Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

Dakotah Whiting | Photographer

Art is simply an extension of the artist, so to be an artist requires you to share some level of vulnerability–that in and of itself is risky. When I share my photographs, I’m really sharing parts of my mind and the way I experience the world. I want people to look at my art and come closer to seeing and feeling the world the way I see and feel the world. Whether you’re a photographer like myself, or a DJ, dancer, writer, painter, poet, etc. artists create for connection. To feel seen and heard is worth more than any dollar amount. It’s priceless and it’s what we all yearn for, whether we want to admit it or not. I heard the best quote the other day, it went something like, “you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards.” Read more>>

Briana Loewinsohn | Graphic Novelist and High School Art Teacher

For me the biggest risk i take in my work is not worrying if people will like my books. I create art that is meaningful to me and hope that others find connection in it as well. I find inspiration from all types of graphic novels, prose, movies, and art. I let that inform how i construct my books. I also draw primarily from my own life. For me, writing memoir can feel risky because i am interested in nuance, ambiguity, and sometimes magical realism. Writing graphic novels for adults in america is a risk in and of itself. It is not a totally acceptable type of books for adults to read in our country, let alone write. They are often seen as childrens books. My hope is that graphic novels will one day be as prevalent as any prose book. Read more>>

Melissa Popovic-Iglesias | Entrepreneur, artist & designer

I used to have a fear of taking risks. For me, risks represented the act of putting yourself out there in the world. It felt like exposing a part of myself that I had been trying to keep hidden. However, I came to realize that without taking risks, I was denying myself the opportunity to showcase my God-given talents. Without embracing risks, I was merely residing within my comfort zone, often taking a back seat in life. Taking risks, whether in your personal life or your career, can be a vulnerable experience at times. But as they say, what is risk without the potential for reward? Life should not be about clinging to comfort when you possess talents that are meant to be shared with the world. Read more>>