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.

Deijah Smith | Actress | Model | Stylist

My entire being is made up of creative and free flowing energy, so taking the creative career path only makes sense for me. It is extremely hard for me to clock in and clock out to work a normal job because I’m always looking for freedom and to be my own person. I get bored seeing the same four walls and the same people on a daily basis. Some people thrive in that environment and find security in routine but for me I feel suffocated. I was truly born for the artistic lane. Read more>>

Emma Rose Rowell (Emmursss) | Artist

Since I was a little girl I have always loved every form of self-expression that I could explore, and creativity for me was intrinsically connected with the way I went about understanding myself. Beyond the many arts and crafts projects I did when I was young, one of my first substantial connections to self expression and creativity was through makeup. Read more>>

Yoko Kubrick | Sculptor and Visual Artist

I became interested in art as a child and was always captivated by all forms of art. I think it was my childhood living in diverse cultures, exploring nature, and a deep fascination with visual language that led me to become an artist. Growing up across contrasting environments of Guam, Hawaii, California, and my father’s homeland, the former Czechoslovakia, I found myself drawn to the way visual art can communicate subtle aspects of culture. Read more>>