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.

Zachary Lampe

I was 11 years old. I visited IKEA outside of Chicago and bought 12 round mousepads with my lawn mowing money; 4 green, 4 orange, and 4 yellow. When I returned home, my parents looked at me with ‘WTF’ energy, yet they knew I had an idea in my head. I went to my bedroom (which had orange, blue, and green Pottery Barn bedding) with 12 finishing nails & a hammer. I sorted and scattered my new mousepads across the wall above my bed in an abstract dot pattern spanning from above my bed to the ceiling. They ended up staying there for years—mainly bc people raved about the finished project, all the while looking at me and asking ‘where/how did you come up with this idea?’ Read more>>

Andrew Sumabat

My decision to pursue music professionally wasn’t a single moment but a series of realizations and experiences. In high school, music was the only thing I was truly drawn to—it was where I felt both challenged and at home, and it was clear early on that it was the only field I wanted to explore deeply. One of the reasons I pursued music is because, beyond being one of the most fulfilling things a person can do, it’s also something our world needs right now. Music has the power to connect us, to heal, and to express emotions that words alone cannot. In a world that often feels divided and disconnected, music offers a sense of unity and a way to communicate on a deeper level. Read more>>

Devaughntre Leavy

Well considering I come from a family who did music, while I was growing up I’ve always was intrigued how music can make or break the room . Meaning I love the way my family and I use come together thru music sometimes. I remember going to my granny house during the holidays and she would be playing the drums in her garage while my grandfather played the piano and my cousin stringed the guitar my mom siblings and I used to sing and play on the mic . It was good times Read more>>

Ashley Robin

I had been singing throughout my childhood in one way or another, whether at church, or to myself around the house, or while playing with dolls. My family was very musical. Both my sister and father sang. And so I honestly took it for granted. I actually wanted to be an English teacher, and I didn’t really consider having an actual career in music until high school. I was fortunate enough to be born and raised in New York City, and I auditioned to be a student at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (my sister actually practically forced me to audition. I didn’t want to initially!). I was accepted, and the experience I had honestly changed the trajectory of my life. I didn’t “do” much during my time there… didn’t get tons of solos or participate in shows (if I could go back, I’d be much braver). But what I gained was such a love for singing and music, that I decided that whatever I did when I left high school, it had to involve music. Whether I’d be a chorus teacher, or a vocal coach, or an artist, or some other thing, I just knew I wanted music to be part of my life, for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Hailey Autumn Burket

I’ve always wanted to be a model, I think most girls do at some point or another. Seeing myself in pictures, videos, a music video or a magazine etc. will always give me a rush, like wow I did something cool and it looks good. Read more>>

Lisette Schumacher

I was trained as a high school teacher and right from the start I knew this wasn’t my calling for life. During my teacher training studying to become a Visual Arts teacher, I learned a lot of analogue Graphic techniques and knew right there and then that I wanted to become an artist. But I believe my first unconscious calling happened in my childhood. I was deeply moved by an artistic video clip. I believe this experience set the bar for my interest in art. It was music, art and a fairy tale love story I lost myself in while watching. For me as a six year old, it made a big impression. It is one of my core childhood memories. Read more>>

King Howe

I spent most of my years treating violin as a hobby. It was something I loved to do but struggled to be disciplined about. When commending tertiary study in Australia, I began studying a double bachelors of medical science and music performance, with the intent of medicine being the career path, and music being the side project. It only took me a single semester to realise that I’d grossly misjudged my passions and gotten the two mixed up. I stuck with both for the full 4 years but – after concurrently working full time in the music industry – decided to pursue music at the graduate level. Despite having many, many fears about a career as a performer in such a tumultuous industry, and many dreams about post-grad medicine, I decided I would give myself 5 years to make my mark as a musician before attempting to do both simultaneously again. I’m now 2 years in and wouldn’t change it for the world. Read more>>

David Hwang

I strongly believe that we can create meaningful connections when we physically interact with and touch our surroundings. There is no better medium to convey this idea than through the physical objects we interact with daily. For me, the most significant of these objects is furniture. It provides an opportunity for creative freedom, allowing experimentation with exciting and beautiful materials combined with innovative manufacturing methods. Read more>>

Victoria Evans

After I left the streets being a police officer I took some time to work on my mental health from all of things I saw and experienced. During my time off I wanted to find a creative way to vent and get my thoughts out. I’ve always had an interest in music since I was in elementary school. So I decided to hit up a friend to show me the foundation of creating a song. Tim Weaver is a great artist and long time friend so I knew he would be the perfect person to teach me what to do! That’s where we created the song Changed. From that moment on I began writing my own music! After putting out my first couple songs I received a lot of love! I didn’t expect to get the attention that I did! At that moment I knew I just stepped into my purpose! Read more>>

Abby Gaudette

Art has always been my natural path, but I wanted to explore other passions, so I attended a liberal arts college to try different fields. Ultimately, art was undeniable, and I transferred to art school to pursue graphic design, blending my creative and logical sides. Read more>>

Kimberley Kim

At a young age I always loved to perform either in front of my parents or with my friends, for example, creating little plays, and acting them out, I loved dressing up and creating the ‘role’ so to speak. I wish I could remember more vividly the story lines, but alas, I cannot, but there were many. And with my friends, we always made our little sets and stage directions come alive. So something early in my life sparked a passion for this creative world. Read more>>

Deby Kelley

When I was 17, I found out that I was related to Patsy Cline. I sang as a little girl putting records on and just singing all day every day some musicals just anything. I just love to sing, but when I found out that I was related to Patsy Cline is when I kind of really got more seriously Involved in singing.. I went into the community and started joining different singing groups just to be able to sing. In 2007 I resigned from my job after being signed with AMI records in Nashville. I went out on tour for two years I loved it so much I felt that I was in my element no pain no worries it was just a peaceful bubble that I put myself in when I’m up on a stage. Read more>>

Jordyn Reinhart

One of the first times I realized I wanted to pursue an artistic profession was during my teenage years while watching Hayao Miyazaki’s animation “Spirited Away”. While I had consumed plenty of animated shows and movies by this point in my life, Miyazaki’s work truly inspired me. I remember that as the credits rolled at the end, I thought “wow, this is a true piece of art. This is what animation is capable of accomplishing.” Read more>>

Christy Corey

I first knew I wanted to pursue an artistic path when my elementary school art teacher, Mrs. Reid, bent down to ask me if I still wanted to be an artist when I grew up. It felt like she was invested in my art. How the question was posed made me realize that it was something I could choose and that I wanted to do that. I may have said I wanted to be an artist/veterinarian, though, because I was obsessed with dogs. This question makes me think of all of the other realizations I’ve had along the way because it took a lot of little moments of knowing. It also fills me with gratitude for teachers who encourage young people to pursue creative endeavors Read more>>

Ayako Shida

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path when I started working with flowers. In Japan, my focus was on creating arrangements based on customer preferences, which taught me the importance of tailored designs but didn’t fully satisfy my creative instincts. In 2019, I moved to New York to explore new artistic experiences. There, I was inspired by the freedom and individuality in floral design, which led me to embrace a more creative, experimental approach. Read more>>

Jajuan Castro

I’ve always had a deep love for music just from a listeners standpoint. Like, I literally can’t go through the day without listening to music my day just won’t feel right. So just from the need to hear it I’ve always known that I could do something professionally with music. I just had to find what that THING was. All of my cousins are into music rather it be a VP/A&R at a music label, recording artist or an instrumentalists. So just being around many of them and seeing some of it firsthand really made it easy for me. My first actual moment when I decided to become a music artist was when I was managing my brother at the time and we were at a studio session I had booked for him. I came to the realization that rapping was something I thought I could do just from seeing the process of it. After leaving the studio that night I wrote a song, booked a studio session for myself and the rest was history ! Read more>>

Nick Parrino

I always had an interest in music. When I was a kid I would watch the MTV top 10 videos every week and kept up to date on which songs were moving up and down the charts. I knew what was hot, and what was not. Even though my interest in music started when I was very young, my pursuit of a career as an artist didnt start until my mid 20s. I got invited to a music festival in 2015 and had no interest at all in making music. I wasn’t even sure what to expect as I walked into that venue in LA. I watched a few sets, took it all in, and imaged how exciting it would be to be on stage performing for so many people. It wasn’t only the music that captivated me, it was the whole culture, the entire scene that really sparked my desire to possibly try and create music. I was drawn to the community of thousands of people coming together to enjoy music and have a good time together. Read more>>

Leona Mctaggart

I’ve always loved art and the performing arts as a child and my elementary school report cards reflect that (I was always getting into trouble for talking or acting out). I enjoy using my creativity at work and in my personal life and enjoy seeing the positive reactions from others when they see my designs, try my recipes or after receiving a makeover. Read more>>

Irene Weinberg

I had a profound spiritual awakening when my husband Saul died next to me in a tragic car accident. (I received 3 profound messages before, during, and just after the accident.) As I opened to the spiritual world and connected with my husband through mediums, I was told that I was part of a Divine Plan along with my husband, who was on the Other Side. I was guided to channel my first 5 star rated book, titled They Serve Bagels in Heaven: One couple’s story of love, eternity, and the cosmic importance of everyday life. A few years later, the word “Podcast” came into my mind, and I knew this was the next step for my part of the Divine Plan. Read more>>

Monika Demmler

The first time I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally happened rather later in my path. Even though I lived as an artist when I was a kid, I didn’t start creating again until I was older. What led me to this were several happenings in my life, starting from an ex-boyfriend, a car accident, visits to several countries and most importantly meeting beautiful people who inspired me to do what I love to do . I have a feeling no matter what – life puts you on your right path. Read more>>

Aja Brandman

I think like most creatives and artists, I knew pretty early on that my future would revolve around staying creative and curious. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in art; it was the class and outlet I was most excited to explore growing up and in high school I knew I wanted to pursue fashion design. I was fortunate to have lived close to the city and took that opportunity to attend preliminary fashion design courses at FIT. This not only solidified my passion for it, but it eventually was my gateway towards attending and earning a degree in fashion design. Read more>>

Lauren Underwood

I’ve been a bookworm ever since I was a little kid. I remember being three or four years old, and my dad would read to me before bedtime. He’d ask me to pick one book, but I’d bring a whole pile of them to him instead, proudly exclaiming, “Read these!” (and because my dad is my #1 hero, he always read all of them). My love for reading and books eventually led to my love for writing. When I was in fourth and fifth grade, my teachers really emphasized creativity during writing time. I remember writing stories that always made my teachers laugh out loud. It may be hard to believe, but that was the moment I knew I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to impact others and create that emotional response my teachers had experienced. Read more>>

Kyoko Bartley

My name is Kyoko Bartley. I am a visual artist based in the Princeton area of New Jersey. I was born and raised in Japan, and as an adult, I eventually settled in the United States to further my education. Before that, I visited the U.S. frequently for work and travel, but life has a curious way of weaving together past experiences into something meaningful. Today, my life here feels like a natural culmination of the paths I’ve taken, the lessons I’ve learned, and the philosophy I’ve cultivated along the way. Read more>>

Kimi Huntsman

I think I have always known I wanted to pursue something in the creative/artistic path. From the age of 5 I was doing talent shows, local plays, and lots of living room performing. It’s always made me feel the most like myself and brought me the most joy. I’m happiest when I’m singing. Read more>>

Crass Deneweth

I was born to draw. I started drawing at two years old. I was the kid that was doodling on homework and making little comics. I even went on to get my BFA at Eastern Michigan University. And from there I’ve mostly been working on making my own merch and taking commissions. There isn’t an exact “aha” moment for me when it came to pursuing art. Drawing is like breathing for me, I need to do it. It goes beyond a hobby and a profession. Art is the only language I speak fluently.  Read more>>

Bigga Kook

By December 20, 2020 I had mentally and obstinately accepted my interest in my love for music and wanting to showcase my talents, yet I hadn’t come up with a name as of yet… I was still known as “Kookie”, a nickname chosen by my long time friend (Kevvo) and I. Not only was I posting rap vids, but dance challenges and learning how to content create as well, I also began writing poems and spoken words again (which is how I began rapping/writing in the 8th grade). However, the day I started to write again, I had fallen short of words and thoughts but built with anxiety. At that point, I reached out to another artist known as Alotta Billz, who literally talked me through my spiraling thoughts and helped me pinpoint my focus, I am ever-grateful for that talk. Read more>>

Lorenzo Zucchi

After my Trilogy of travel books. It happened just because I realized nobody cares about short stories. Everyone is craving for novels. It’s a subtle form of racism. And now I’ve just created a unique project of writing novels in different styles and genres. Getting the best out of uncomfortable situations Read more>>

Tatiana Perone

I first knew I wanted to pursue a career in a creative/artistic field in High School when I found out it was actually possible. I first started making and editing videos when I was in middle school. It was a huge hobby of mine since then and I would do all sorts of things! For myself, my family, for school projects, etc! As I grew in High School and had to start looking for majors for college, I first thought I wanted to go the psychologist route, but quickly changed that to Digital Media. I wanted to graduate college and have a career in music video editing, but now I’ve mixed my passion for food and my editing skills to create my new path in exploring new places and making new recipes with my wheat allergy. Read more>>

Nina Cruz

I’ve always been connected to my artistic purpose. In childhood, I remember one of the first moments I held a camera was just at 3 years old. I was the trusted one taking pictures of my parents on our family vacations when it was just the 3 of us. My dad was concerned I would break it somehow as I was so young, but my mother let him know, I could do it just fine. When seeing the prints come in, I was enamored with the end result, I just wanted to keep capturing more and more. My parents recognized my interest. A couple years later, I was gifted my first Barbie 35mm film camera from my parents. That’s when the fire was ignited.  Read more>>

Nicole Franco

The highlight of any day for me, since childhood, has always been when I was able to be creative and to do something artistic. We always had a good collection of old books, and my favorite was one from the 1970’s called, “The Know How Book of Print and Paint, Lots of ways to make pictures and patterns” by Sterling Publishing Company. I wasn’t able to read yet, but I was fascinated by the pictures. My mom would read it to me and help me do the various projects. As I got older I would look forward to the day we had art class in school so I could get back to whatever project we were working on. That translated into a nice size portfolio, and by the end of high school I had been accepted to The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. This was very exciting. I studied illustration and design and completed a concentration in art therapy. It was inspiring to be around so many creative people. Read more>>

 

 

Manuela Serrano

I’ve always lived and breathed music. From the earliest days of singing in a choir in Venezuela to the teenage years spent mastering the viola in a conservatory, music was more than just a hobby; it was my lifeblood. But as I grew older and the limitations of the musical education system in my country became increasingly apparent, I realized that I needed to take a leap of faith. Read more>>