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.

Margarita Minenko

My passion for creativity began in childhood. I was an active child who loved to sing, dance, write stories, and create stage plays for my family. But I never imagined that this passion would one day grow into a professional career. That moment came when I was studying at university. By then, I was already deeply involved in dancing and taking part in television projects. However, my family faced financial difficulties and couldn’t support my education. That’s when I made the bold decision to go to China to pursue my dreams. Read more>>

Carolyn Lamuniere

I always painted, I never thought of doing anything else. but I never really went beyond painting for myself. I never thought of making a living. I majored in Art History at Skidmore College, and that has become the basis of everything I have done. I never studied painting, I just did it, and if I needed inspiration I just went to what had been done. I particularly like Scandanavian art of the early 20th c as well as the Fauves and Gotto of the Early Renaissance. I was in Marblehead , MA and my first real painting made the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. Then I won a first in the Marblehead Summer Arts Festival, then was accepted at the DeCordova Museum’s show for the best New England aAtists under 30. Read more>>

Logan White

I don’t remember wanting to be anything other than an artist; from a young age I showed an aptitude for drawing, and I was always encouraged to pursue it. The exact kind of artist I wanted to be would change as I grew up. Initially I wanted to work in video games, video games being the primary form of media I consumed, and bonded over with my siblings, and friends. As I grew and the adolescent desire to be taken seriously developed, I decided I wanted to be a kind of fine artist. I had initially gone to art school with the intention of being a painting major; in fact I was a painting major for a semester before I decided to pursue animation. I had always loved animation, having been exposed to a wide variety of its forms from a young age. Read more>>

Daria Wang

I have a background in architecture and have been studying and working in this field for about a decade. However, at some point, I experienced a serious burnout at work. It made me question myself—what had changed, and why did I feel so unmotivated compared to before? That’s when I realized I was craving more artistic expression in my life. Read more>>

Carmen Ezcurra

I always had dreamt of being a professional actress but I guess I never actually considered it as a real possibility until I was 15 years old and my then voice teacher asked me if that was something I want to do. I remember that day so vividly, my first thought was “Can I?! Could I possibly do this full time?!”. She laughed at me and said I could, and that changed my whole perspective. I started planning and dreaming about the roles that I would love to play in musical theatre. That’s when I discovered Broadway, and New York became my number one dream. From that point forward my training as a singer and actress became my number one priority and I remember coming back from school, doing my homework really fast and then singing full musicals until very late. Read more>>

Weijin Feng

In my memory, I’ve always had a slight passion for painting, but I never thought I would pursue formal art education. It wasn’t until high school, just before entering university, that I took an art course before exams. I remember back then, the art forms I was exposed to were quite limited, so I started searching for a lot of information about painting online, including books, films, and visual content related to music, like music videos and album covers. During university, I also tried to engage in discussions and have fun with classmates from different majors. As time went on, I found myself developing a deep interest in many different forms of art. After graduation, I began experimenting with various mediums to express myself, and the things I wanted to communicate also changed many times. Read more>>

Erin Dembo

All the way when I was about eight years old, is when I knew I wanted to become a writer. I wrote my first ever poem called ‘Why am I shy?’ on my mini Dell computer and printed it on notebook paper. I have always been crafty, thanks to my grandmother for taking me to Michael’s every Saturday morning. Then when it came to college, a lot of my family were saying I needed to pick a “true career” and not English/writing. So, being pressured I did Pre-Vet for a good semester or two and changed my major to English: creative writing concentration with a minor in Journalism. I felt I needed to do what God blessed me with and I am able to express myself more, inspiring others. Read more>>

Maxwell Fink

I knew I wanted to this professionally when I was around 15 and playing in a band. During that time I saw that if you work hard the opportunities start to present themselves fairly quick! during that time I was learning how to produce and a few year after that once I graduated high school I moved to la to run a studio and be a producer full time. Read more>>

Sophia Eisenbart Macias

I think the first time it truly hit me was when I was in college. I had been painting a lot and getting accepted into art shows pretty regularly, which already felt amazing—but the turning point came when I sold my first painting. It was actually my favorite one at the time, and I remember feeling a mix of emotions: proud, surprised, and a little sad to part with it.  Read more>>

Wren Cox

In second grade I wanted to be Pocahontas or an artist when I grew up. I was told it wasn’t acceptable to be Pocahontas, so artist became my profession at the age of eight. I sold my first artwork (a small pencil drawing) for one penny. Success! I went on to do a drawing on stage for the school talent show the next year and took all the art classes my tiny town had. Polymer clay became accessible – it was new! So I was able to make sculpture at home too. I have 4 younger sisters and we all shared the clay, and it became a challenge to create small things so that the clay would last longer. I found that sculpting was my favorite thing to do and creation is so apart of my life that I have never considered living without it. For me, to live is to create. Read more>>

Ruxin Liang

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by stories with unique worlds, like Totoro, Calabash Brothers, and Snow Kid. Animated films and games always amazed me, especially how creative teams build immersive worlds, bring characters to life, and evoke emotions in such a short time. That curiosity led me to explore how animation is made. Read more>>

Armando Godinez

This goes all the way back to being and kid and just loving to draw things like the Chicago Bulls logo, Ninja Turtles and other pop culture visuals. I drew quite a bit when I was younger and that was amplified when I took my first art class in high school and my teacher helped nurture my gift of art. I took an AP art class my senior year and made lots of art during that year that led to me receiving college credit and an art scholarship to a junior college. Read more>>

Ari Bliss

When I had so much fun going to dance class daily without ever complaining. When I enjoyed dancing more than any other activity that my friends were doing after school or on weekends traveling. Growing up performing at Lincoln Center in the nutcracker for a month through November to January as a kid with New York City Ballet, it felt like the most magically rewarding experience! I was all in and loved every minute of it. I get energized from the ballet classes/rehearsals and motivated by the teachers attention to detail. I appreciate how the body can move to the harmony of music and see it as a form of art gifting the audience with a touch of magic without words. Read more>>

Amy Morton

I was very fortunate to be able to sign up for an art history and studio art class during my sophomore year in high school. I had two wonderful teachers who changed my life in their classrooms. They inspired me and also expected a lot, a magic combination which fueled both my drive and imagination. The exposure to arts in a learning environment was deeply impactful and set me on a path of pursuing a creative career. My first art job was at a gallery in Boston while on summer break from school, followed by internships at artist co-ops, auction houses, and finally the opening of my own contemporary gallery space in 2010. Read more>>

Mario Scott

When I was around three or four, I did a scribble, abstract drawing of Riggs and Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon 2. It was when I was in 5th grade and I did an almost identical drawing of Lola Bunny from Space Jam that I wanted to be an Illustrator. Read more>>

Valencia Charmaine

Ever since I was a little girl, people called me “Little Oprah” because of the way I spoke—confident, clear, and full of curiosity. But before I ever picked up a mic or stepped in front of a camera, I was a writer. Storytelling was in my bones. I spent hours listening to my grandmother and her friends share stories about the “good old days,” painting pictures of a world I had never seen but could vividly imagine. That’s where my love for storytelling began. Read more>>

Bria Tate

I have known that I wanted to be in a creative field since I was ten years old. I started out loving art class, and then I started to draw when I was in the fifth grade. That is when I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer, but that changed a while after (trying to be more practical). In college, I initially went for a degree that I didnt love and chose to become an art major. I practiced all forms of art: painting, film photography, drawing, sculpting. I felt like I was coming back to myself with art. I took a break from art after graduation, but I have been getting back into art and the art scene for the last two years which led me to pivot to creative direction and getting back into fashion and slowly creating my own art pieces again. Read more>>

Aimee Poynor

I don’t think there was one specific moment.. Growing up, I was always drawn to beauty in the small details, whether it was through shopping with my grandmother or watching my dad create with his hands. I didn’t know then that it would become my career, but I always had a strong interest and desire to create something special! Read more>>

Patrick Rowland

Sit back everyone as I spin a yarn about my journey to being a creative/artistic professional. The year was 2006 and I was a full-time employee of the United States Postal Service as a Mailhandler. It was great money with great benefits and I was miserable, all I did was work, come home smoke weed, sleep, and then repeat. I needed something fun in my life and like a sign from up high, I saw that the MadTv Writers were doing improv at The Chicago Improv festival. I loved MadTv and didn’t know what improv was, but also didn’t care. I saw the show and was blown away by that it was all made up on the spot. I went home and got on my Dell computer and looked up “improv”, “school”, and “Chicago”. Read more>>

Willie Wilson

As a 8 year old – already very interested in singing and guitar – I would watch a soap opera called Dark Shadows and long to be in it. I told my mother i wanted to be an actor – she was supportive and told me anything i wanted to do was within my reach if you worked hard enough for it. i swore to apply myself. Read more>>

Virginia Warwick

I have been an artist my whole life. But I started considering the idea of taking my artistic endeavors more “seriously” by applying to graduate school. I put the word seriously in quotes, because still to this day, close to twenty years after entering graduate school I do not consider myself to be a serious artist, but a playful one. Read more>>

Elijah Trice

My road to becoming a fine artist has been beautiful but riddled with self-doubt. As a child, I was naturally gifted in visual arts, specifically illustration. Due to social pressures, I was not encouraged to pursue a career in the arts. Instead, I pivoted to architecture as my “safe” career choice. My practice was birthed out of curiosity and exposure to cultures and ideas that were foreign to me. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I used painting as a form of therapy to deal with the socio-political climate of the time. This therapeutic release led to many months of reflection and understanding of self. I quickly became a part of Providence, Rhode Island’s vibrant art scene. People started to show interest in my art when I started to share my work on social media. Read more>>

Dalton Smith

So I hated high school. Not every aspect; I met some of my best friends there, and there were a handful of classes I truly enjoyed. But the education part wasn’t what I needed. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and I was actually on track to do something in STEM like mechanical engineering, but I didn’t have much of a plan. I didn’t even know if I wanted to go to college. But after some thinking and talking it over with friends and family, I decided to give it a shot, and I was lucky enough to attend the private college my mom worked at. Read more>>

Amanda Clement

I don’t think there was ever a time I thought I wouldn’t pursue a creative/artistic path professionally. I started ice skating and dancing at 3, and at age 7, I was starting what would become a 10 year stint with a competitive dance team. I did gymnastics, cheerleading, choir…all sorts of creative extracurriculars. There was never a moment where I thought about abandoning myself, my creative endeavors, the things I loved to do, that made me…me – however – there were a lot of moments of confusion and self- doubt. How exactly does one make a living doing what I loved? It wasn’t until my Junior year of high school, when my english teacher (and theater director) – Mrs. Sleger – asked me to audition for the Spring musical, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Read more>>

Theresa Kirk

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was after I self published my third book and I was found on social media by a reader who asked for more of my work. She was a published author who was signed. At the time I hadn’t written or published a book in a few years so I didn’t think that people still read my work. She connected me with a publisher who had a talk with me about signing to the team and after the conversation, I was inspired to go to the next step and take my writing seriously. Read more>>

Victoria Pouncy

There is multiple reasons I wanted my professionally life to be in the creative field. The first time I knew pursuing a creative or an artistic path professionally was for me, is when I realized I could not do tasks my way, I guess you can say in a direction that inspires creativity. Another reason is when I could not stop thinking about painting or doing an activity that was creative. Read more>>

Von Alexander

I knew I wanted to pursue this path as an artist at a young age, 6th grade to be exact. It began with me leaning about poetry in the 3rd grade. I found that poetry was an outlet that came easy to me, my very first poem had won a first place prize against the other classrooms in my elementary school which lead to me presenting it as well. I always had a love for hip hop music, it was something I grew up and was raised on. The different techniques artists used to convey their messages, the music videos and it also looked like fun to me as kid. I would find myself always memorizing lyrics, listening to the radio for countless hours awaiting my favorite songs to play throughout the day after school. Read more>>

Anna Alexander

Growing up in a very art-centric household, my mother who is a painter, always encouraged my siblings and I to freely express ourselves through art and other mediums. I remember trying every hobby you could think of as a kid and nothing seemed to stick. I couldn’t color within the lines, kick the soccer ball in the goal, or figure out the chords on a guitar. I remember feeling incredibly frustrated not finding the thing I was “good” at or felt satisfied doing. Then, one day around my 8th birthday, my family took me to see the musical “Wicked”. Watching this complex yet familiar story unfold on stage through song, dance, and the actors portrayals of their character, rocked my world (literally, I was crying). Read more>>

Pradhyumna V Kashyap

I was eight years old I think. I used to take my dad’s camcorder and sneak off with my brother to shoot “blockbusters” in the nearby streets. When we went to vacations, my brother and I used to shoot at the scenic spots and also use existing Indian songs with our own lyrics. It all started as a fun motif and I used to write short stories based off of comic books and other books I used to read. Including encyclopedias! These small things gave me a push I believe. When I was seventeen, I always wanted to become a space scientist. My interest in it transcended space and time (pun intended). But, I found out my math wasn’t enough to become one through my school. There was this kind of classification of students who didn’t perform well in academics. I was one of them. Read more>>

Jamie Brunson

I could go all the way back to elementary school, when I colored and drew, constantly! I grew up in a military family, so I spent an influential part of my childhood living in Japan. We were stationed outside of Tokyo and later in Yokohama. We didn’t have American television–although we had a theater that screened English-language American movies. So, as children, we spent a lot of time reading, making art, acting out the roles from the library books we’d read or the 1960s films we had seen– James Bond spy stories, big gladiator epics, cowboy movies. Having to be resourceful in that way was very conducive to creativity; I think living outside of American popular culture, and being exposed at a young age to Japan’s refined aesthetics, was a powerful formative experience. Read more>>

Jason McGathey

I suppose it was always buidling toward this, but the first concrete moment that always sticks with me is rushing home from the last day of 11th grade, and feeling this furious need to jot down everything that had happened recently.

Before that, in retrospect, the signposts were occasionally sprouting up here and there – I just didn’t realize it. I think one mistake you make as a kid – not that you know any better – is that if the approach to something they are teaching in school isn’t working for you, then you just sort of assume this subject isn’t for you. Read more>>

Jeremy Radick

I think I had always wanted to be an actor. My family wasn’t an artistic one, particularly, but when I was six, I told them I wanted to do what the people on TV did, and they really supported my dream, getting me into acting classes and helping me in elementary school plays, taking me to auditions. Read more>>

Jenna Swanson

Ever since I was young, I’ve always been very passionate about creating and being artistic. In school, I was happiest when I was painting, drawing, or sculpting in art class, or reading and writing in a language arts class. I was in choir, and and learned to play viola in orchestra. I loved all things arts and music. I knew that right out of high school I wanted to pursue something that gave me creative freedom. I went to school for cosmetology, and graduated. I did hair for about 6 years, and I loved it. I had to get a knee surgery, so from there I decided I would try out an office setting, and I did that for about 5 years and quickly became tired of it. I wanted to fire up my creative side again, but wasn’t sure I wanted to pursue cosmetology again. Read more>>

Wenying Erin Liu

When I was a kid, like most Asian children, I found myself hopping between various tutoring and extracurricular classes. However, unlike the stereotypical image of children being dragged to these classes by strict parents, I was actually a volunteer participant. I loved learning everything—well, almost everything! Before I formally studied music, I was in a choir for 10 years. II was also a sports specialty student (which, in the Chinese education system, could help me score lower on the high school entrance exam). On top of that, I dabbled in radio direction finding, learned piano and guitar, made handicrafts, tried pottery, dabbled in painting, debated, danced, you name it. If it was something that could be learned near my neighborhood, I probably tried it. Read more>>

Vanessa Walilko

Some of my earliest memories involve creative projects. First I would build a LEGO set, then I would take it apart and create my own design. I started making crafts with pipe cleaners and pom poms at age 4, then started sewing tiny toys out of felt at age 6. When I was 8, I took a beaded jewelry class during my school’s summer program, and I completely fell in love with it. I was hungry to learn all the projects the instructor had for us, and I started designing my own beaded pieces. My mother bought me all the craft supplies I wanted to fuel my creativity. By age 11, I was reverse engineering beaded necklaces just by looking at them and then started designing sculptural work. Read more>>

Lindsay Mueller

I’ve known for longer than I can remember that I enjoy making art, but the process of deciding to do this professionally has been somewhat incremental for me. I’m a planning-oriented person, which can seem at odds with an artistic career given there is no single pre-defined path, but each year I believe I can pursue what I want a bit more seriously, and set some new goals to work towards. Read more>>

Ricardo

In high school, my love for movies led me to direct my own. With no camera but plenty of ambition, I convinced my entire class, a few teachers, and even the principal to take part. I wore all the hats—director, lead actor, and scriptwriter—because why not? Read more>>

JP Brown

On the real, I’ve always loved entertaining people since I was a wee youngling (Yeah, I know that “youngling” is a Star Wars reference. Go ahead, judge me! I don’t care 😝). Ever since I was in Elementary School, I’ve always loved making people laugh, and making sure that everybody is having a good time. Whether it was class/school plays, or just being the “class clown”, I always loved joking around and putting smiles on people’s faces — even though many of my Elementary School teachers didn’t like it so much… Oh well. Read more>>

Victorya Kindla

I would say it wasn’t until my later 20s that I realized I COULD pursue a creative/artistic path professionally. Growing up, I always loved being on stage. I started performing as vocalist when I was nine years old. I’ll never forget my first gig. It was downtown San Antonio, at the famous Market Square. I sang Selena, and a couple of country songs. As much as I loved it, I didn’t have the perspective that maybe, one day, I could do this for a living. In part, that was because my mother was very serious about my siblings and I pursuing higher education, and to be sure we followed a career path that would be stable, and sustainable, for us. I perceived that as “music is just for fun, not to be pursued as a life-long career”. I continued to sing on different stages around South Texas, and even traveled to Las Vegas to perform for the Tejano Music Awards, but even then, it was just for fun. Read more>>

Elena Amo

Fun fact—I never dreamed about an artistic career. As a kid, I wanted to be a ballerina! My journey into surface pattern design was a long one, full of ups, downs, and pivoting moments.

After high school, I decided that interior design was an interesting path and took lots of preparation classes in design, composition, and drawing. I studied at my local University of Art, Sculpture, and Architecture in Russia, but I struggled a lot. It was obvious that I lacked experience, skill, and discipline at that age. After two very difficult years, I decided to quit. Around that time, my future husband and I moved to Canada, where I enrolled in an interior design program in Calgary. Read more>>

Leauda Densey

I think I’ve always known—though not in words at first. Music was the place I ran to when the world felt loud, unsafe, or unfamiliar. Growing up in a home that often felt chaotic and heavy, creativity became my sanctuary. Singing quietly to myself, writing little melodies, or simply escaping into sound—it was my way of staying connected to something bigger than me. Something safe. Something sacred.Read more>>

Alfonso Cervera

I will always carry deep gratitude for my mentor and friend, Kelli King, the first person who invited me into the world of university dance. Though I had already spent over fifteen years dancing professionally in Ballet Folklorico, something about the institutional setting filled me with fear. Perhaps it was my cultural upbringing but also the insistence that dance wasn’t a real job, that college was for becoming doctors, lawyers, anything else. Read more>>

Muhkenzy

I’ve always knew music had to be apart of my life in some way just from childhood. I started singing at a young age just around the house with my mom growing up and then it progressed on to family reunions, daycare gatherings. The moment however I knew I could be creative was with my Uncle Marcus (who has since passed on). He was a rapper with one of his best friends and he would teach me the words and have me sing Choruses with him and it made me feel included and that I had a gift. Read more>>