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.

J Leonard Costner

I was young, just a child. I can recall the first time I was cognizant of my creative ability. I was learning about Dr. Seuss and had to create a character mimicking his style as a homework assignment. “The Mellow Yellow Fellow,” I called him, not thinking anything of it but having completed my assignment. Until my parents were contacted because my teacher had accused them of having helped more than a level of guidance with the piece. She was in disbelief that I had come up with this character all on my own because not only did it seem to come from Dr. Seuss himself, but she was convinced that he must’ve somehow drawn the character because it was too good to have been done by someone so young. Read more>>

Teague Smith

My interest in practical effects at a very young age sparked my interest in the possibility of having a professional career in the arts. Inspired by the magic of movies, specifically horror movies like “The Toxic Avenger”, “The Fly”, “The Thing” and also my other favorites “RoboCop” and “2001: A Space Odyssey”, made me feel excited that someone MADE this surreal unreal vision, a reality, and I wanted to be a part of it. Read more>>

Balia Bangoura (artist Name: Balaciaga)

When I was around three or four years old some of my earliest memories were my parents playing their CD’s in the car. I was always watching BET when I wasn’t suppose to so hearing and seeing Destiny’s Child, Ashanti and all the girls in the music videos just made me want to be a singer/performer. Read more>>

Tessa Medina

During my first-grade career day in elementary school, all the students were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. My answer was “Pop Star.” Though I’ll admit, little Tessa wasn’t quite sure what this would entail, she knew she had to perform throughout her life—even at a young age. Every choice I made from that point onward was to pursue my passion for performance. Whether it was auditioning for local plays or begging my parents to drive me to bigger auditions farther away, I knew that a life of performance would be an uphill battle. But one that I needed to climb. Read more>>

Abby Carlyle

I fell in love with photography when my grandfather bought me my first ever 35 mm film camera from a flea market when I was in middle school. My passion grew more throughout high school when they still taught film photography courses and I learned how the different settings, chemical combinations and timings could create an image in the dark room. Read more>>

Mia Cruddas

I don’t think there was a ‘moment’ per se. Since I was a kid, I knew that I wanted to work within some kind of creative role, it was just a matter of finding a place where I fit. I dabbled in handful creative industries, trying to find my footing, but I think things changed when I found live streaming on Twitch. Having recently started transitioning at the time I was pretty isolated. I found myself in a situation where I was a newly out young trans woman who had lost her friend group, so I was in dire need of community. That’s what streaming gave me. I was essentially performing for my own little community. A found family in a way. I think that’s what lit a spark in me. It finally clicked, I wanted to entertain. I wanted to be that someone I never saw growing up, and connect with people who love the same things as I do. Streaming came naturally, so a move to hosting work and most recently; voice acting, was a natural next step for me.  Read more>>

Jason Kelly

I knew from a young age that I would happy if I did something for a living that would allow me to create because that is when I’ve always felt most grounded and fulfilled. Drawing was my first creative outlet, and it’s been a constant for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I’ve found that creating—whether it’s drawing, cutting hair, or now burning designs into hats, that brings me a sense of calm and focus, quieting my mind and fostering a peaceful state. The first time I pursued creation as a profession was when I became a Barber 16 years ago. It’s interesting though, never in a million years, would I have dreamed hats would become and avenue and canvas to share my artwork professionally. Life has a funny way of surprising you! Read more>>

Tevy Khou

I’ve always sketched ever since I could remember and had always been the artist in the class. Whether it was background painting, animation or editorial work, I knew I just wanted to draw all the time. My parents are immigrants and musicians who lived a very full life before me full of many ups and downs. They didn’t want to be as strict as their parents and wanted a better life for their children. In that respect they gave me a lot of freedom to chase my artistic dreams. I knew I loved art from an early age and it wasn’t until high school where I committed to the idea of pursuing a creative career as an illustrator and figuring out the details later. I wanted to be an artist no matter what. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I would be miserable! Read more>>

Cøøg Lopez

I’ve always known I wanted to work in music, even from a young age. My appreciation for hip-hop started back in 2002 or 2003, and it’s only grown deeper over time. In 7th grade, I started experimenting with writing—verses, poetry, anything creative. It was fun, even though when I started rapping in high school, I quickly realized I wasn’t very good. But the creative process itself hooked me. Read more>>

Enrique Martinez

This was about 10 years ago. At that time, my path was leading me in a direction that didn’t involve creativity, and I felt like something was missing. I had already been familiar with the world of tattooing and art, but I hadn’t seriously considered it as a potential career. Then one day, through people I knew, I became more immersed in that world, and I realized that I could turn something creative and deeply inspiring into a professional career. Read more>>

Mikayla Fleming

From a young age, my passion for music was evident. One defining moment was when I received my first Nintendo DSI and began experimenting by recording vocals and sounds. This simple activity opened up a world of possibilities, fueling my curiosity and passion for creating music. Growing up, I developed a robust, musically inclined childhood, learning to play various instruments, including woodwinds and strings. Read more>>

Bob Donaldson

I have always been the center of attention…or tried to be the center of attention. I always loved it when people laughed and had a good time when I was around. Sometimes this backfired since the right thing at the wrong time is still wrong. But, all in all, I really enjoy entertaining people and creating memories. I realized this when I used to do solo and duos for the Sunday School Christmas programs. Then again in High School when I was part of a group that sang “From a Distance” and this is when my friends and the student body realized I could sing, to tell you the truth, I was quite surprised as well, it was actually pretty good. Read more>>

Sagittae Nidae

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been drawn towards the creative sides of self-expression and when I began to dabble in artistic expression, I knew that my creativity had to be shared with the world. I was exceptionally talented in the performance arts and used to do theatre in middle school participating in many lead roles. I loved being the star, but I didn’t care for playing the role of a character rather than being myself. In high school, I dabbled in choir and sports but I couldn’t stand being a part of an ensemble without having moments to shine in the spotlight. So after high school, I tried to go to fashion school but my parents weren’t supportive of that and without their help, i couldn’t achieve that dream. Read more>>

Sarah Ann Banks

I cant remember a timewhere i didnt want to be an artist! All through my life I have been creating characters and objects, with the original medium being air dry clay. Some childhood moments stand out to me as artistic beginnings. As a little kid I would carry a few colorful clay characters in my pocket and pass them out to anyone who would accept! Then in elementary school I had a business drawing fairy hamsters for other students, which I operated out of my desk. Today i still create characters that feel connected to those moments. When I think back on all of my creations, they feel like an evolutionary chart of magical beings. Read more>>

Britain Simons

Funny story actually. This one goes back a bit. To those just getting acquainted, I’m an actor, content creator and natural health educator. I love uplifting people, entertaining and hopefully making a meaningful difference. The first time I knew I wanted to pursue an artistic career was as a teen. I think everyone has that nexus moment, that forks their life path in one definite direction. Most would say- I chose the least practical, most unpredictable and financially irresponsible decision. Acting. But, I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’ve carved a rewarding path. Read more>>

Sarah Roberts

Some of my fondest memories are summer days running through the countryside on my grandparents 20 acres. A notebook and pencil in hand, skipping through the garden to find flowers and butterflies to draw. I have always loved creating from nature; it is by far where I draw the most inspiration. I have carried that passion into adulthood and went to college for graphic design. I worked for Friesen Design, Inc. for nearly a decade as a graphic designer. My boss, Kevin, was always encouraging and a great source of knowledge. While I grew as a creative my family was also growing. When my second son was only four months old I was organizing his nursery closest and came across a box I had not seen for a while – my pencil box. Read more>>

Yana Nosenko

I first realized I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally while studying graphic design at the Moscow Academy of Design and Applied Arts. During one of my projects, I picked up a camera to complement my work, and that moment changed everything. I felt that photography gave me a new way to express my ideas, and I realized that this was the direction I wanted to explore further. Photography had always been a part of my life — I loved capturing moments with friends and family. But it was during that project that I understood it was more than just a hobby; it was something bigger. Read more>>

Mia Eremita

Ever since I was a little girl I always loved being creative. I went through a lot of phases in my life. I tried becoming a fashion designer at 9 years old. A photographer at 12 and a video editor at 15! I always thought of these phases of my life as a hobby, until I realized people do these things as a full time job. Thats when my mindset changed. I went to a few college programs while in high school and had hands on experience with videography, video editing, and scriptwriting. After going through these programs thats when I really knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Read more>>

Andrea Gray

I was 8. My adopted mom use to draw a lot for our school projects. I remember seeing her draw and she looked so free doing it. I begin to doodle. I learned with trial and error. At 16 I knew I wanted to work for an art firm and at 18 I started college for graphic design. Read more>>

Gabriel Garnes

When I was younger, I was always interested in movies and the actors in them. I knew it wasn’t real, but I appreciated how someone could make you believe something was real when it’s not . I also remember playing make pretend and being very into it as a child. You can do that for a job? I always thought, “I could do that”. So began my initial dream to be an actor. My parents took me to local theater classes and auditions, and I was able to perform all around Columbus, Ohio. With theater also comes musicals, so I learned a lot about singing and how music works (although I had taken piano lessons at a young age prior, so it wasn’t a new concept). As I grew older, I worked with adult actors, and learned that they were getting paid (my first example of getting paid to be an artist). Read more>>

Jess Silk

I think that even as a young child I knew that I wanted to earn a living doing something creative; I just never thought I’d have the opportunity to make that my full-time career. I generally got decent grades in the academic subjects at school and I then went on to study mathematics at college and university, but towards the end of uni when we were all supposed to be applying for graduate jobs relevant to our fields I remember thinking ‘I can’t spend the rest of my life doing any of this’. I’d been playing gigs since I was sixteen and by the time I was in my final year at uni I’d released a couple of EPs and was planning to release my first album, and playing and writing music was the only thing that I felt happy and fulfilled in doing, so that’s what I decided to pursue. I’d never really considered being a professional musician an option, it was certainly never suggested to me at any of the careers fairs I went to, but that was the only thing I could imagine doing, even if the reality of it looks a lot different to what I’d thought. Read more>>

Coy Quakenbush

Back when I was growing up, probably around six or seven, our family—my mother, father, younger brother, and I—would take what we called a trip out west. We’d travel through Arkansas, up into Oklahoma to visit my mother’s relatives, and then head over to Phoenix, Arizona, to see some of my dad’s family—an uncle and aunt out there. On the way back, we’d pass through Texas, stopping in the Dallas area to visit my mom’s sister. Read more>>

Rodney Watts

When I was a kid, I enjoyed making people, smile and laugh. I never knew I can make a career in making people smile and laugh. I just enjoy seeing people happy when I was in school. I constantly got in trouble for always cracking jokes and being in a class clown, but I never understood why nobody embraced the class clown. I grew up, looking at stand-up comedy and comedians, such as Cedric the Entertainer and D.L hughley and they was making millions of people laugh without no consequences. Read more>>

Harry Mcdaniel

From early childhood I enjoyed making things. My interests progressed from bike ramps, go-carts, and tree forts to more aesthetically-oriented activities, like leatherwork, weaving, and instrument-making. I took standard art classes through high school and developed some drawing and painting skills, but did not really think of myself as an artist. I often had a few art projects in the works, but, as I explored ideas, materials, and techniques, I didn’t think of it as a serious pursuit. Then, in my mid-twenties, I took an oil painting class at a community art school in New Haven, CT and found it deeply satisfying. I took another, and then a sculpture class. In the midst of those classes, I saw a newspaper listing for a public art competition in Stamford, CT. Read more>>

Eloise Ng

I’ve always been immersed in music, and looking back, I think the turning point for me came when I was still very young. My parents enrolled my brother and me in music lessons at the age of four, and I was immediately drawn to the process of learning new instruments. It felt like a world of endless possibilities—each instrument had its own character, its own challenges, and its own way of expressing emotion. Much to my parents’ surprise (and at times frustration!), I found myself exploring voice, piano, violin, cello, oboe, and acoustic guitar, each offering a unique experience that shaped my understanding of music in profound ways. Read more>>

Emy Daniels

I decided to pursue an artistic path very soon after having children. I wanted to be inspiring to my kids and show them it could be done. My mother was a brilliant artist but did not pursue it professionally and instead I saw her do less and less art over time and she was not happy. When I took art classes she would do art with me and I loved seeing her expressing her creativity. My career was in marine biology research for almost a decade. I received an art minor in college but just considered art and music as a hobby. So while my two kids were under 3 I knew I didn’t want to go back to a full time science job. I wanted them to be involved in my art process and business. When my older one was 3, she loved to plein air paint with me and now that she’s a bit older, loves to help sell at art markets too. I have the privilege to pursue this path and want to make the most of it. Read more>>

Madeline Massingill

I was so lucky to have a Mom who worked in the arts as a dancer and then owned her own dance studio and that was how she made her living so I never had any doubts that I could do the same. Creating and performing art is truly the only thing I can envision myself doing. Put me behind a desk and I’m toast. Give me some music to dance to and that’s a whole different story. Read more>>

Man Su

I grew up backstage. My father is a director, and my mother is a production designer. Stories have fascinated me since I was young. I’ve always enjoyed reading, analyzing characters in books, and turning my daily life into novels in my journals. However, what truly inspired me to pursue a career in film was an experience I had at 18, during a year of high school in Kansas, when I faced racial discrimination. That experience left a lasting impact on me until I watched the film Green Book. I came to realize that part of the prejudice stemmed from the fact that many people who discriminate against Asians don’t truly understand our community. Moreover, Asian culture tends to be more reserved, and many Asians choose to endure inequality in silence. Read more>>

Sam Morales

My want to pursue a creative path started very young but it was the struggle to allow myself to fight for it that was a journey. I grew up in the 90s so there was always a Blockbuster to go to when we went out for dinner. It was a tradition in my household to go out to dinner or go grab dinner and bring home 2 to 3 movies to watch. Back when there were VHS tapes and there were trailers before that movie. It was when they started bringing out DVDs that I got to go behind the scenes of these movies. Listening to the actors talk about their experiences. Watching the crew set the scenes up. I mostly loved the acting part of it because I’ve always been a huge daydreamer and I had a crazy imagination, or so my parents told me. Read more>>