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.

Bluedive

It was a different experience for all of us individually, but the moment we all decided that Bluedive was something to take serious was literally the first practice together. Read more>>

Brian & Leighann Kuenn

My wife and I decided to embark on the path of creative artists when she was pregnant. Our photography and videography business had gained traction, with clients keen to book our services. Read more>>

Vivi Sun

From a young age, my path to a creative and artistic profession was illuminated by my innate talent. Growing up in Taiwan within a family of architects, my artistic aptitude was evident early on. Read more>>

Jesse Thomas Cook

From a young age I was drawn to movies, and more specifically horror cinema. There were several independent movie rental shops in my hometown in the late 1980’s, and I spent hours combing over the VHS artwork in the horror section. Read more>>

Ayel

I realized this was the route for me after I released a couple of songs, just as a hobby. It was truly just a form of expression, like a way that I could vent. Read more>>

Adonnica Genon

I first knew that I wanted to pursue art as a career after graduating high school. Art is a very “general” word to use for this field, however I knew that I wanted to be an artist during my lifetime. Read more>>

Krishna Dinata

Its a funny story actually, because my mother told me that when I was little — I barely remember anything on my childhood life– I told her that I wanted to be a big artist one day. Read more>>

Sandra Casady

I have always had a passion for creative crafts. I developed a love of needlecrafts by spending time as a child in my mother’s yarn and needlecraft shop. Read more>>

Sam Rawls

I’ve always wanted to pursue an artistic path. I felt that have always crossed paths with this purpose. As a child I’ve had interest in creating and playing with colors. Read more>>

Noelle Nurmi

When I was a child I loved to draw and make art. My favorite class throughout my whole school experience was art class. I even wanted to be an elementary art teacher until high school. Read more>>

Amy Sabatier

The origin of my jewelry business is rooted in my childhood. I grew up with Artistic parents, collectors and artisans in their own right. Day jobs were present but their highlight was always weekends searching for or making art. Read more>>

Omarr Kaba

I first knew I wanted to pursue a musical career during my freshman year of high school. Me and my best friend Josh were extremely inspired by rap artists like Chance the Rapper & Kendrick Lamar and we wanted to be rappers ourselves. Read more>>

Josh Stebbins

When I was very young I knew I had a love for art, whether it be drawing, painting, anything creative. In my teen years my ultimate dream was to be a comic book artist but as time went on I found that fine art was more my speed. Read more>>

Joseph Desiderio

Fifty years ago, for my 16th birthday, my father gifted me with my first Nikon SLR Camera. My uncle was a photographer and I spent a lot of time watching him work both with the camera and in the dark room. Read more>>

Hannah Hazel

After taking my one and only ceramics class in college in 2016, I knew it was a craft I wanted to pursue further than a just ‘for fun’ hobby. Although I wasn’t sure how realistic that would be, I had always dreamt of owning my own business, and working for myself. Read more>>

Melissa Rohwer

As an elementary school kiddo, I was easily classified as an “oddball”. I carried around a sketchbook and pencil with me everywhere, and I was constantly prodding my parents for drawing books, fancy pens/pencils, and paint. Read more>>

David Basse

I first knew that I wanted to be a drummer when I was 11 years-old. I had asked my parents for drum lessons. When the first lesson was over, I told my mother, “I’ve found my career, music.” Read more>>

Benjamin Hardy

I got into acting kind of by accident! I’ve had a long career in visual effects but I’ve always had a passion for writing. I spent nearly 10 years at Rhythm & Hues Studios on the technology side, working with the software and systems departments. Read more>>

Megan Chavers

I’ve always been a naturally creative person, and knew that whatever I did in life, I wanted it to be something artistic, or where I could flex my creative muscles. Read more>>

Julie Crone

When I was six, I took my first oil painting class, and fell in love with the creative process. In time, I furthered my art education and obtained a BFA. When I graduated, I fell naturally into Interior Design. Read more>>

Bethanie Ackerman

I was 16 years old when I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative career. I visited Los Angeles for the first time when I was 16, and went on the WB tour. As we toured the studios and saw the making behind my favorite films, the overwhelming feeling of home was too much for me to ignore. Read more>>

Haley Heroy

I grew up in Ireland and my mom was a shop girl at a salon. I would go with my mom every Saturday while she swept hair & my grandma would get her weekly blowout. I loved the time the women spent in the salon reading magazines, chatting and walking out feeling a million times better. Read more>>

Paul Gaudet

Ever since a young age, I have always been fascinated with creativity and the arts has been an intrinsic part of my journey. Whether writing, drawing or making music, I always found solace and excitement in exploring different artistic expressions. Read more>>

Sankofa

When I spent a post college graduation year in China, my friends would send me mixtapes. Included in these mixtapes would be songs my friends had been crafting. Read more>>

Alyse Verone

I’ve always been creative, but I didn’t consider illustration as a profession until high school. I was in an art class, learning anatomy, and one of the resources available to me was a children’s book — “Snow White,” Read more>>

Angelo Reyes

I think the first time that I knew I wanted to be a creative was when I was in elementary school, I think? I can’t remember what grade I was in, but there was this iPhone game that I used to play which was about solving mysteries. Read more>>

Jeremy Eikenberry

I grew up listening to punk music and skateboarding, so tattoos were always in the background. I started getting tattooed when I was 17, just getting skateboard graphics and band logos and stuff. Read more>>

Courtney Carlton

 

After we graduated college in 2020, we soon realized the need for hobbies and passions outside of our new 9-5 realities. We craved a creative outlet after 5pm that allowed us to build something for ourselves, and showed us that there’s more to life than just Corporate America. Read more>>

Isa Gutierrez

I could say that I knew I wanted to follow a professional career in acting when everyone else in high school was choosing their careers as well. However, the truth is, I started acting from an early age, and since then I knew I wanted to do acting for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Allison von Hausen

I loved acting as a kid when my parents put me in camps & classes, and my Dad would drive me around to auditions all over Northern Virginia and DC. I acted in school plays in middle and high school, and as a shy kid I found something very soothing in having a script and always knowing what I was “supposed” to say. Read more>>

Carrie Kaster

I knew I wanted to be an actor or in that creative field when I was in two plays during my childhood. I just knew it was for me at that time right away. Read more>>

Larisa Volkavichyute

My career initially began in Non-Profit Management and Development Organizations. However, 20 years ago, while working in Moscow, I found myself burnt out from office work. Read more>>

Colton Cox

It’s kind of funny; I played upright bass in my school orchestra pretty early on, around 4th grade. I played that until my freshman year of high school, but I was never super passionate about it. Read more>>

Tish Nelson

When I first realized my passion for pursuing a creative path professionally was after planning and executing birthday parties for my son. I absolutely loved researching unique themes, choosing color palettes and decorating the venues, receiving so many compliments on my work gave me joy. Read more>>

Amanda Cook

I have known I wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. When I was maybe 6 or 7 years old I would watch Bob Ross on TV and pull out my Crayola easel and watercolor paints and try to paint with him. Read more>>

Adam Paul

In the 8th grade I went to my first ever school dance. I was pretty shy and would never really put myself out there but that night I danced the whole time and had the best night ever. Read more>>

Priscilla S. Flores

I knew at a very young age that art was going to be in my life forever. As a kid I definitely was obsessed with drawing and my desire to pursue art as I got older made sense to me. Read more>>

Selena Clarke

From the age of 6, the path of an artist called out to me, guided by my mother and grandmother. The spark was further ignited as I immersed myself in design channels and anime. Read more>>

Bridget Gilewitch

I always wanted to act and write, ever since I was a small child, but was told it couldn’t be a viable career. I always promised myself that if I ever got the chance and things lined up, I would take it. Read more>>

Leonardo Gabriel do Amaral

Growing up I always had a difficult time connecting with other people. I was very shy, and having been raised bilingually (in English and Portuguese) I used to have a hard time communicating with others. Read more>>

William Reed

In 2011 I sold my small business and retired. I engaged in various volunteer projects around town but was kind of floundering around after retirement. A friend, knowing that I liked to draw, suggested that I enroll in a class at The Glassell School of Art in Houston. Read more>>

Lorenzo Mores

Drawing has always been my biggest passion, as far as I remember my favourite game as a kid was to grab a piece of paper and ask someone: what can I draw for you? Read more>>

Rosanna Wyatt

For me it was never really a question. I have loved singing and performing for as long as I can remember. I can remember sitting in the back of the school bus in elementary school before any of the other kids got on and singing to myself. Read more>>

Ashley Parsons

I’ve been creating films and interested in photography from the age of 11. It was something I never thought could be a career, because I never had the right influence around me to tell me it was anything but a hobby and I need to get a real job when I’m old. Read more>>

Vee Castro

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally when I realized how truly happy it made me. It was fulfilling and didn’t feel like work but just expression. Read more>>