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.

Joe Petri

I’ve always been drawing and painting from a very young age. My mother always encouraged my creativity and artistic abilities. Read more>>

Shartoya Jn.Baptiste

I was introduced to dance at the age of 7. It all started as a hobby and a place where I found community. At the age of 17, my dance group and I received the opportunity to represent Saint Lucia at CARIFESTA. Read more>>

DeShele Taylor

The idea of performing for audiences hit me deeply at a very young age. My mom noticed the sparkle I had for creative pursuits- singing and dancing around the house, dressing up, and getting into her makeup – which ultimately led to enrollment in classes at a local dance studio, Gloria Jeans. Read more>>

Sarah Polzin

I come from a family of artists. We have been creating our own art and shared art for decades, we play off each other, come up with ideas, fight, brainstorm, defend, and love and embrace the shared art that we partake in. Read more>>

Laurie Caffery

I have intended to pursue a creative path since I was a child. Working with my hands and making art was my absolute favorite activity while I was growing up. Read more>>

Peyton Thorp

I graduated college, not quite knowing what exactly I wanted to do, so I got my real estate license. A few months in, I was prospecting clients with mailings and figured a fun way to catch their attention would be to include an illustrated house on the envelopes. Read more>>

Shereese Murphy

I knew very early on that I wanted to be an actress! There is story in my family that when I was 4 years old I would walk back and forth on the couch while home alone was playing and recite it word from word (ha). Read more>>

Roula Youssef

I’ve always been creative and free-spirited. My journey into the world of creativity began amidst the chaos of war-torn Lebanon. I was born in the war era in Beirut-Lebanon. Read more>>

Raven Campilan

The night before I started my Sophomore year of high school, I binged watched the first two seasons of The Legend of Korra instead of sleeping. Read more>>

Barbara (Babs) Kobayashi

I have been living in Japan for 14 years now, and even though I have a large circle of friends and a supportive community, I still find myself feeling homesick. Read more>>

Montserrat Luna-Ballantyne

I was born and raised in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México, and though I’ve had a proclivity towards writing since I was very young, writing for TV or film or just writing as a career period didn’t seem like an achievable goal. Read more>>

Leanna Kotter

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path when I took a humanities class during college. The assignment was to create three images a portrait, landscape and a product piece. Read more>>

Bobby Wheeler

Thinking back to what inspired me to be the Artist and Creative that I am today. I reflect on seeing my father sketch and doodle around the house as he wore his beaded necklaces. Read more>>

Nia Boose

I knew I wanted to pursue music when I first heard Jill Scott’s “Beautifully Human” album. It made me feel something. Like there was a world for people who feel music instead of just hearing it. Read more>>

Indofunk Satish

I grew up in an Indian-American family, which valued higher education and the associated professional degrees (engineering, medicine, law, etc. Read more>>

Estela Marquez

The spark to become a PMU brow artist ignited when I experienced the transformative power of someone working on my own brows. Since then, I’ve been captivated by the art of microblading and shading. Read more>>

Astrum Lucis

It was the summer of 1981. My family had just relocated from rural New Jersey to the San Francisco Bay Area. I was heading into the 8th grade. Read more>>

Bervin Harris

I knew I wanted to become a professional artist when I did my first singing at my High School. Even though I had sung in church growing up, it’s about someone else telling you, you’re really good. Read more>>

Neivy Martinez

I don’t believe many of us can pinpoint the exact moment we knew we wanted to pursue a career in the arts, but for me, that moment is crystal clear. Read more>>

Heidi Huughe

There have always been two loves in my life, one of them is art, the other is music. Sometimes they walk hand in hand, other times one is more predominant than the other. Read more>>

Ignacio Escobar

I was 20 years old. I landed a job in Set Decorating on a movie set. It was a sci fi movie, we were designing space ships. I was blown away, I discovered my passion for creativity. Read more>>

Steven &Tony Rice

We first started playing shows at bars and clubs while attending Indiana University back in 2010. We attended the very first Spring Awakening Music Festival in Chicago. Read more>>

Jeremiah Thrasher

Growing up I was a drummer in church so being able to inspire and entertain people with my creativity always made me feel great and made me want to expand but in 2010 my band was able to play for Chris Brown and the support and reactions i got from the crowd made me realize the possibilities of being able to do it consistently and globally Read more>>

Shannon Williams

I first knew as a little girl. I knew I was meant to make music.I was bullied pretty badly in middle school. I don’t know who did it,but someone even put uncooked chicken in my backpack.So music and art was my escape. Read more>>

Emily Gilman Beezley

Always, I’m an artist – it’s been my superpower from being accepted to the honors art program at I.S.145 in Jackson Heights NY to being admitted to the H.S. of Art and Design and from there, studying watercolor, printmaking and oil painting at Colgate University, Read more>>

Amir Bryant

I knew when I would see topics online talking about things I was interested in but no one shared my thoughts or views on it I knew this was something I needed to give a chance and try out and see if I can grow it I’m an open thinker if you ever seen my content Read more>>

Ashlee Ross

I think I’ve always known I would be an artist in some way as an adult. I’ve always been a great storyteller and been able to capture an audience through my gifts to include music, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content. Read more>>

Tamika Cloyd

I knew I wanted to pursue modeling when I needed to get out of a mental and almost physical abusive relationship. Most women don’t know how to get out of these relationships. Read more>>

Orange Li

To answer this question, first we have to know what is the definition of professional artist? To me, being a professional artist means that art and life are inseparable. Read more>>

Yen Yen Chou

During my sophomore year at the University of Taipei, where I was majoring in Learning Materials Design, I had the opportunity to study at Southwestern Oklahoma State University as an exchange student for two semesters. Read more>>

Shane Mesquit

In 2005, when I was a senior in high school, I was highly inspired by several events, including the “Beautiful Losers” art show, my first viewing of “Style Wars,” and frequent painting and drawing sessions with friends. Read more>>

Stefanie Potter

When I was a freshman in high school, a friend invited me to a youth event. It was there that we fell in love with a local punk rock band. They had the typical fun carefree attitude of a rock band, but they were different. Read more>>

Regina Allen

When I was 7 years old, I remember watching a girl in my class named Julie draw in pencil the profile of a farmer with a piece of hay in his mouth and wearing a hat. Read more>>

Brigette Box

I have always been a creative person and have been drawing since I could hold a marker. Art was the only thing that ever really interested me enough to pursue learning as much as possible, whether it was painting on canvas or sewing! Read more>>

Adrian Gordon

In high school, I discovered my passion for the arts and knew it was the path I wanted to pursue professionally. I spent much of my time songwriting and performing with my acoustic R&B band, “Unison.” Read more>>

Simon Walker

As a young teenager in England in the 80s, I fell in love with hip hop culture – and with graffiti in particular. Everything about it was absolutely mesmerizing to me. Read more>>

Dominique Muñoz

When I was a sophomore in high school, I needed to find a class that would satisfy one of my art requirements. My mom brought up the idea of taking a photography course. Read more>>

Stephen Phillips

The first moment that solidified the idea of being a creative/artist professionally was in 2011 when I won 1st place for the Mississippi Collegiate Show in the category of Ceramics. Read more>>

Adam Putzer

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a musician. I used to dance around listening to The Beatles, playing guitar on a plastic baseball bat. I used to constantly drum on the end of my bed, annoying everyone at home. Read more>>

SarahKay Russell

During my time at a performing arts high school I fell in love with music and art. I was very passionate about creating and I worked very well with my hands. Creating came easy to me. Read more>>

Lauryn Perkins

I knew that I wanted to be a music artist ever since I was a young child. I saw my family members make a successful career out of music and that inspired me to pursue one as well. Read more>>

Damien Serrato

I guess you could say it first started Back when I was in middle school/highschool. I always applied myself to the drama club. Read more>>

ILIRJANA ‘LALA’ SEHU

As a child growing up in Southeast Europe, I was always surrounded by art and creativity. However, it wasn’t until my young adult years, when I had the opportunity to reside in the heart of artistic Paris, Montmartre, that my passion for art truly crystallized. Read more>>

Makenna Hammer

I’ve always known. I remember growing up I was told I had to pick a sport, and I was great at golf. I even played through college and went pro for two years. Read more>>

Andrea D’Arcy

When I got my Leaving Cert points, I got under the amount I needed and had no backup plan at all because I had been pushed to go immediately into a four year University course. Read more>>