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.

Kharisma | Singer-Songwriter and Multimedia Personality

I’m a third generation musician on both sides of my family. Growing up creativity was a way of life… I don’t know anything different! I remember sitting with my mother’s father Lee Smith who was a jazz tenor saxophone player at the piano every chance I got because I was always drawn to the music. There are pictures of me sitting with him attempting to play while still in diapers. I used my rattles as microphones. My mom’s brother Lloyd was the lead guitar player of The BarKays and her other brother Chubby was a percussionist with Billy Preston and toured with the Jackson 5. Read more>>

Denise Pereau | TV Host, Writer, Master Hair and Make-up Artist

I dreamed of being a gym teacher after graduating high school. In the 70’s, the negative term, “husband degree”, coined in the late 50’s,” was still connected to women who dropped out of college to marry men they met there. My mother was worried I’d fall into that category, wasting money on me in the process, and insisted I go to Cosmetology school. I rebelled of course, shamed for what I perceived as a downgrade, and after being thrown out of the program three times, I finally made a conscious decision to pursue every avenue available, to learn everything I could, to be the best I could be, opening my first salon at 21 years of age. Read more>>

Eylismar Bastardo | Makeup Artist, Beauty content creator.

All my life I have been in love with art. I think the best way to express myself is through art, whether it is listening to music, dancing or doing makeup, and it is that with just an art show you can express more than with words. Read more>>

Mariana Alvarez | Content Creator / Blogger / influencer / Modelo

Since I was little I knew that the artistic world was my passion, at the acting level, even as a presenter as a dancer and singer. For many years I worked in TV and when I emigrated I knew that I had to continue growing in other areas of work, open myself to new opportunities but continue doing what I love the most. CREATE The important thing is never to abandon dreams, never see them far away. Life will put you many obstacles but it is up to you to overcome them and keep moving forward, never lose the north no matter how hard the situation or moment you are going through. I can say that I am very proud of what I have achieved at 27 years old. Read more>>

Joshua Hyman | Actor/Comedian/Writer/Dad

Pursuing an artistic or creative career wasn’t always exactly something that was front of mind for me. Not at first. I know it’s unconventional to say, but I just wanted to entertain people. Being a guy who loved sports and loved to be competitive, I was always the smallest guy on the court, field and in the swimming pool. Not to say that you don’t work hard and try to overcome your shortcomings (pun intended) but it made it hard to be successful against bigger, taller, stronger guys. But cracking jokes, and playing characters and genuinely making people laugh came easy. It was like how Hall of Fame baseball players talk about seeing a pitch a mile before they hit it. Read more>>