Do you ever wonder what life would have been like had you chosen a more standard path? Does everyone have these doubts sometimes? We wanted to find out and so we asked as many talented artists and creatives as we could and have shared highlights below.

Josh Bonanno.

In general, yes, i am extremely happy and thankful to be a “full time” creative. I would be lying though if i didn’t say that i daily thought about the idea of getting a “real job”. One with a boss, a set of rules and defined expectations and boundaries that are enforced by management etc. The reality is that being self employed in the creative field is a pretty wild ride. Read more>>

Peidi Zhang

I can answer this question very positively first, yes, I am very happy that I can be a full-time photographer. Of course, any job or role in society has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, the biggest advantage of a freelancer is the relatively free time. As an independent photographer, I can balance my work time and life time better. I know I’ve been very lucky to use my hobby as a career. That’s enough to satisfy me. Read more>>

Chris Howard

Most definitely. There is a lot of times I wish I could just be pre-med, do the 5-7year residency and become a doctor, especially since I have already reaped any benefits from pursuing my creative passion. That though circles through every now and then, usually when something happens in my life that creates doubt (every year that passes and I haven’t made it, Read more>>

Aeron Reinhardt.

I absolutely love working as a creative! I have had “regular” jobs in the past, and am very fortunate that I can make a living doing something I love. A lot of regular jobs require strict schedules, limited time off, and boring work. I have control over my schedule, can take time off for family and travel, and get to do something exciting that I truly enjoy. Some people like the consistency of a regular job, but I’ve always felt trapped. There is a lot of freedom that comes with working as a creative, and that freedom allows me to flourish. Read more>>

Aylea Burkes

I mull this over in my head often, but each time I come to the conclusion that I truly am. I’ve been drawing since I could first hold a pen, and in front of a sketchbook is where i’ve always been my happiest. I really think I was put on this Earth to make art & share it with others. But it’s a hard road, at least in my experience. Since college i’ve worked primarily jobs that are non-creative, and I found myself losing the zeal to continue pursuing art outside of them. Read more>>

Sarah Butler

I’ve always been happy with my life but there is something about being an artist that feels, freeing. Before I started my business in 2021, I was a Social Worker. I worked with individuals that suffer with Substance Use Disorders, something that will always hold a special place in my heart. I worked from home for awhile during the pandemic. I was actually pregnant right before the pandemic started and my husband bought me a Cricut as a push present. Read more>>

Sandra North

I don’t wonder what it’d be like cause I did have a “normal” job for many years before I dared to set foot on stage and perform in front of people. I was good at it and I worked with people and service which I enjoy but it was still slowly suffocating me on the inside. I always knew I was meant to do something else, something completely different, and something creative! Even when I later on took an AA within the music industry and event planning, landing me jobs with festivals and booking bands, I silently knew I was the one wanting to be on that stage. Read more>>

Julie Wheeler.

Are you happier as an artist or creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Tell us the story about the last time you had that thought, what was going on, really paint the picture for us so we can understand what you were going through and how you thought through this question and what (if any) conclusions or insights you came to. Read more>>

Cheyenne Saieed

Happiness has always been the biggest motivator in my life. Growing up, I had always struggled with feeling happy. As a youth, I was a bit awkward and got made fun of a lot, whether it be for my body, the way I talked, or the things I enjoyed. The negativity around me made me want to find a place where I felt safe, secure, and like I had something in my life that was meaningful enough to me that no matter what anyone said or did, I would be able to find solace in something. Read more>>

Cipri

I am happy as an artist and a creative person in general. I actually have a masters degree in linguistics, so studying language and music (they’re in the same part of the brain) was always intertwined for me. I have had dozens of jobs and my resume/CV is probably longer than most people’s (4 pages!) but I prefer to work on my craft and skills as an singer songwriter and artist. I have worked as a linguist with my degree, and while it is satisfying, it’s not the path where my soul feels at home or most content. Read more>>

Jessica Tawczynski.

In my artistic career so far I’ve spent a lot of time alone. Alone in the studio making work- I think it’s something a lot of creatives can relate to. Most often when I think of other jobs I’ve had professionally working as an art handler, teaching or waiting tables I miss the daily connections I had with others in those places. However as a maker, I think I’ve been able to connect with people on a deeper level in some cases emotionally or inspired. Read more>>

 

Shotty TheBeam

I have this thought a lot, sometimes the process of making this a career is a tough thing. It’s weird, the path to greatness is different for everyone, there is no formal to this shit, so we all gotta make it work our own ways. Lots of hustling right after a long day of work, tryna figure out the tiktok algorithm. Nowadays anybody can make this work, so it’s hard to stick out from the pack. But the key to that, as cliché as it is, being you will bring the distance. Read more>>

Alejandro Medina.

This question caught my attention. Am I happy as an artist or creative? Sometimes. Sometimes not. I spend a lot of time figuring out ways to make the things I love to do pay me. I don’t really wonder what a day job would be like because I’ve had one. Out of college I had a job doing database management for a healthcare IT company. While I was at that job I ended up getting diagnosed with ADD after falling asleep in a meeting. Read more>>