Are artists born or made? To help answer this question, we asked some of the most artistic folks we know to tell us about how they knew they were going to pursue an artistic or creative path. We’ve shared highlights below.

Julia McCartney

There was a moment when I was about 10 years old looking at a bunch of photos I had taken on a family trip to Alaska. My mom loaned me her old camera, it was my first time using a camera to take images intentionally. I had taken a variety of pictures mostly landscapes, animals, people, and whatever else caught my eye. I felt so excited to share these captured memories with others and connect them to the experience through my work, I had never felt that level of passion about anything else. I knew right then that I would keep photographing for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Gina Collins

I don’t remember a moment in time where I thought “I would love to have a creative job”. I wasn’t exposed to many creative “career” options as a child of the 90’s that was deemed “successful” by others. It was a matter of do you want to do go to school for business or healthcare? There weren’t many photographers, artists, or trade jobs at Career Day. My mom was the closest role model I had when it came to a “unique” career choice. My mom was a RN, but she also became a licensed massage therapist and opened up her own business where I grew up. I remember watching her prepare and build this business with so much pride and joy, there had to have been a moment for me where I felt- “I want that” because it has never left my mind and its what pushes me often. Read more>>

Dionne Woods

I’ve always been a creative person but didn’t completely dive in unapologetically until life forced me to take the risk on myself. After working years to build the dreams of others, I was led to make some hard decisions and make a bet that I could create a living on my own creativity. My driving force was of course, my sons. My husband recently became self employed as well so we knew it was the two of us, which felt it was literally us against the world. It just takes a spark, though, to get the flame burning. Read more>>

Deak J. Smalls

I was always a shy kid but at the same time wanted the attention from people by entertaining them by performing as characters. I’ve had a huge imagination so I always knew I knew I wanted to entertain audiences. Since the second grade, performing in my very first school play I knew I wanted to be an actor. Read more>>

D.J. Hale

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue an artistic path for my career with total dedication, was actually the first week I started taking acting classes at Studio 24 in Sacramento, California. My interest was at an all time high and deep down I knew this was what I was supposed to do with my life, but nothing drove that point further than watching my studio mates perform a tough break up scene after just one week of preparation. The way they acted on that stage without truly knowing each other having just met a week prior, and the way they were totally locked into their characters and the situation…it was real. I saw the desperation, the coldness, the anger, the sadness, the hope, the love. I saw it all, and it moved me. I saw the magic acting produces, I felt it. It was at that moment I knew completely with everything fiber of my being that this is what I want to do. This is what I need to do. This is what I’m supposed to do. Read more>>

Harmony Devoe

I was a Songwriter first, and became a published one before moving to Florida from Detroit, Michigan. I would always just write the song for the Artist and do back ground vocals. When I moved to Florida, people would ask me who was singing the background vocals and who wrote the song. I was encouraged by one of my closet friends to record a demo track. I was a church girl and did not have the confidence until my Ex-Husband and I put together a band, “Optimistic Vibe.” The rest is history. I’ve always known I was created to entertain since pres-school, when I would take over the class singing and dancing. The teacher told my Mom to place me in private school because I wanted too much attention and would take over the class. Read more>>

Brasen Nix

My realization of wanting to make music my life-time career/hobby was when I got my first acoustic drum kit at 10 years old. My Dad taught me everything he knew when I was even younger, and since I caught on fairly quick, I tried to teach myself with YouTube videos, but I just felt I wasn’t progressing; I picked up sports for a few years, but it wasn’t really my thing. And after what seemed like forever, I was finally able to go to a music school to help further my development with drumming. Which, eventually turned into learning bass, guitar, and about music in general. Read more>>

Jeremy Wilson

I became aware I wanted to be in the Spanish language speaker space, for professional and leisure path purposes and derived the desire from a summer living with a sibling in her Dallas, Texas residence, after having completed high school and entered studies at the, Natchitoches’, local university. The desire to learn, for use, the Spanish language was nurtured with the opportunity to work the particular summer in a Barnes & Noble bookstore and purchase for my need-Spanish language learner books. From such a time it has been an effort I knew I’d like to use and grow in the creative and professional space with. With a return after summer to Louisiana I furthered my direction on such path utilizing the television material and books, again for further language learning nutrition, at times of lack of surplus of usage opportunities. Read more>>

Adam Sessa

It was very young when I first realized that having a creative and multi-fluid hat of concepts kept me entertained. I always found that I became bored with things very easily. No matter what it was as something for enjoyment, it grew dull quickly. Being a creative allows you to explore outside of the shapes. Once outside, the concepts are limitless. From live artists, to visual, even now to Ai, it all can be very entertaining. Read more>>

Court Love

I first wanted to become a content creator back in 2014. But I was too afraid to put myself out there. Because I wanted my videos to perfect for YouTube. So I allow my fear to stop me from pursuing my dreams. So fast forward to 2021. I decided to go for it and started my YouTube channel August 2021. Read more>>

Shatoine May

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career specifically being in the field of beauty, was my first year in college. My life has always been around creativity, I was always involved in all things creative, and seemed to be always multi skilled in many fields when it came to the arts . So even when I entered college, my original path was still art related . I had always wanted to become a news anchor, or a talk show host , so I graduated with full intentions to start that journey on that career path. Like most people college, entering those college bound ages also enters you into more self discovery , your mindset and a lot of who and what you think you knew about you is put more to an challenge. Read more>>

Heph B

When I was a kid I started playing drums at age 5. Then I knew music was a not just a hobby but will be a something I will do. Read more>>

Nick Bradley

While I was working on my degree at Morehouse, I was teaching myself how to play the piano as just a hobby. By senior year, I got really good at playing and became really passionate about my musicianship. Ultimately, I made the decision to change paths and pursue a career doing music. I started searching for ways to get opportunities by networking, reaching out to artists, and sharing my gift on my social media platforms. I found my niche on TikTok doing piano covers of songs across all genres, encouraging others to sing along to them. That type of content Read more>>

Alexandra Mazzola

Growing up as an undiagnosed young autistic girl, I had tried everything to try and fit in with my peers. In doing so, I participated in a various number of sports and hobbies that others around me enjoyed. This led me to developing many special interests that, once I had started something such as soccer or cheerleading, everything seemed to become revolved around it. My bedroom themes would change and I would fill the room with soccer-related things, cheerleading or gymnastics ribbons, etc. However, I was not particularly very “good” at any of these physical sports or hobbies and over time, I realized this because each one ended with me always feeling self-conscious, very sad, and hard on myself whenever I would not make it through try-outs or auditions. Read more>>

Ade Dina

I think every kid had their fantasy job when we were younger. When I was about nine, I got really into films and dove further and further into the craft. However, when I was fifteen and watch the Wolf of Wall Street. Before I could, I did my usual sneaking into a Rated R movie and walked up those dim stairs, and got in my seat. And for three hours I watched a masterpiece where I laughed, was entertained but also connected to various characters. Ever since Christmas of 2013, I knew this is what I wanted to do. Read more>>

Gideon Marcus

I’ve done a lot of things in my life. I was an astrophysics major, got degrees in music and Japanese. For a while I was a professional tutor, a journalist, then i ran a law firm. For several years, I was co-owner of a successful global internet SAAS company. Every time I had any spare time, I found myself writing. Between the law firm and a biotech company, I wrote my first short story and started galacticjourney.org. Between the biotech company and the internet startup, I wrote half a dozen short stories. The day I gave my resignation to the internet startup, I wrote 1000 words of my first novel (Kitra). Read more>>

Natalia Cordero

I started dancing pretty young, I would say that once I started dancing it was love at first sight. I grew more in love with just enjoying moving my body to different styles of dance. Through the years of training many mentors and instructors told me that it was important for me to be a versatile dancer, but Ballet will always be your foundation. As a mover and artist I made it my goal to always be open minded and learn as many styles and the techniques as possible. Read more>>

Daniela Salas

I have always liked everything that had to do with the art of entertainment. I danced flamenco since I was 3 years old and everything that had to do with entertaining and creating was always very small for me. The first time I realized that I wanted to dedicate myself to creating content was in 2020 with the pandemic when I lost my job, I saw an opportunity to spend more time creating fashion videos and tips that could help other women, so little by little I realized I gave everything and now I work with my favorite brands and I have a community of women who trusted me and together we went further Read more>>

Sydney Marteliz

The first time I knew I wanted to peruse music and performing was when I was 15. I grew up in a very musical household, my dad was a performer and so was his father and uncle. Since I was two years old, I’ve been singing. My parents would have supported me regardless of my choices, but it was kind of always “Sydney is going to be a singer”. My dad would take me to all the bars where his friends were performing in bands and put me on to sing. At 15, I had my own first gig. My dad and his friend were my roadies, the sun was shining, and the fries were hot lol The feeling of performing and the happy energy I cultivated with the crowd was intoxicating in the best way. Ever since then I knew that performing and creating music was my purpose and happy place. Read more>>

Lionel B

As a youth, I always appreciated hard work and seeing the benefits in it. However often times hard work goes unappreciated and you feel undervalued. You can work 80 hours and add 20 hours of overtime and all you gonna get is a few extra dollars, but then your quality of life is all messed up, and you’re still living check to check. By working a regular 9 to 5, I knew that I was shorting myself. I knew I had way more to offer than just existing. My spirit wouldn’t allow me to be comfortable with just work. People knew I was special and that I needed to be seen. Read more>>

Cameron Dixon

When I look back on the things that took place in my life so far, I honestly feel that I was blessed to be in the profession I’m in now. Every member of my immediate family is musically inclined, starting with my father. He played saxophone and organ, and was a member of the Marching 100 at Florida A&M University where he met my mother. My mother was a singer, and my brother played drums at a young age and even taught me how to make beats on FL Studio. Growing up in Atlanta during the early 2000’s was amazing, because, it was as vibrant and abundant of a music scene as you could imagine. Read more>>

Zaid Sewer

Music was always all around me and I wanted to learn as much as I could. This naturally developed into writing songs and making beats. I was about twelve (12) years-old when I decided I wanted to be a music producer. I was taking piano lessons in school, after school and also playing double tenor pan with the Love City Pan Dragons Youth Steel Orchestra. My friend James and I would meet up every Sunday after church and have these beat battles with the beats we made that week. I would shut myself in my room and spend countless hours on Music Studio 10 Deluxe experimenting with melodies. I then graduated to FL studio, then GarageBand and eventually Logic Pro. I convinced my parents (an easier talk than I thought it would’ve been) that I should pursue a degree in Audio Engineering or Audio Production. Read more>>

Taylor Mason

vI knew that I wanted to be an actress when I was 8 years old! I was sitting in front of the TV on the floor watching Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle for like the millionth time, and a feeling came over me. I loved how there were three badass women doing badass things in TV for fun. It sparked something in me and at that moment I had this INTENSE feeling of like euphoria or knowing or intuition (idk what to call it) that washed over me. I KNEW in that moment I wanted to be an actress and I was so excited about it. I don’t think I had ever felt anything that strong in my life. Read more>>

West Berman

I wanted to pursue music professionally around the end of my junior year at Huston Tillotson. Going to college really gave me and understanding of different people. I was able to meet some pretty talented individuals, specifically in the music world. I’ve been writing since high school coming up with verses and poems in my spare time, but with limited knowledge in music at the time, I always assumed you needed some fancy budget to actually record in a studio setting. I laugh at that everyday now! However, when going into my senior year, I was given tips and knowledge from the other artists on campus that I met. From then on I knew with a plan I could and would want to do this forever. Read more>>

Steve Moretti

I began playing the drums at the ripe old age of four! My brother, who is six years older than me, received a drum set for his 10th birthday. I remember watching him play and was absolutely mesmerized by what I was hearing. The next morning I woke up and immediately went downstairs and started playing a beat. My mom came down and thought it was my brother, but much to her amazement (the look on her face), she saw little old me playing. Read more>>

Jazmin Reyes

It all started when I was laid off. It was hard to find a job that met my standards. I had to figure something out meanwhile I found my dream job. Bills weren’t going to pay themselves. I was great at baking so I decided to have a cupcakes sale to help with my financial struggles at the moment. Eventually my cupcake sale turned into a cake sale. I made small cakes not the best looking at the time. I sometimes doubted myself and I thought I was crazy for trying to make cakes. I wasn’t that good and I barely had customers . The thing that kept me going was my passion for it. Every time I would make a cake it would bring more passion and interest to me. As time went by I got better and more recognition around the city. Read more>>

Malik Taylor

I knew I had creative gifts within me since a child. I was always involved in church plays and various other projects as a kid. As far as video creation and editing I’ve been doing that since the 6th grade. I would record funny skits of me on Facebook and post them for my friends to see. Of course it wasn’t edited like now lol just 20 mins straight of me switching characters but I loved it! Read more>>

Tannie Smith

Artists are supposed to claim that they were drawing their whole life and were born with a pencil in their hand. And that is kind of true for me. But also not really. I was always very creative as a child and enjoyed studying artists and the way light moves, but I rarely drew myself. I was more of an observer and thinker. In school I hated math, it has always been a live long struggle. I remember in middle school being told that you don’t have to take math in college if you major in art. I felt a lightbulb go off in my head and for better or worse, an artist was born! Read more>>

Anne Bivens

When I was a young girl, my parents blessed my sister and me with summer camp in the mountains of North Carolina. This camp, Rockbrook Camp for Girls, had two wonderful craft cottages that taught a variety of crafts; underwater basket making, weaving on a loom, pottery on a foot-operated wheel, and even enameling on copper. One summer, I even sawed out and fabricated a silver ring. I participated in all the outdoor adventures as well as the crafts, but while creating in the craft cottages, I was in my happiest place. I’ve always been drawn to working with my hands, but did not get involved in making silver jewelry until, I “got up the nerve” to enroll in a beginning level silversmithing class at John C. Campbell Folk School, over 20 years ago. Read more>>