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.

Irina Anton | Artist: Singer, Songwriter & above all, human.

I breathe music, I feel music, I AM music. Ever since childhood, I fell in love with singing and listening to music. I remember fondly the precious moments spent when I was about 5 years old, playing on my parents’ old CD player the biggest hits from artists such as ABBA, La Bouche, Modern Talking, SNAP!, Ace of Base, so I grew up with an infinite love for retro music, dancing and humming through the entire house, until I ended up recording at the same CD player the first lyrics sang by me. Read more>>

Luis Dario Del Pup | Freelance Filmmaker

It was the year 1995, I was 15 years old, when my dear mother, mother of 4 children, prevented my brother Silvio from continuing to pay a savings plan to get a new car from an agency, then my brother who liked to go to classes theater and always lived doing performances, decided to invest the money saved in a camcorder, Read more>>

Sariai Bethel | Fashion designer & Creative

I decided to pursue an artistic career because the arts and being creative has always been apart of my life. My mom put me in an arts program at the African heritage cultural arts center as a kid and we learned about dance, drama, music, art and even fashion and it’s stuck with me ever since. I’ve always been more in touch with my creative side. Read more>>

Erica Mohan | Artist & Grants/Arts Administrator

I’ve been making art since I was little growing up in Canada and Florida. I used to love those art kits where you can explore different mediums like stained glass, crocheting, etc. I didn’t take it all that seriously until I got to high school. My teacher Brooke Anderson at Marjory Stoneman Douglas taught me about the importance of getting out of your comfort zone as an artist. She really changed my understanding of what art was to me. Read more>>

Ali Robins | Photographer | Podcaster | Film YouTuber

I pursued an artistic/creative career because being artistic & creative gives me so much joy and life. I love waking up in the morning, thinking about the next artistic project I will be creating that day. Read more>>

Aubre Boose | Singer/Songwriter/Dancer/Actress/Entertainer/Influencer

I am a seventeen-year-old dual enrollment student, but art has always been there to help me through my toughest days. Ever since I was little, I was able to interpret my feelings through the songs I sang, the dances I danced, and the lyrics I wrote. Because school was a place that I had to be at every day, I would put all my effort into finding the right passion. My love for writing and reading grew from making my own poems and imagining the intriguing stories of every book. My love for acting was a result of my eye for the spotlight and building character, and I’ve enjoyed theater since the beginning of my career. Read more>>