind. I have already filmed and released one called “HalfDead” about battling insomnia. Read more>>
Ebony Burks
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date is the Fox mini television series “Shots Fired” The series depicts a DOJ investigation into a racially-charged police shooting of an unarmed teenager, which leads to the DOJ officials uncovering a potential conspiracy involving the death of another teenager. The series was developed at a time where tensions were high amongst people of color and the relationships between the police & people of color were not positive. The series was fiction but the inspiration surrounding it stemmed from real incidents such as the deaths of 12-year old Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Philando Castile, Michael Brown and more. Read more>>
Claire Carley
I have been so grateful to have been a part of something as meaningful to me as Undying Faith. When you take on any project you should always try to find some personal meaning in it. Wether its something small that maybe only you will relate to, or something like Undying Faith where the meaning is clear. This faith-based drama is not only something people can be touched by, but a message that I hope reaches people who may have never heard of Jesus Christ in quite this way. Besides the story being something that I really believe in, the people I have worked closely with while making and marketing Undying Faith have also come to mean a lot to me. They have such a heart for people and for God, which inspired the plot for the show as a way to love people by sharing the message of God’s love. Read more>>
Singchun Chen
I started this project from the end of last year after I had a surgery. My creative journey began with the natural desire for modeling and a play instinct since childhood. In the beginning, I tried to search for the right relationship within the image. Being inspired by visual experience, the more I depict the more complex this relationship becomes. At first, everything remains easy and uncertain, but gradually, the picture reveals the appropriate relationships. I found the combination and arrangement of geometric figures reveal the more concise and clear language to present my ideas. How can once beautiful objects reproduce their beauty from a humanistic point of view? Read more>>
Lance Wiggs
In the midst of creating Claiborne Daniel, a full service marketing and design house with friends, I have had the opportunity to co-found Feelday Inc. Feelday is a wellness brand and community that was created in response to the pandemic and the isolation it caused. So many of us were affected adversely by those times that it felt appropriate to create a safe space for people to get together outside and get active. We decided on Griffith Park as the home base and began organizing monthly hikes to the “Observatory” and Mt. Hollywood. The brand and family has grown significantly and we currently execute “Feelday” events and programming in multiple sectors and states, Feelday was conceived while on my own wellness journey. It really reflected what had assisted me in my own battles. It brought me closer to friends, family and myself, and it was important to share this with others. Read more>>
Kerry Wong
That’s got to be one that I’m working on now – it’s called Kaleidoscope, and it’s a collection of rare disease stories told by the people who live them. In a way, the origin goes back over a decade. I was dealing with a number of (then undiagnosed) health issues, and getting multidisciplinary treatment weekly. One day, I was talking with another patient at the treatment center, offering my advice for a problem she was having, and I’ll never forget what she said next. “Kerry, you have such a strong survivor spirit. You have been through so much, but it seems like no matter what happens to you, you always come out strong, and with another story to tell.” Read more>>
Deborah Brinckerhoff
I grew up in Vermont and have lived in SLC for 22 years. I have been married 27 years and have 3 children. I was professionally trained in painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, and have shown in exhibitions across the country. I’ve had formal gallery representation for 30 years but 3 years ago left the galleries to sell on my own. I’ve owned a fine art painting business for 25 years. I’ve been drawing and painting most of my life, but over the last 15 yrs, realized that making art was more than a meaningful way to spend my time and explore my world – it saved my life. It gave me a safe way to tell my story without overtly revealing my truths to anyone other than myself. Read more>>
Ashley Levy
After a multitude of projects ranging from High Glamour Beat Downs (Claws) to Light Beauty with a touch of Triage (Secret Headquarters), I recently found myself on a roll doing straight Horror (Insidious: The Red Door, Five Night’s at Freddy’s, The Exorcist). It was here I truly understood Makeup as a source of Storytelling. I’d always considered myself a Storyteller when it came to the Arts, but these projects really opened my eyes to the expansive world of creativity in a way I’d never been exposed before. I had to offer up options for different Worlds, different Entities, and different ways to have imaginary creatures inflict harm, based on the Character Design of an Animatronic. I also had to fully utilize and embrace partnerships with Costumes, Props, and Special FX in order to make sure everything sold as authentically as possible. Read more>>
Rula Jones
I just recently published an artist monograph, a 36 paged booklet that incorporates both writing and multi-media art. The booklet, entitled, Indigene, was funded by The Frederick Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. It is an important work because most of my accomplishments have been mostly in visual art. The monograph format allowed me to pursue a long-time interest in memoir writing while also incorporating visual art at points that I felt were too painful or too complex to use words to express. Read more>>
Emily O’Neal
One of my most meaningful projects to date is my song “Watercolor.” I came up with the concept in Fall 2022 but hung onto it for a while because I knew the idea was special and wanted to wait for the right moment to write the song. I was afraid I wouldn’t do it justice if I wasn’t in the right headspace to write it. That moment finally came right before Christmas last year and it was an incredible feeling to finally get the story out and get it right. It’s a song about healing, relief, and contentment, which can be some of the more difficult topics to write about for me. I made a demo and later took it to my friend Brady Armstrong to finish the production. I’m ecstatic with the way it turned out. It’s my favorite song I’ve released so far lyrically and sonically, and I feel like I’m finally finding my own unique voice. Read more>>