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.

Jill Withrow Baker

I had determined I was going to be a visual artist, drawing and painting, from the time I was a very small child. Everyone told me how well I drew and that I should be an artist. My mother made sure I received art lessons from the time I was in first grade and it was my salvation when, in a new school, other children made fun of me. I could draw better than anyone and could do their portraits, so became an asset to them. It was an occupation that seemed readymade for me. My mother also insisted that her daughters take dance lessons and learn to play the piano (a skill that I was unaware would later save my financial life.) Read more>>

Minah Park

Overall, I’m definitely happier as an artist—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. There are moments when I find myself wondering what it would be like to just have a regular job and make art as a hobby. That usually happens when I’m stuck in the in-between—when I’ve been working for months without knowing if the result will amount to anything.No guarantee of a good outcome, no clear reward—just effort and uncertainty. But even that ambiguity holds meaning for me; it’s part of the process of staying open—of listening, adjusting, and allowing the work to unfold in its own time. Read more>>

Ryoka Matsumoto

I’m happiest when I’m on stage, performing. There’s something about that moment—the lights, the energy, the audience watching—that makes me feel truly alive. When someone tells me after a show, “I’m so glad I came” or “I really enjoyed it,” it’s the best feeling. It makes everything worth it. Read more>>

Andrew Bjorke

I’d say that this is something I think about daily as an Artist. It can be intimidating to focus fully on art and am going through that now but I hope that my art can take me to that level of reassurance that a weekly paycheck from a job would provide me. I get work as a freelance designer quite often now, but not as often as I’d like compared to a fulltime job. But I think I am finally realizing that I am happy to live as an artist and inspire and prove it to myself that I can do it.

Iris Harvey

I love being an artist. It gives me freedom, expression, and purpose—but I’d be lying if I said I never think about going back to a regular job. Some days, the pressure of doing everything—creating, promoting, managing, delivering—gets heavy. And when things slow down or feel uncertain, that little voice of doubt creeps in. Read more>>

Chelsea

While I truly can’t imagine my life without dance, I would be lying to you if I told you I’ve never doubted myself or my career choice before. I’d be lying if I told you I only doubted myself once, twice, or even three times. In fact, I wonder and stress every single day of my life if I’ve made the right choice or if I should pursue a regular job, and I know I’m not the only artist who can relate to this. The truth is I can’t think of just one prominent moment where I’ve battled this thought or this doubt. Read more>>

(Kat)hleen O’Connell

I’m happiest when I’m creating — whether it’s in my studio painting ocean-inspired pieces, experimenting with natural dyes, or teaching a hands-on art lesson with a group of curious kids. Being an artist and creative educator is who I am at my core. I love connecting with kids — literally getting down on their level, showing them how to create something new, and just talking about art in ways that stretch their minds. Honestly, they have the best questions and wildest comments. I learn just as much from them as they do from me. And when I’m in my studio, I bring that spark and experience right back into the classroom — it’s a constant, inspiring exchange. Read more>>

Dee Alexander

I am ecstatic about being a creative artist. I know what it is like to have a regular job because I was employed at the University of Illinois from 8:30-5pm and performed many nights from 9pm-1am or later and a mother of two sons that I helped with homework..getting to school and other activities. At times I wonder how I did it myself. Thank God for the assistance of my grandmother. My sons are ten years apart and if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. As a mother I needed a job with a great income and benefits to take care of myself and my children. Read more>>

Chris Browne Valenzuela

I don’t often think about having a regular job because I had a regular job. Before taking a hard-left turn to the arts, I worked full-time as a project engineer at a pretty major logistics firm. I despised it. I think what I hated the most was the schedules I had to keep. Most days I could finish the work they gave me in the first couple of hours, but I had to stay in the office until six because those were the rules. The office was “open-concept” so I couldn’t even occupy myself on other things; I had to stare at a spreadsheet for hours on end and pretend I was working. Read more>>

Analisa Raya-Flores

The only “regular” job I ever had (by 9-5 standards) was as a receptionist. It lasted about 3 months, and if you subtract the time I spent in the bathroom muffling screams with paper towels, it was probably closer to 2 months. But that’s not to say it was my only day job. From age 15-29, I worked in retail, food service, and childcare. For the last 11 years, I’ve been a yoga instructor, and I feel both fortunate and proud that I’ve been able to make ends meet doing it. It’s challenging, creative, and keeps me sharp on anatomy (one of my special interests!). It also allows a great deal of time for art, which up to this point, I don’t make money doing. Read more>>

TOLL LEE

For me, creation is a part of life, it activities relieve stress and sometimes cause stress..

Since I have not gone through puberty, I decided to think of this process as a ‘process of finding myself’. It is a time to learn about myself.

I thought that creative activities are important for making ideas into reality, but I also needed the strength and self-esteem to endure time alone.

Creating myself is a great happiness to me. Read more>>