We asked some insanely talented artists, creatives and makers to tell us about when they know they were going to pursue a creative career.

RJ Prince

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue my entertainment life was at a young age. I’m a son of a Pastor so I was always on stage as a child. I’m a way I felt most comfortable when on a stage. Read more>>

Chanamon Ratanalert

You know when your friends ask you, “If you could do anything and money was no object, what would you do?” I used to instantly answer that I wanted to be a children’s book illustrator. In fact, I vowed to be one after I retired from my “real” career in tech. When I was 23, I realized that I was going to wait at least 45 years to do what I actually wanted to be doing. That was a bit of a wake up call and I started pursuing art and illustration on the side. Read more>>

Lisa Lammi

I came to the realization during the pandemic that I wanted to pursue a creative path not just as a sidehustle, but as a full time career. It was when we were allowed to work from home that I suddenly had extra time in the morning and evening that I never experienced before. So I started taking online courses related to marketing and business as well as took some virtual art classes. Read more>>

Oliver Horton

During my first year at Knox College I discovered my love for music in the choir, with friends, and in jazz combos. My bass teacher, Andy Crawford, asked me if I wanted to play the school’s upright bass. I immediately fell in love with the sound; so rich, low, and deep. I devoured scales, etudes, and songs. Although most of my time was spent playing upright bass, I also explored guitar, piano, singing, and songwriting. I discovered I had an endless drive to learn more about music. Read more>>

Walter Cruz

I was 23 years old and had been back in NYC for a few months after living in Eastern China for almost a year. I was working as a program associate at a non-profit and my twin brother Kleaver(Kleav) had just started as “Dream Director” at his new job. At the time, part of the model at his work was to pair high school students with adult mentors who share common interests with them. Read more>>

Jillian Armenante

When did I choose to be an actor? Back in the 1980’s I was a kid growing up in Northern New Jersey. Jersey is a great place to grow up. Close to the beach, Manhattan, the mountains. I was like any other Jersey girl – and what you have heard about Jersey girls was completely true in my case. I had a lot of friends, partied like there was no tomorrow, Read more>>

Maria Mendizabal

I remember in high school I had the chnce to perform the Power of Love by Céline Dion. I was afraid-nervous, and even though I was used to being in front of my peers through choir, it was different because I was going to be on stage by myself. I was afraid of forgetting the lyrics, or not singing well (it still happens sometimes lol). Read more>>

Rahmere Saint” Williams”

At the age of 7, I had already realized that being a creative was my calling. With eyes wide open, I knew that my life would revolve around art. Growing up, my passion for art and design only grew stronger. I vividly remember starting to draw anime and recognizing that I had a talent for it. Read more>>

Maria White

I knew when I was a child that I wanted to be an artist and an entrepreneur. I always felt comfortable being in charge of my own work and have a life long passion for making and designing. My father was in advertising and had his own business in Las Vegas. My mother designed custom wedding gowns and costumes for entertainers. They both painted. I saw a lot of creativity in different forms growing up bid did not know that this path would lead to my making ceramics and films. Read more>>

Hailey Gearo

I have always known I wanted to be a creator. I like to think I’m built for it. But have only been pursuing art as my full time gig for about two years. At the start of the pandemic I realized itching was certain or stable so my not pursue the thing I love. Read more>>

Yueming Li

That’s what happened when I was in elementary school. During that time, I was taking lots of art classes outside of school as a hobby. My teacher kept encouraging me to pursue art as a career, so my mom guided me to practice harder to see what I could do or how far I could go with art within a limited timeframe. Read more>>

Bryn Reynolds

I have ZERO formal training in anything artistic. I truly believe I’m an example of “you never know until you try!” ‘Dark Mountain Arts’ has now transitioned from a hobby into a post-retirement 2nd career. I Love attending art shows, and working with clients to compose their perfect custom commission drawing! Read more>>

caitlin dunn

For as long as I can remember I was in love with the arts and being creative with my hands. I followed my passions to a studio arts major at the University of Denver. I loved so many art fields including ceramics, photography and print making. It wasn’t until I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy that I discovered my love for metalsmithing and jewelry design. Read more>>

Frost Newcastle

The first time I ever wanted to pursue a path in music was when I was hanging out with some of my friends from WAY back in the day, they brought me to an all-girl bands Band Practice, the band was called The Unloved and I was mesmerized by the drummer. After watching an entire practice in awe, I decided I wanted to play drums, from there I went through a few meaningful bands and projects as a full-time drummer, my first band being a SKA band, a Punk band, then onto more notable projects No Yoko & Before the War… Read more>>

Terence Ofori-Panin

I knew I wanted to pursue music professionally after I had went through a horrible church hurt situation. My music had been a major comfort to me during that time along with supporting people who were in a dark place also. At that point I came to the conclusion that I wanted to dedicate my life to this. Read more>>

Velvet Marshall

Growing up in a household with parents that were working artist, intuitively I followed their example. As a child, instead of a lemonade stand, I had an art table of my watercolor and crayon drawings for sell. Individual paintings would go for 25 cents and a triptych would sell for a dollar. I’d rally the neighbor kids and put on plays and theater productions for which I’d charge the neighbors admission. Read more>>

Dana Jenny

I’ve known for a long time, but I wasn’t ready until last year. My folks wanted to persuade me to become an engineer since I was decent at math and technical drawing. The problem I had was text taking anxiety and not being able to get accepted into a good college right away. I eventually transferred to UGA, which is a great school, but I already switched to a more artistic career path. Read more>>

Alejandro Cuesta

I knew i wanted to become an artist as soon i got the real feel of music when i olayed the baratone for elementary. Groing up in Newark, New jersey was no easy task which influenced myblyrics alot. Read more>>

Cherry Payne

There really wasn’t a first time, rather he artistic path chose me. For awhile when I was a kid I didn’t talk. I remembered communicating with my family by drawing pictures. I’m still shocked that they could figure out what I was trying to say through my crudely drawn pictures. You can imagine it wasn’t the best for a 7 or 8 yr old kid. Till this day I’m not sure what exactly made me mute for all those years but I knew art would have an important part of my life. Read more>>

Lydia(Qixuan) Tang

From the moment I opened the first magazine I ever read, “Zhiyin Manke,” I decided to be an artist who could illustrate stories visually. I still remember the excitement of seeing so many colorful comics and illustrations in the magazine. From then on, I kept copying and studying images of my favorite comic artists and illustrators. Read more>>

Jerra Whittaker

My path to the Fashion Industry is an amazing story, and I have a lot of of amazing memories. I honestly knew when my Great Grandmother Nina and my Great Great Aunt Mabel taught me how to sew when I a very young child, around 7 or 8. The first thing I sewed was these square, fabric stuffed pin cushions for them, my Grandmother and my Mom for Christmas presents. Read more>>

Daniel Logan

I knew that I wanted to become a full-time artist after medically retiring from the Air Force doing a job that I just wasn’t happy in. I had spent years proudly serving in the military, but it had worn me down. After doing such a stressful job for so long I decided to do something that I love, art. I never knew that art was really an option until I saw a friend I met in the military pursue art school. Read more>>

Laura Blue Palmer

I have known for most of my life that art is my passion although, It took me a while to figure out that I could actually connect with other people through what I create. When I graduated high school, I was accepted to attend fine art college in Savannah Georgia at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Read more>>

Taariq m Ali

When I new that this was passion and was meant for me was when it helped me get through a really difficult time in my life. I was dealing with depression really bad and the only way to make it out was being creative and expressing myself. Read more>>

Grace Ojewole

I grew up in the church and always had to sing in the choir every Sunday. I used to hate it sometimes due to stage fright and scared of messing up in front of my family. One day I had to do a solo by myself in front of the whole church and I was scared the whole week leading up to Sunday. Read more>>

Ladii Girl

I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a famous singer, as a young girl I wrote, sang in the church choir, the school choir, and ultimately the all state choir. Although life was a hard road as a teen and young adult being that I left home at the age of 15, I always found a way to write music. I think had I had the proper guidance and supports I would have been a child star. Read more>>

Shari LYON

Becoming an encaustic artist has been a very roundabout journey for me. I started as a dancer, I loved to create through movement! Music filled my soul and I loved stirring emotions through my dance in others. But my body didn’t support my love, and after multiple surgeries, my surgeon recommended that I set dancing aside. It broke my heart, it was all I ever wanted to do. Read more>>

Jan Leenders

I certainly wasn’t a kid that already had a big artistic interest. I wasn’t drawing or painting much as a kid, don’t have parents who are into art. I was much more into music. Playing drums was my biggest hobby and as a teenager I dreamed about a career in music. Read more>>

Robert Wooden III

I’ve known i wanted to pursue music as a career since i was 14 years old. I grew up singing on choirs, praise teams, and back up for local churches in my community. When i turned 18, i decided to study at The Illustrious Morgan State University in the pursuit of vocal music. While attending, i had the pleasure of singing with and for big name musicians such as Wynton Marsalis and Marin alsop. Read more>>

Fredrick Brown

Music has always been instilled in my heart and soul, whether I was singing in my church’s choir or playing in the Drumline in middle and high school. Although I was versed in musical composition, I never imagined or considered being a DJ until I attended Valdosta State University (VSU) in Valdosta, Read more>>

Rakia Taylor

1997. I was 5 years old when my family decided to purchase art work I’ve made. Although I was only 5 years old I could tell that I had a gift. My mom could never afford the extra things for me at school so when she ordered the “lighthouse” she still has it til this day. Read more>>

Tara Lynn Scheidet

I’ve always been a creative person, growing up I was obsessed with Harper’s Bazaar Magazine. I actually started designing clothes when I was just a kid, something about of how clothes made me feel empowered and sexy really inspired me. I would take my mother’s clothes from the 70’s and upcycle them into something new for me to wear. I actually still have a few of those pieces and wear them today. Read more>>

B.C. Gilbert

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be an artist. The idea of pursuing it professionally probably didn’t occur to me at that age. I just thought it was something you did. I just know I have never not wanted to be an artist. I feel fortunate to find myself at mid-career still producing artwork. Read more>>

Life’s Luckii

When I middle school my uncle had a makeshift studio set up in his room where he use to “try” record all the time! The quality sucked but that’s something that always stuck with me. By the time I got in high school I already had a notebook of poetry and one day my dad took me to his friends studio and he help me find a beat for one and we turned it into a song and I’ve been hooked ever since!! Read more>>

Kelvin “Kay B” Brown

After the death of my bestfriend in late 2015 I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in music to honor of my bestfriend and continue his legacy. It started out as me paying respect to him but later I discovered this is a way I can change lives and speak for people who feel that they don’t have a voice in this society. I wanted to stand up against social injustice and be a pivot point for those who wanted change but just didn’t know how to go about doing so. Read more>>