Deciding to pursue an artistic or creative career path isn’t for the faint of heart. Challenges will abound, but so many of the artists we speak with couldn’t be happier with their choice. So, we asked them about how they made the decision in the first place.

Mark Camero | Architectural Designer

Ever since I was young I would always build my own city with my Lego set. I would always try and create the most unique designs the Lego’s allowed me to make. Fast forward a couple years and I always found myself asking for pencils and sketchbooks to design everything from new sneakers to stadiums and arenas. It wasn’t till high school where I went to a technical school when I had to choose a “profession”. Read more>>

Laura Jacobs | Professional Matchmaker & Talent Manager

I always grew up having dreams. I wanted to be an actress and a singer. I sang professional Opera and was in theatre productions all throughout high school, so It was very natural for me to pursue an artistic career in my 20s and do the damn thing! Before becoming an entrepreneur, I modeled, I acted, I sang, and I worked really hard at All of those various skills. All throughout this time I also started businesses and I’m so glad I did. Now I’m 34 and feel extremely professionally fulfilled from taking the risk of always doing my own thing. Read more>>

Marissa DuBois | Model & Content Creator

I originally got a degree at FSU for criminology and planned to go into the military. Around my senior year, I started to question if I wanted to continue on that route, meanwhile I was working as a homicide detective for my senior internship. Where I learned a lot of hard truths, that reaffirmed my thoughts of not wanting to work for the government. After graduation I decided to up and move to Morocco for the summer, I coordinated to live with a host family, and work at a orphanage. Read more>>

Sierra Letinsky | Textile Artist

I decided to pursue an artistic and creative career for several reasons. I always loved working with my hands, and although I had studied graphic design in school, I realized that I had a passion for creating unique pieces that were not only artistic and beautiful, but practical, tangible, and helped fulfill a role in a customer’s life. I had also worked enough traditional jobs over the years that I realized that I needed a creative outlet in my life, and figured I’d regret it if I never tried to find a way to pair making a living with my passions. Read more>>

Rafael Peré | Artist

Well…perhaps my artistic endeavors have become more of a lifestyle than a career. The cost of life continues to grow by what seems like the minute, and I fear that this will force artists to surrender their authenticity in exchange for financial success. I have studied at the Berklee College of Music for around two years now, and my time here has taught me more about the artists sociological patterns than the art itself. When in a room full of creatives, a great majority seem to work from the outside in, as opposed to from the inside out. Read more>>

Chris Caruso | Drummer

From the moment I picked up drum sticks I knew this was for me I went to school for music and perused degrees in jazz performance and education. However when I left college I was stuck in kitchens miserable and Hateful as it was the only way I knew how to pay the bills. Until one day I got pissed and said to my self I have a college education in music why would I be working these miserable jobs. Read more>>

Abdellah Zoom | Photographer

I was in public place and I did meet a man who do photography and I was 14 and then when I was talking with a man about what he’s doing and I said to myself why me too I don’t do what I love. And then after four years I get off at school,
And then follow my passion Read more>>

Gabriella Guerriero | Painter

I have been an artist ever since I can remember… there was nothing better than sitting down to draw or paint. When I paint time flies and I am at my happiest! You gotta do what you love. Read more>>

Richard La Bella | Singer-Songwriter

My whole life, as far back as I can remember, I performed for my parents, like most children, only for me there was a burning desire to be a television star. I grew up with a father who loved the movies. We would go to the movies all the time. He loved music, and he loved to sing. His father was a touring musician with Roy Rogers in the early twenties, signed to William Morris. My father had dreams to do the same but his mother was against it. Read more>>

Jennifer Valdes | Photographer

Since I was a little girl I’ve always enjoyed art and it’s always been my favorite subject in school. I love drawing, painting, making crafts, etc. However I fell in love with photography when I was in High School, since I would have friends that would let me play around with their cameras and it was just so much fun to me. I knew I needed a DSLR camera the moment I held one. Read more>>

Alexandra Arata | Interior Architect-Artist-Entrepreneur

I pursued a creative career because I had no choice! My brain somehow developed the right and left sides simultaneously, I cannot create without thinking and I cannot think without creativity. My eyes are constantly drawn to look for beauty, symmetry, colors and shapes. But my mind is constantly analyzing business opportunities around me. To be an entrepreneur you must be creative, no matter what business you are in. You must find new ways, break the mold, take risks, experiment, and forget the fear of failure. Read more>>

Bianca Silva | Photography & Creative Director

Growing up I have always had a grand imagination, I’m talking about imaginary friends, imaginary places, at one point it was just me, my toys, my imagination and my dad’s camcorder. I’m originally from Boston Massachusetts and I can remember like it was yesterday when I moved from Cambridge ma to Everett ma and instantly became best friends with my neighbor Kayla. We would pretend the hook-man was following us (mind you this was right around the time I Know what You Did Last Summer came out 1997) so our imagination was running wild. It was around this time that I knew that things were just different for me. Read more>>