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

Jess Soriano

There were a few moments in my life when I considered the possibility of pursuing art professionally. I had it once in high school when I finished up my first indoor mural, a couple of times in college when I made artwork for a few friends and family members, Read more>>

Atharva Phadke

This particular answer is divided into two instances: one, where I started to dream of being a musician, and second, when I started to consider it as an actual job and began working towards laying true my ambition. Read more>>

Lamondo Hill II

I never knew being an actor was a possibility for me until I met my first coach and mentor. Even then I had taken classes with him for three years and then the pandemic hit. Read more>>

Kwame Morningstar

I started making profit from selling beats to selling entire songs in 2017. I looked at making music as a fun way to make some money and as a 17 year old kid any type of money was good money. Read more>>

Ayuna Gambozhapova

year 2014. Meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I remember he hugged me, my heart was beating and it seemed like it was about to jump out of my chest. Read more>>

Tyson Hanes

I would say that I’ve known from a very young that I wanted a career path that was not a Monday to Friday 9-5 job. From my first memories, I’ve always had dreams of being in the spotlight. Read more>>

Steven Joseph

I wanted to go full-time with music in 2019 but the pandemic made it difficult to rebuild all the momentum that I had before COVID. Read more>>

Jude Carl Vincent

But two moments stand out that solidified my passion. There is a Haitian comedian named Jesifra whose videotapes I would watch all the time growing up. Read more>>

Benjamin Wilson-Scott

I always wanted to write music, at least as far back as I can remember. I have memories of being a small & shy five-year-old hitting the family upright piano and thinking I sounded like the records my Dad would play in the car – Bob Dylan, the Beatles, & Jefferson Starship. Read more>>

Tiffany Fagnant

I think I always knew I would end up being a Creative. I just didn’t know then that I knew, you know? I was a creative, playful child. I remember distinctly creating fantasy worlds in my family’s back yard and picking random objects out of junk drawers to play with despite having toys. Read more>>

Nigol (Ozz) Belikerekian

Since high school, I’ve been drawn to various forms of art, whether it was painting, handcrafted arts, music, or theater. These creative outlets spoke to me on a profound level, igniting a passion that I couldn’t ignore. Read more>>

Frida Chavez

The first time I realized I wanted to pursue a creative career was during high school. Fashion ignited a deep passion within me—I would spend hours poring over magazines, captivated by the creative direction, models poses, and the stunning outfits. Read more>>

Sherly Fan

I began my artistic journey when I was about 6 years old through a creative drawing and painting class. My mom challenged me to choose an interest that I would never give up, and art classes resonated with me. Read more>>

K.T. Anglehart

In the seventh grade, rumours swirled about Mr. O’Neil’s famous “Leprechaun Story.” It was controversial, unbelievable. All morning, our class buzzed with excitement, much to our homeroom teacher’s annoyance. English was next, right before lunch, and we. Couldn’t. Wait. Read more>>

Regan Johnson

The first time I knew I was meant to be an entertainer was when I received a standing ovation for the leading role in my high school production “Anne of Green Gables”. Read more>>

Brandon Kellum

Well, partner, the first time I felt the call to create was back in Andy’s room. We would come alive when no one was lookin’, and there was a special kind of magic in those moments. Read more>>

Debbie Walker

After painting my entire lifetime (I considered myself a closet painter and never displayed my art it sat in boxes or was given away) 14 years ago, my partner had come across a few pieces of my art on the floor, asked if he could keep it and posted it on his FB account. Read more>>

Guy Snowdon

I stumbled upon music quite unexpectedly during my school years. Originally aiming for cooking classes, which were fully booked, I opted for something fun and available: music lessons. Read more>>

C.R. Langille

I first knew I aspired to be a writer in 6th grade. I wasn’t a huge fan of reading up to that point, but I ended up checking out the book, The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore and devoured it. Read more>>

NEDY

I developed a passion for music at a young age, influenced by my dad always playing music at home and my uncle, a singer in the Spanish Pop Duo group Matricula 2. Read more>>

Katsura Mouri

I did not plan to start playing music professionally. It happened naturally. It’s challenging but rewarding for me. My music has been developing greatly since I started. I actually enjoy it. Read more>>

Mega Mauk

I knew I wanted to pursue content creation when I was just 11 years old. Instead of doing homework right after school, I’d spend hours watching YouTube videos from my favorite creators. Read more>>

Johauna Mani

My mother knew before I did that I would be doing something in fashion. Ever since I was 5 maybe 6 I have had an interest in clothes. Read more>>

Ramesh Dahal

I first knew at the age of sixteen. I wanted a career that was different from others, and over time this evolved into a desire to open a different type of restaurant. Read more>>

Jonathan Balagizi

I believe the moment I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally was when I was younger and saw how much of a positive impact it made on me and how fun it was to enjoy watching movies and shows with friends and family. Read more>>

Joanna Tsanis

Growing up, I would visit my family in Greece every summer. When the afternoons became too hot, I’d stay in and watch the English-speaking channels. Read more>>

James “Chapo” Thompson

I think back to this question to my days of youth. And while im not all that old as it is, the days of being creative are more often stemmed from being an adolescent. Read more>>

Stacey MacLeod

I never though of “pursuing a professional path” as an artist. To me, putting it in that language, makes it seem like a business deal, rather than the spiritual path that visual art and playing music is in my life. Read more>>

Bell Tower Ritual

I’ve alway been interested in music even at an early age. My dad and mom always had a variety of music playing from death metal to disco, reggae to classic rock. So I was exposed at an early age. Read more>>

Christina Dumas

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally when I smelled fresh clay for the first time at the local arts center. The room was well lit and a bit chilly. Read more>>

Travis Lee Ratcliff

I grew up in the suburbs of North Texas. I struggled in school at a young age. It was only when I found theater and film that I felt like I found a space where I could express myself fully. Read more>>

Affair Johnson

When I was 11, I started playing the piano learning about the craft and skill of music then making it to the age of 14 learning how to write in rhyme doing poems in skits, Read more>>

Mark Acetelli

From when I was little I knew I wanted to be an artist maybe I was 10 or eleven. Nothing else interested me. It was art from the beginning. Read more>>

Brett Grace

In my junior year of high school, we had a week of career days. I’ve always been very enthusiastic about music, but the skill it traditionally requires to be a musician just isn’t in my DNA, Read more>>