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.
Ana Gonzalez
As a tattoo artist and painter who transitioned from a software developer, I find immense joy in expressing myself creatively. The freedom and fulfillment I experience in my artistic endeavors surpass any thoughts of returning to a regular job. Read more>>
Nyla XO
There’s this saying that entrepreneurs quit their 9 to 5’s to work 24/7, and well I’m here to say…being a full-time musician feels a lot like that, ha! Read more>>
Greg LeGette
Am I happy as an artist? I wouldn’t say happy is the right word. Any job as a creative is going to be a difficult road. We don’t do it because it’s easy, we do it because it gives us fulfillment. Read more>>
Sion Lee
When I was young, I wanted to do music but I didn’t have any friends or relatives around me who played music. Also, like all parents, they want their children to have a stable job. It was true for my parents as well. Read more>>
Paige Sredenschek
I absolutely love being an Illustrator. I have been so passionate about the craft since I was a child. This is what led me to study Illustration at the Savannah College of Art & Design and I received my BFA in June 2023! Read more>>
Destiny Darcel
Being an artist is a wild ride! The freedom and autonomy? Absolutely priceless. But let’s talk real life – one month you’re riding high with 20K, and the next, you’re looking at 2K. It’s a rollercoaster, for sure. Read more>>
SAFIYA AZAUNCE
Personally, I am thrilled to be an artist. That’s basically the same as asking me if I’m happy to be myself. My journey as an artist is so intertwined with my journey of becoming, that it’s kind of impossible to imagine the two as separate. Read more>>
Hannah Jensen
As soon as I stepped off the stage at age 5 after my first piano recital, I knew that I wanted to be a musician. It seems a little strange to say that I knew in that moment what I wanted for my life, but I was certain. Read more>>
Madeline Abatemarco
I think I’m figuring out the perfect balance, still. I really love working in creative industries, and I definitely want my job to be at least creative-adjacent, and not just a “regular” job. Read more>>
Michael Pasciolla
I love my life as a live performer, beatmaker, and educator, and I do have a regular job, I work in Special Education in Bronx, NY. My journey as an artist/creative has been wonderful and I am humbled and honored to have had the experience I’ve been able to have. Read more>>
Luca Severi
I am really happy as an artist even though the more you move on with your career, the more you learn that it’s really a never ending path. Read more>>
Don Morrison
There are lots of times when I think to myself, man wouldn’t it be great to work a 9 – 5 job and have benefits like health insurance and paid time off. Read more>>
Maryann Marselles
I was always interested in acting and performing, ever since I was a child. I never considered pursuing it professionally back then though. Read more>>
Isis Lazuli
I am happy as an artist. I treat it like my regular job. Of course, it’s not easy because the influence of having a full-time job is so prevalent in society. But as a creative, that’s not possible for me. Read more>>
Coraline Yang Kong
Being a film producer fills my days with a sense of accomplishment. I’m immersed in the art-making process, collaborating with a kaleidoscope of creative minds to craft something truly beautiful. Read more>>
Dana L. Wilson
I am not only happy as a performer, I know I was born to express and endeavor as one. That being said, as I’ve gotten older a developing interest in exploring other careers, fields and industries has bloomed in me. Read more>>
Kyle Tellez
In my experience, I’ve always had difficulty working jobs I had no passion for. I feel like I never fit in a 9-5 box because I found myself working on someone else’s needs instead of my own. Read more>>
Carrie Esser
I am very happy as an artist and creative. And I am extremely grateful that I get to work each day pursuing my passion. Read more>>
Kim Carlino
First I need to define the term happiness. For me happiness is a deep sense of satisfaction, connectedness and wellbeing in what I am doing, and in that way I would say, yes I am very happy as an artist! Read more>>
Juliana Xavier
Funny enough, the answer to both of those questions is a firm and resounding “yes!”. Although I am happy to be an artist, I can say – with a little too much confidence – that I also constantly wonder what it would be like to have a regular job. Read more>>
Emily Kwon
I certainly feel great and happy to call myself an artist. I always think it is a blessing to have the talent to visualize what’s in my mind and share it with people with more than just words. Read more>>
Thomas Trinh
Am I happy being a creative. . . I’d say the highs are HIGH, but the lows. . . are loooow. When you embark on a career in the creative field you have to constantly be steeling your resolve about the choice you have made. Read more>>
Ruth Walcoff
I love being an artist. Recently a friend asked if I wake up each morning looking forward to going into my art room. I can honestly say yes. Read more>>
Melissa Fox
I continuously question if I should pack up my creative pursuits and get an easier job, everyday. Being a solo-creative-penuer is extraordinarily hard and requires a grit that I don’t see in peers who have regular salaried jobs. Read more>>
Keith Brooks
This is probably a terrible way for me to start an interview, but I don’t think happiness is something I experience regularly. Hear me out though, despite how emo that sounds. Read more>>
Oscar Gomez
I’m not sure I could just be a creative. I need to have a 9-5 to keep the balance in ley life. And also the BENEFITS! Entering 2023 I quit my job and decided to give being a full time creative a shot. Read more>>
Vee Allen
As someone who is a creative AND still works a regular job, yes, I’m very happy with where my life is at this time. Beyond that, I’m blessed. Read more>>