Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges. We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to pursue a creative career.

Erin Baker | Potter

All my life I’ve been drawn to creativity. I’ve always loved doing arts and crafts, and that more prominently manifested itself as I got older. I took all the art classes I could reasonably take from kindergarten through my senior year of high school. As I entered college, I decided to pursue an education outside of the field of art. I was taking social science classes, math classes, and other generals classes. About a year into this I realized I really missed taking those art classes, in particular ceramics classes. Read more>>

Fernando Isturiz | Photographer & Photography Teacher

I chose an artistic career because is a form of self expression, I can create Art everyday with everything i put in front of my lens. People, food, drinks, street photography etc. plus i think that is therapeutical, every time that i grab my camera i got lost between lights, settings composition and i forget about everything else. Read more>>

Fabion (Fabion 305) Sweetland-Pitter | Artist, Humanitarian, Song Writer, Producer, Actor

I chose music because it gives me a feeling I can’t find anywhere else. Im so in love with it I have fully dedicted my time and life to my craft and Im very happy I did, Read more>>

Leonardo Montero | Photographer

I honestly always felt inclined to Arts. I didn’t have to make the choice there was always the possibility in my mind to make a career out of it. From a very young age I have been obsessed with photography, colors, compositions. By the other hand I love giving to people the pleasure of a great portrait of themselves. A lot of people struggle with self image and it’s a gift for me being able to help them realize everyone can look amazing in a portrait. Read more>>

Andrea Sofia R. Matos | Art Administrator, Curator & Artist

I owe the beginning of my artistic/creative entirely to my mother, she was the one, who besides all of my ignorance, decided to enroll me in the number one specialized high school for the visual arts in Puerto Rico. She provided me with an opportunity to begin an artistic career that surrounded me with wonderful peers and thoughtful professors all of which cemented my desire to become an artist, increased my passion for art history, and gave me a comprehensive entry into contemporary art scene in Puerto Rico. Read more>>

Pauline Lévêque | Artist illustrator

My father is a very talented and renowned French artist. He paints trees and fields and birds. My first memories as a child are the hours spent in his studio scribbling on his empty canvas and playing with his oil paintings tubes. I still can remember the smell of his art. My parents were surrounded by creative people. My godfather was Michel Tournier, a wonderful writer. Almost every weekends, my parents were organizing at home long lunches with persons from many different backgrounds. Read more>>

Sydney Shearer | Makeup Artist

Since I was a little girl I was obsessed with colors and art. I remember going through school they would always ask the question, ”What do you want to be when you grow up?” and remember replying with an Artist the majority of the time. Art was my get away. My peace. Art let my mind soar because there are no rules in it. And as I got older started wearing makeup, watching videos on YouTube, practicing on myself I quickly came to realize it was just like painting and I fell absolutely in love. The more I practiced, the better I got and decided that Makeup was what I was meant to do. And what’s better than making a career of something you love? Read more>>

Jenna Cuomo | Artist and Business owner

I chose to pursue an artistic career because I’ve always loved the arts growing up. I was always in AP art and art honor society so I knew when I was older I wanted to put my skills to use. Read more>>

Eric Amarante | [NATIVE MEDIA] Media Specialist-Video & Music

I knew when I was a kid I wanted to pursue an artistic career. I did well in school but the important classes like math didn’t hold my attention much after I figured I had learned what I needed for life. As I got older, I worked various jobs and got a taste of what working life was like and I quickly realized I’d rather figure something else out for myself than spend most my time at a job I had no interest in. Bartending did provide me the time to learn media avenues in music and video as well as the ability to network with the different people I met every shift. Then slowly but surely it became clear I would be able to do something with media as my career as long as I continued to put in the work. Read more>>

Scott Boyett | DJ Festival Nun

It is something that i have felt from a very young age, the need to be different was something i always inspired to be. I pursed being a DJ because i felt that i could make a positive and fun impact on peoples lives, In life i feel some people have an obligation to share their gifts and talents and with this career i knew i could make that happen. Read more>>