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.

Kylie River

I have definitely known I’ve wanted to be an actress and singer for as long as I can remember. Music, Art, and Performing were all parts of my childhood growing up since my mom was always big into the Arts she even went to an Arts high school. As a kid I was always singing and dancing around in the living room and dressing up like characters from my favorite shows. I think once we start getting older we start to look at how everyone around us lives their lives, and we start to feel a certain pressure to look this way, or act that way. You can start to doubt what you are capable of. My love for Acting and getting to be on set makes me remember all the fonder moments in my childhood. I remember I don’t need to take life so seriously. It makes me feel like a kid again… and I am so grateful for that feeling. Read more>>

Waya Boy

Growing up surrounded by music sparked my passion for the arts. In grade 6, I joined the dance group “Light Fact,” where I taught myself dance moves from YouTube videos and movies like Step-Up. My dedication paid off, and by 2016, Josh Kiyegga, the group’s owner, noticed my skills in breakdancing and B-boying, inviting me to join the group. Read more>>

Jae Prysock

Ive been singing since I was very young. Ive always wanted to be on stage and performing for as long as I can remember. It turned into a different story when I started to write my own experiences into songs and putting my every little emotion into the songs I was singing. I always felt connected with music because of course someone is always writing something that resonates with you in some way shape or form but this was different because it was my story. When is started sharing these songs and people were coming to me saying they felt so alone until the heard a certain song I wrote i cant even describe that feeling. I love being a safe space for people to come to because I dont want them to feel like they’re alone. I love the fact that music can connect people in so many different ways, and since that first person who messaged me about “Break My Heart,” I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Read more>>

ROBIN CHASE

I come from a creative family with lots of artists, musicians, and photographers, so photography was always a part of my life though more of a hobby than a career goal. As much as I loved it though, I was determined to have a stable, reliable job, so I earned a Master’s degree in Special Education and spent 20 years teaching. Read more>>

William Rhodes

I was born in 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in a working-class neighborhood where social activism and political unrest were common. My early life was influenced by my extended familial connections and the challenges of growing up in a brutal urban environment. As a result, I suffered physical injuries that required an extended period of recovery. I was oftener bullied for my small size and stature. The circumstances led to me pouring my time and energies into my drawings and imagined narratives that would serve as his path back to health. Read more>>

JoAnne Berke

I was introduced to the arts as a young girl when my mother, noticing my interest, enrolled me in art classes at the Detroit Institute of Art. I have fond memories of Saturday mornings, taking art classes and roaming the halls and galleries of the museum. Each weekend, I would visit what felt like old friends—the works of Diego Rivera, Louise Nevelson, and Henry Moore. Though I had never met an artist besides my teachers, I was deeply inspired by the amazing artwork I encountered weekly at the DIA. From that moment on, I found solace and pleasure in creating art. Read more>>

Lync Lone

I’ve been recording albums ever since I was first exposed to hip-hop music around 10 years old. I used to listen to the local hip-hop station on the radio religiously and memorized dozens of verses from the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, etc. I started writing my own raps and recording songs on the voice memos app on my iPod, most of them without any beat. I would burn the tracks to a CD and design my own CD jackets out of paper. I’ve always been infatuated with recording music and all the unique ways in which you can create your own world when making an album. I feel like that fascination has carried me until this point, where I’m now able to freely express myself through albums and concepts. Read more>>

Karina Bromberg

Dance, music and artistic expression has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember, but the dream of pursuing this path professionally was only a dream and as a kid, I hadn’t thought of it seriously. I come from what would be considered a traditional place and this kind of career wasn’t something I saw near me. However, when my family moved to Canada, and I went back to dancing, I met lots of people who pursue a creative path professionally and my horizons started to expand. I started treating it professionally and invested in my training, travelled and pursued connections and opportunities to try and make it my career and reality. Read more>>

Steve Radmall

When I first started at age 15 I did not know I would continue to make my art for this long, it wasn’t until 2 years into making music that I noticed while doing it, it would help my mental immensely no matter what feeling I would be feeling at the time, at that moment that’s when I started taking things more professionally with what I do. Read more>>

Sophie Marita Bach

My creative journey started with music. I began playing the violin at five, and shortly after began with the piano as well. Music helped me develop focus and a way to express feelings. Looking back, I think it quietly shaped how I connect with characters and stories, it gave me an early sense of rhythm, emotion, and communication without having to speak. Read more>>

T.H.

There were two moments in my childhood that I feel go hand-in-hand in this realization.
The first was a dream I had at the age of six or seven. In the dream, I owned an art gallery, and the images within had a fantastical quality. They had the aesthetic of 1980s fantasy films I was growing up with—especially the 1984 film The Neverending Story, directed by Wolfgang Petersen—which appropriately, is a narrative about the connection between dream and reality. When I woke from the dream, I remember thinking how great it would be to make paintings like the ones in the gallery, and share them with others. My vivid dream life continued, I had a strong impulse to visualize in general. I feel that this set the stage for my creative journey and what was to come later. Read more>>

Angela Thomas

I first realized I wanted to pursue Fashion Design when I was 14 years old. I was a pre-professional ballet dancer my whole life, and had dedicated much of it to the art even from a young age, but eventually made the difficult decision to step away from it. The demands of the industry were becoming too heavy to juggle even for a young girl, and I found myself feeling lost, without a plan, and confused as to what I should do next after committing my entire life to it. I had always been drawn to the arts, whether it was sculpting, painting, writing stories, or most of all, drawing. I loved working with colors and shapes, and I craved a way to continue expressing my creativity. Read more>>

Scott Kelley

It was July 4th 1996 and I was ten years old. A friend if mine brought over Adam Sandlers cd “What the Hell Happened to Me” and we listened to it quietly while laughing hysterically. It was definitely something that a ten year old should not be listening to but I did and that bond through laughter with a friend over comedy was something I’ll never forget. Also, on this day, when we got home from the fireworks, I watched a late night clip of the TV show “In Living Color” and thought the show was hilarious. Then as I was getting ready for bed, I snuck into my older brothers room to see what he had to listen to and I found a cassette tape from “The Jerky Boys” and I put that in and was laughing a lot from it. This day was such a huge important date for me as it really set the tone for why I wanted to pursue stand up. Read more>>

Belen

Honestly, it probably started as a shy kid curled up in a corner with my grandpa’s old Western comics, fascinated by the illustrations even before I could actually read them. Thanks to my grandma and her endless storytelling, and my aunt teaching me to read, I quickly found myself diving into books, imagining worlds that I desperately wanted to bring to life visually. My parents noticed this spark and likely thought something along the lines of “Let us give her some guidance before she starts painting on the walls.” They connected me with my sculptor grandad, fostering my early connection to visual storytelling. I did not realize it at the time, but this set a path I would follow. Read more>>

Wayne Kiser

Art has always been part of my life, but my journey has taken many detours before I was able to find my artistic path. Growing up, I was influenced by my mother’s paintings and drawings as she had been a comic book colorist in the 30’s and 40’s. Read more>>

Katharine Harris

Throughout high school, I was pondering what I wanted to do professionally. With the desire to further my education, I was stuck between a lot of options on what I wanted to pursue. At first, I was hesitant to pursue art due to a family member’s poor experience with pursuing his passion in composition as a career. Around the time I had to make a decision on what I wanted to pursue after college, I discovered the game Spiritfarer. This game was the first video game that left a lasting impact on me. Described as a “comfort game about death,” it explored the process of grief and acceptance through a mechanically simple game and a strong narrative. This is what sparked my interest and desire to go into the game industry as an artist. Read more>>

Xiaochen Zheng

When I was 9 years old, I stayed at a boarding elementary school. It was a rough time — I had to deal with peer pressure and was often marginalized and bullied by some of the other kids. Combined with deep homesickness, it became overwhelming, and I would often end up spending time with the school’s mental health teacher. Read more>>

Vincent Zhang

I’m Vincent Zhang (he/him b. 2006), a Chinese-Canadian composer from Vancouver, BC, currently based in New York City. I’m pursuing my undergraduate studies in composition at The Juilliard School under the mentorship of David Serkin Ludwig, Dean and Director of the Music Division. As one of the few Canadian composers accepted into Juilliard’s undergraduate program, I’m proud to be the youngest Canadian composer in history to win the Juilliard Orchestra Competition. My orchestral work Shaman On The Moon was premiered at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall by the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Jeffrey Milarsky. Read more>>

Dadyar Vakili

There wasn’t just one moment—it happened in stages, at different times and different ages in my life. As a child, I was raised by my grandmother, who would entertain me with stories and lore passed down through generations. That early storytelling sparked my imagination. I was always good at writing—essays, poetic prose, short stories—it came naturally. Read more>>

Jonathan Robinson

As a child I was always exposed to mix media. Books and videos. Records, cassette tapes 8 track cartridges. I grew up watching lots of live performances on tv whether syndicated talent shows like ‘Showtime at the Apollo’ or more intricately produced events like Austin City Limits. I would sit around for hours with my cousins watching MTV and BET when we were off school for the summer. I was always immersed in musical performances. My would religiously watch doo-wop videos. Throughout my grade school tenure I was in theatre and orchestra. Slowly I came to understand my personal music taste and eventually would emulate those artists finally seeking electronic music performance as my medium. Read more>>

Emma Patterson

I started my own YouTube channel when I was 16 years old with a focus in make-up tutorials. I was inspired by a few other influencers that I watched regularly, and I quickly fell in love with the filming & editing process. My channel evolved over the years and my videos ranged from shopping hauls to challenges to vlogs. Read more>>

Quinlan Deakin

When I was young my mother could tell I was going to pursue something that was bigger then just a regular job. She put me into dancing as a young boy. I pursued dance for over 10 years and wanted to make it as a choreographer and filmographer for music videos. I started performing in music videos and fell in love with the camera and thought hey maybe I should try some screen acting. I went on to study at Screenwise film school in Sydney Australia where I developed my craft. After graduating and a few shorts I booked a massive commercial where I got to work with the Garth Davis. This experience really drived my love for being on set. I have now filmed a mini series and documentary on ABC. Now more than ever ready to face the industry head on and really go for it. Read more>>

Christopher Villeneuve

My daughter and I visited Quebec City for Christmas in 2023 and on Christmas Eve we stopped into an art gallery to get warm where we saw a small painting by an artist with the same name of my late father. It was a small painting of Two Woodcutters priced at $2500 and I commented that at that price I’d paint it myself and my daughter thought that was funny. The next morning my buddy’s wife back in New Hampshire called to tell me that her husband passed away in his sleep that morning so it was a sad ride home. Read more>>

Alexis Bustos

From a young age everyone told me I had an outgoing personality. I’ve always been a social person and genuinely enjoy connecting with new people. Many people would remark that I was ‘born to be a star.’ Recognizing this quality and potential, my parents supported my early steps into the entertainment industry. I was blessed to sign with CESD Talent Agency in Hollywood at the age of five, and shortly thereafter, I also joined Elegance Talent in Carlsbad. These experiences on set and stage ignited a deep passion and sense of fulfillment that continues to fuel my commitment to a professional career in the entertainment industry. Read more>>

Ann Marie Clark

I’ve always known I was meant to be a creative. Growing up, my dad was an executive at Motown, so I spent a lot of time watching him work on his projects. My mom, a former Division 1 basketball player, kept me and my brothers active, getting us involved in every sport. I ended up sticking with track and field. Our home was a mix of both art and athletics, where creativity and hard work went hand in hand. Read more>>

Tanya Barrera

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been super into art + music and knew that I wanted to do something creative with my life. This is going to sound crazy, but the reason I started pursuing this path was because I got a strong spiritual calling in 2018 telling me that I was meant to take this DJ/Music Production path with the end goal of healing others. I remember discovering Lane 8 and listening to his albums “Little by Little” and “Rise”. I was going through one of the hardest times of my life and I remember listening to the tracks on those 2 albums and it giving me so much hope, joy, and a will to keep living. After having that strong calling, I decided I wanted to make other people feel the same way Daniel made me feel. Read more>>

L-Smooth Mensah

I’ve always been a fan of hip-hop since I can remember. I would say around 2008 was when I realized that I wanted to pursue an artistic and meaningful path in music. In that year I started recording with a co worker in his closet studio. The quality wasn’t the best but it allowed us to express ourselves. We put the songs on cd, handed them out to coworkers and begin to get good honest feedback. After that we got introduced to a pillar in the Oklahoma hip-hop community named Spyda Tha Wise Musician. He was an amazing musician, producer, and artist. Once he showed us his skills, I then knew a path in music was for me. Read more>>

Seth Damoose

I think I always knew I would end up in a creative field. Growing up I was fascinated by storytelling in all forms. I was always connected to comic books, music, and movies. I was always telling stories to entertain whoever was around. I had a tight circle of creative friends growing up in a small mid-western town with a private art college. We all fed off of each others creativity and pushed each other to always entertain each other. I didn’t realize it at the time, but being surrounded by art scholars and students at a young age was extremely beneficial for me. It opened my eyes to the possibilities that art can provide early, and taught me to never close my eyes to the potential within. At 12 years old my best mate and I had both settled on the fact that we were going into the arts. Read more>>

John Virag

For as long as can remember, music has always played a key role in my life. My parents got me started at a very early age studying trumpet and violin. I was six and seven respectively when I began each instrument. When you are that young, you are like a sponge, and soak up your surroundings. So music became a large part of how I developed as a person. I studied the Suzuki method on the violin. That course focused heavily on ear training. Being so young and having my ear developed was like learning a second language and allowed things to become very instinctive from the start. I credit this with my ability to improvise and write music. The foundation was set. Read more>>

Kristin James

I had always been interested in acting, I was onstage in preschool, but I guess I never considered it a “real job” until I got to college. I originally attended Mississippi State University as a pre-vet student in their early entry program. One class a lot of us (early entry students) were put in was Speech, which naturally was in the communication building. That also happened to be the building where the theater was located, and all the fliers for auditions. I quickly fell into theater for all of my extracurriculars, but was still convinced I was soldiering on with vet school. Fall finals roll around. One class I was taking was chemistry, another was intro to theater. I studied just about every waking second and knew the chemistry material inside and out. I still somehow only made a B on that final. Read more>>

Marius Wiget

I had some odd jobs over the years. I worked on a horse farm in California in 2007, waking up before sunrise to muck out stables and walk young horses through the fog. I spent a summer at a small winery in northern Italy near Turin, learning how to prune vines, harvest grapes, and appreciate the rhythm of things done slowly and well. I wasn’t chasing a clear career back then, just following curiosity. But through every twist in the road, art always stayed right next to me. Quiet. Constant. Always waiting. Read more>>

Keenan Friberg

I had been releasing music for about two years, when it finally came time to start looking at colleges. I had always had dreams to be an artist professionally, but I always viewed it as a distant idea rather than an obtainable goal. My thought process at the time of looking at colleges was that I was going to try to be in the acting industry. However, although it was enjoyable being on the stage, I just couldn’t see myself doing theatre for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Lisa Marie Schalk

When I was about 4 years old. I started dancing ballet and knew that I wanna peruse a career as dancer, singer, acter and performing artist also designing and painting was part of it as I started those crafts as well. I just knew it and followed my passion. Read more>>

Sol Gray

I have a love-hate relationship with humanity. I am often amazed by the extraordinary things we can achieve and awestruck by the purity of raw emotions we can feel. But I’m also often disturbed by how this great human capacity is utilized to cause others pain. It is unsettling to see how those you love can do so much wrong. I came to understand that this is usually caused by a lack of introspection and communication, preventing empathy. We can create mental barriers – or borders – often invisible or unquestioned – that divide people and give rise to emotional and physical harm. Idealist by nature, I habitually challenge myself to at least question all sorts of borders that exist around us because I believe that change in the world starts from within. Now I’ve determined that I need to push the world to do it too. Read more>>

Zach Garrett

Believe it or not, I used to want to be a chiropractor (back doctor). The human body is an amazingly beautiful creation and it all. centers around the spine. I wanted to understand it more. And I thought that was a solid day job. I worked hard towards that goal. I earned my associate’s degree two weeks before graduating high school. I was going to major in music business for my undergraduate studies and then go pursue my certification as a Doctor of Chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic. Read more>>

Bruno Billio

Back in 1994 I had just moved back to Toronto Canada after living a very exciting 4 years in Milan Italy. I was living with my mentor an icon of fashion and the who who of the 60s and working in one f the best design studios that collaborated with other super studios of the 80s and 90s. After such an experience of life and study I was so over qualified for a job in my field I could not find work in A provincial city like Toronto. Read more>>