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.

Julia Elsas

One of the most meaning and rewarding projects I have worked on is SONIC MUD, my ceramic instrument ensemble that I formed when I wanted to hear my sculptures activated by sound. I have a multi-media art practice, and most of my three-dimensional work grew out of my ongoing exploration of the sonic potential of clay. I consider my sculptures to be fully realized only when they are being played. Read more>>

Hannah Nacheman

Last Spring, I was asked to be an Associate Conductor for an exciting project with Lincoln Center Presents– it was the third in an ongoing series of meaningful choral commissions which join together hundreds of community voices. I have been privileged to be involved with all three world premieres taking place at Lincoln Center to date, and hope to be for many more to come! Read more>>

Emma Bandos

In my recent ArtPrize exhibit titled “Endangered Species,” I showcased my first solo piece—a 6 x 6 foot wire sculpture. This portrays 10 endangered species in a mandala formation, all converging around a central eye. The mandala signifies our interconnectedness with these animals. Crafted as a flat sculpture, it reveals the array of animals when viewed head-on, but from the side, they vanish, echoing the potential peril these species face. Read more>>

Amber Shurr

I choose this category because I feel that as an officiant I am not just providing a service but rather I am a storyteller and I work with each couple to create what their unique story sounds like and how they want it best told through their ceremony script. This makes for each wedding to be a “meaningful project” and I love receiving feedback on how personalized the guests felt that the experience was or how at ease the couple and their families felt and especially how each couple feels best represented through their story or ceremony script. Read more>>

Trevor Stickel

Currently working on an appearance and exhibit January 24-27, 2024 at Beatles on the Beach in Del Ray Beach, Florida. The event will include a presentation of a commissioned painting to Cheap Trick live on stage. I will also be part of a duo exhibiting featuring myself (Stickman) and the art of Ringo Starr at the Cornell Museum of Art. Read more>>

Dahyun Kim

Recently I have worked with professional dancers based in Atlanta for a Choreographer Residency at Fall for Fall Dance Festival. Fall for Fall is a dance festival that is recognized within the Atlanta dance community for building strong connections between Atlanta and New York dancers. During my residency, I had the privilege to teach their pre-professional dancers, as well as create original choreography with new people. Read more>>

Charlie Traisman

Our first projects at Madhouse, “See This” directed by Tricia Lee and “Long Pork” directed by Iris Dukatt, are deeply meaningful to us. Not only did they serve as launching pads, but compelled us to stand strong in our artistic voice as a production company. Though these two stories differ in tone, subject matter, and approach, they both boldly confront a cultural conversation: in “See This”, cancel culture, and in “Long Pork”, anti-choice legislation. Our work on these productions taught us to not shy away from the controversial, but to embrace it as fertile ground for creativity. Read more>>

Ben Gonyo

We are creating a feature film titled Strait Undercover, which features an actor with Down syndrome as the lead hero in the film. We’ve been working on the film for 3 years and it should be ready for release in 2024. Everything is professionally produced and we’re very proud of the film. Read more>>

Jinuk Choi

I recently completed my second animation project, ‘Hair Universe,’ which holds significant personal and emotional value for me. I made this film to convey a message to individuals like my father, who find it challenging to express their emotions openly and share their struggles. Through ‘Hair Universe,’ I aimed to communicate the idea that our thoughts and emotions are connected and that we never have to suffer in isolation. Read more>>

Dalton Burdette

This is a tough one. They are all special. If I had to pick one though, I would say my first official short film, “No More Safe Haven.” It established a lot for me, and it was one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life. The crew on that film are my best friends, and we had made projects before, but nothing really serious. Read more>>

Natália Oliani

Last year, I restarted a project that means a lot to me and I hope will mean something to others. It’s an illustrated poetry book that draws on folkloric characters and stories from Brazil (Brasil) to help people explore how they relate to their feelings and emotions. Read more>>

Alfredo Vidal

There’s a number of projects that come to mind as meaningful but a recent short film I wrote and directed might be the most meaningful. It was the first time I was working on something deeply personal, and on top of that it was the first time that everything came together despite so many obstacles. I really can’t wait to share it with the world. Read more>>

Taia Johnson

One project I had the opportunity to work on was DFW Fashion Week presents Standing Tall Fashion and Pop-Up Show Honoring Disability Awareness hosted by Cocky Kidz Clothing brand. This was an incredible event and very meaningful to me because we never see kids nor adults with disabilities receive the shine and light that they so overly deserve. I had the best time meeting a lot of the young models who came to slay the runway.  Read more>>

Lisa Hendrickson

Volunteering is an important part of my retired life. Serving the housing challenged and food insecure community in Philadelphia and Camden, I volunteer with several organizations that practice “radical hospitality”. At these organizations, volunteers and staff focus on interacting with guests vs. just offering transactional services. Personal conversations create a feeling of belonging and recognition in a world that is often blind to those less fortunate. Read more>>

Dara Broadous

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on? Designing my own wedding dress! Holding a BA in Fashion Design and having always loved working in the bridal industry, it felt only natural — and truly exhilarating — to design my own dress. This project holds a very special place in my heart. It’s not just about its personal significance, but also about what it represents in my career journey as a designer. Read more>>

Kyung Sok Kim

Every project I’ve worked on is meaningful to me, as they have shaped both my personal and professional development. But if I have to choose, I’ll go with ‘Furthest From’ because the main character Jessie has stayed with me. I still wonder what her life would be beyond the film’s narrative. I was fortunate to have worked with our amazing lead Amanda Christine, who later starred in Amazon Studio’s ‘Black Box’, who really brought Jessie to life, and the rest of the cast, including Mignon Von of Tyler Perry’s ‘Sistas’, also contributed to creating an authentic world. Read more>>

Doris Marie Provine

The project was helping my local art organization to grow. This story is not just about me — I was part of a small group of dedicated artists, and I was in some ways the least likely choice to play a meaningful role. I joined when no one volunteered to become an officer. I was recruited to be secretary after my first meeting, an obvious sign of desperation. I did not know anyone, so it was hard to take notes for the minutes. But as the only officer, I felt called upon to try to do something when no one else stepped forward. Read more>>

Meg Frank

Currently I’m working on building Pratt2024.org which is a website to help promote and connect Pratt Alumni from the Class of 2024. Returning to school after the pandemic revealed how hard alumni associations were hit by the disruption and isolation, and this project has been a deeply enriching activity; helping me to get to know so many of the artists in the Class and investigating what we need to stay linked as an active community after graduation. Read more>>

Keerthi Shanmuga

Life is always fulfilling when there is a Purpose. When we understand that we all are Sprits experiencing human life form. We acknowledge the beauty of life and the challenges in this journey. How we can work together with love and compassion. Caring and helping each other in a way that we all find our balance and purpose in this society. Read more>>

Justin Hunter

Recently, I started a project to build a tiny home and farm with my girlfriend and It’s been very meaningful to me because I get to use my creativity to try and build an appealing and sustainable “do it yourself” home with my girlfriend for us and loved ones. I’m also documenting it and using this project to teach others about life, religion, and love. Read more>>

Aram Han Sifuentes

The most meaning project that I have worked on is a project that I am working on now in collaboration with the HANA Center, an immigrant advocacy organization in Albany Park, Chicago. The project is called Citizenship for All: Storytelling through Nonggi Making. Nonggi are Korean folk banners historically used to lead cultural activities, including festivals, gatherings, and rituals.  Read more>>

Emily Ross

My current project, and perhaps the most meaningful project of my life- is to change the way mental health is managed at a community level. It involves amplifying the voices of mental health struggles through shared story telling in safe venues. The goal of each is to demonstrate the importance of community in whole person healing and wellness. Our community endured Hurricane Harvey together in 2017. Read more>>

GIORGIA CAVICCHIOLI

I am producing my first short film, Serial Dater, based on my own struggle going on a bunch of dates trying to find the love of my life. I came up with the idea after realising that my friends used to be so entreintaned with my love life and the funny stories about the horrible dates I had. The film is a comedy that talks about self love and how we don’t need to find a match to be happy, that we are enough. Read more>>

Regina (stoffdoktor) D’Alfonso

My biggest project so far was a spraypainted illustration for the Urban Art Gallery Konstanz, an open art display of a total of ten large framed murals in the subway under the city’s traintracks to lead to the lake port that I created in September 2022. It is among the most meaningful projects for me personally, because this is what happened: the organizer of the Gallery, a graphic designer and graffiti artist had been looking for local artists and stumbled across my instagram account. Read more>>

Nicole Jasulavic

Every single wedding is meaningful. No two weddings are the same. I love witnessing the traditions with different religions, cultures and families. Or how people put their own spin on their special day. Witnessing a fathers first look with his daughter. Touching up the grandmother’s hair who is thrilled to be alive to witness their grandchild get married. Read more>>

Ericka Padilla

I recently created a mariachi hat decorated with virgin and synthetic hair, it actually won a small competition. Day of the dead was coming up and I wanted to embrace my Mexican culture as sometimes it is easy to forget how rich and beautiful my cultural background is. My grandmother passed when I was very young, but every Dia de Los Muertos we honor her, I didn’t have a layout I just knew I wanted to created something artistic, peaceful, and beautiful… Read more>>

Brandon Krum

I would say the most meaningful project so far in my career has definitely been the horror comedy “Wolf Hollow” in which I play the character Lucky Steve! The role itself was literally written with me in mind by writer/director Mark Cantu, who I had previously worked with on his film Massacre Academy. After that collaboration, he started working on Wolf Hollow and had this character named lucky Stephen mind, but haven’t found the right Actor to portray it until we had worked together! Read more>>

Katie Lawrence

We feel like we are trying to use our talents for a good, positive purpose. Our main product is a Be Still Prayer Space which is a meant to be used for daily prayer. This is what the Lord has lead us to develop and to market. Even if the customer is not Christian, a Prayer Space can be used to just be still and contemplate or honor a special person. This keeps people centered and relaxed, and breaks the chaos of a busy day. We all need the escape and break. We hope our business helps people with this call to slow down and pray! Read more>>

YIting Liu

My first remote immersive web experience “Sun and Us” emerged during the pandemic, a time when the world felt paused and disconnected. In this interactive web experience, users engage with field recordings from across the globe, creating a unique rhythm through their body movements from their webcams. This project became a lifeline for many, connecting them to the vibrant sounds of life they missed.  Read more>>

Mardy Sears

For the last five years I have been going to the Whiteley Center at Friday Harbors Labs for an artist residency. It is the place where I have time to think and explore, and it shapes my work for the coming year. I am surrounded by nature, and scientists conducting research in marine biology. It makes me think about the changes in nature, by seeing not only the research being done, but also how the environment changes from year to year. Read more>>

Trust

Well, of course, I put out my last album “Chew It” earlier this year, but since then, I’ve continued elevating and improving my tracks in preparation for my next project. This next album is really going to be a league above my past albums and mixtapes, and I’m so excited for all of my fans (both current and future) to hear what I’ve been working so hard on! So far, I’ve put out a couple singles from the project, and with that, some more music videos, mic drop performance, and other content relating to the singles, and people have been going crazy for it. Read more>>

Eunice Chen

The most meaningful project I have worked on is a set of the world’s very first Asian Heritage Wooden Magnetic Dress Up Dolls. When I first embarked on this project, it was purely for my own enjoyment and to fulfill one of my childhood wishes. As a child, I wanted to grow up to be a fashion designer. And now working as a designer in the animation industry, I finally have the tools and skills to design an Asian princess and give her many traditional Asian clothing. Read more>>

Leah Tash

In November of 2023, I released a very meaningful song that I titled “Defenseless.” It’s not meaningful in the way some people would think – though it started off as a song about a specific experience with a specific person, I now think of it more as a moment of major musical and personal growth. Read more>>

Art Arutyunyan

I try to get involved in projects that have a meaning, a story that I connect on a personal level, stories that have universal messaging. My last film PIECES WE LEAVE BEHIND deals with loss and healing. We’ve all experienced loss, life simply isn’t without it. What happens in days, weeks, months after that? Does it get easier, does it feel more distant? When does it become our past and seizes to be our present? I think those are very universal themes. My hope is that the audiences recognise themselves in it. Read more>>

P-Shellz

1. Stained Glass Vision 2. Building Blocks 3. Black Man 4. Old School Lives Matter Read more>>

Olla Ceramics

Working with materials that take so much time to collect and process generates a sense of meaning in a project immediately. Each foraged clay has its own geological and cultural history, birthplace. I consider the context of how it was collected, what plants or buildings were nearby, even whether it was dry or rainy that day. All of these affect my relationship with the material and generate the foundation for the creative process in the studio. Read more>>

Susan Carmen-Duffy

The world can be a very challenging place. According to research negative thoughts, occupy our attention more than positive ones. 95% of our thoughts are repeating. Those statistics are overwhelming! I consider myself a cheerleader for others. As someone who has been challenged by depression most of my life, I am keenly aware of the struggle that life can be. Negative thinking compounds that struggle. Read more>>