Artists and creatives face innumerable challenges given that their career path often doesn’t come with a playbook, a steady paycheck or any form of safety net.  It’s definitely not easy and so we asked a few of the artists and creatives we admire to talk to us about why they chose to pursue an artistic or creative career.

Whitney Ahmed | Photographer

This is one of my favorite questions. I am obsessed with art, music, photography. Anything that can bring light and life just fills my soul with so much joy. There is something special that happens when you are able to create something that can capture a moment in time. In my case, a photograph. Photography allows you to be able to take these precious moments, and make them life long memories. Memories that you can pull out when you are sad, or happy. To use to teach or educate. Much like music, or art. They are moments in time that you get to feel again, and again. It’s one of the most beautiful things. Why wouldn’t you want to be apart of something so significant? Read more>>

Alec Arritola | Musician

I picked up the clarinet/saxophone around the age of 10. From the first time I played my instrument, I knew that it was my life’s calling. It is a true passion, one of the few things that regularly gives me goosebumps and stimulates my receptors like drugs. Around the age of 16, I began meeting local artists and singing with them, which presented more opportunities over time. Read more>>

Zoë Joiner | Seashell Artist

There was never a “Why” to my business, only a “How”, “What” and “When”. Like with many artists I know, my creative path wasn’t premeditated or thought out. I never chose It, It chose me. I like to think of the business side of what I do as more of a happy byproduct of doing what I do instinctively, which is what makes it joyful and meaningful for me. I’ll never take for granted the fact that I’m able to make money from my art. How cool is that! I still get a rush every time I sell a piece of art or jewelry. Read more>>

Daniel Lundi | Music Instructor

I went with being a music teacher and musician because it was something I had a burning desire for. I always find it real fun to play on stage in front of a crowd and my patience has even allowed me to enjoy teaching as well. Granted you at times teaching in a class room setting could be challenging even if its a 1 0n 1 private lesson but it makes you stand out to kids if you could make it real fun for them and catch their attention. Read more>>

Arboleya Moreno Art. Art | Art and Handmade Jewelry

When you are a creative person most of the time you have no choice but follow your heart despite the difficulties and setbacks forced upon you by circumstances. Sometimes the hardest part is to find a niche in which to combine your creative drive with a business mindset which allows you to thrive. Since childhood for many of us in the artistic/entrepreneur community have to break boundaries if you want to succeed. In reality unless you really believe in yourself and feel passionate about what you do odds are against you and that’s the reason why you have to take risks and make it a fun project. Read more>>

David Smith | Content Creator & Fashion Designer

I chose the artistic path for a career because it just comes so naturally to me a lot of people in my family are creative and artist so I just fell in line using my own creative expressions through certain mediums. My great grandmother on her own fashion house in Chicago so that’s where the fashion aspect of me comes from.I grew up watching a lot of TV and movies and I have always been infatuated with the process of putting a production together all the way from casting photography video etc. from day one I have always wanted to be behind the scenes and in front of them. Read more>>

Oswaldo Arostegui | Filmmaker & Photographer

It’s something that I discovered that I want to do. I didn’t want to do something that everyone, family or friend, were going to do. It was always doctor, nurse, cop, fire fighter, work in an office,I wanted to do something different. I’m not trying to say that those careers are bad. Far from it, they’re great! It’s just not something that was for me. I wanted to take a chance on making a career in something that I have passion for. “It’s not work if you’re happy doing it.” I read this quote somewhere on the internet and it stuck with me ever since. It’s a true statement for myself and in general. If you’re not happy doing the work, you’ll just make yourself miserable. While when you’re working and you’re happy doing it, you’ll want to do it forever. That’s how I feel with filmmaking and photography. Read more>>

Melanie Maria | Makeup & Fashion Blog

I purse an artistic career into makeup and fashion because nothing is never not ugly. Makeup is something anyone can be creative with and design their true feelings which can be someone going all out with the most colorful eyeshadows or doing some simple with a shade of neutrals for the day. Creating different looks with makeup is someone’s art like a bold lip color, wet eye makeup look, painting your face to look like someone else’s character, it’s all art. Read more>>

Shelley Azaria Dyner | Wardrobe stylist, personal shopper & closet organizer

I felt a calling to it, I had a passion for fashion at such a young age. I’d walk around in my sisters high heels like I was at a runway show. Dress myself in every scarf my mom owned and waltz around like I was someone of great importance. I just always knew whatever I ended up doing it was going to have a creative background. Read more>>

Channin Johnson | Creative Director

I pursued am artistic career because it allows me to be creative because creativity has little to no boundaries and you can make up just about anything you want. Having a creative career keeps you on your toes and you can create so many things and never get bored. Read more>>

Nicole Marie Cabrera | Visual Artist & Art Educator

I have been making art for the past 29 years. I feel that I took this artistic path because it was inevitable, I know with absolute certainty that this is what I was born to do. What I do think about often is “How can I use this platform to help others and also, through art use my creative voice for good”. For the past eight years I have been in the education field and I am currently working at Academir Preparatory Academy as a Kindergarten through fifth grade Visual Arts teacher. Every day I try to inspire and motivate my students to work hard and I show them how an artist can use their gift to impact the world. Read more>>

Javier Mayol | Writer | Producer

Ever since I was 10 I knew that I wanted to do something creative with my life. While I had always been a semi-decent athlete in my younger days, playing various sports, it didn’t quite give me the satisfaction as writing and coming up with ideas. I wrote my first script, if you want to call that a script, when I was in 4th grade. An instant horror classic, or at least that’s what I thought back then. I decided that I was going to convince my classmates that we were going to film this with a video camera that my dad had just bought. Those who didn’t think I was completely crazy, gave up a few lunch hours to read through the script and rehearse. Sadly, the film never got made, but I knew then, this is what I wanted to do. Read more>>