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.

Lindsay Cunningham | Family & Motherhood Photographer

I was really struggling mentally during the shelter in place stage of the pandemic. My husband gifted me a camera on Christmas of 2020 and I dove into learning how to use it and mastering my manual settings. I started with a friend’s maternity session and from there asked people to model for me. I spent hours and hours learning how to edit. I felt myself come alive. I felt inspired, creative, curious and happy, and I knew I had found my passion. Read more>>

Jesse Landers | Songwriter, Podcaster and just lover of music

I’ve been creative since I was young. I started writing poems at 12. We had a class assignment where we had to write a 500 word essay and I hate writing essays so I wrote a 150 word poem instead.. I got an A and a local radio station heard about the poem and I got to read the poem on air. Read more>>

Brianna Beck | Food & Product Photographer

I found myself feeling bored and uninspired in my corporate job and began questioning if this was the right path for me. I had always loved photography and content creation, but I was scared to pursue photography as a career. After some serious consideration, I thought to myself, “life is too short to not take a chance on what truly brings you joy”. Read more>>

Kajal Zaveri | Full Time Artist and Mom, and Part time Art Teacher

The simple and short answer to that is just because it makes me happy. I have not always been a full time artist but switched to being one since the last few years. I grew up in India and I was always surrounded by vibrant colors, different types of art like folk, traditional and modern art, various traditions, and customs that encompass colors, patterns, and celebrations. Read more>>

Lulama Matiringe | Model/Actress & Influencer

As long as I can remember, I’ve been in a state of being uncomfortable. My skin. My hair. My upbringing. My expression as a human being. I noticed that I was often met with a degree of resistance somehow. Easy wasn’t an option for me or my lofty ideas. I had the grace of carrying a vision within me as I resolved these inner battles. I found myself caught between never-ending torment and a particular malaise. Read more>>

Saul Washington | Editorial Illustrator and Middle Grade/ Young Adult Graphic Novelist

Milton Caniff and Hal Foster are probably to blame. Like any child, I just couldn’t stop myself from drawing. I drew on anything I could find. I tried to emulate the comic strips I saw in newspapers. When I was six, I saw pictures of Caniff and Foster behind their art tables drawing their characters. I knew at that moment what I wanted it to do. Read more>>

Valentina Sepulveda | Photographer and Visual Artist

I am tempted to start this answer with because, reminding me of a passage of Ocean Vuong, knowing rightfully I was always taught to never do that. Nonetheless, the answer is because. Simply there was never another way. Another simple answer is privilege. Read more>>

William Field | Rapper, Singer & Producer

There’s a long and a short version of this story. The abbreviated long story is that as a child I was introduced to the artistic “gypsy, living on the edge way of life”, as my grandma says, because my father and my brother, Zach, were at the time and still are pursuing their own artistic passions. Half of my family is very creative and surrendered most of what normal people in society consider to be their own sanity to realize their own vision in reality. Read more>>

Shelby Gordon | Photographer, Producer, & Fine Artist

I always knew I wanted to take a creative path from a young age. My stubborn nature allowed me to follow that path ruthlessly. Making art in any form has and always will be a source of joy and fulfillment for me. I guess you could say that I’ve pursued art my entire life because it is my one true love. Being able to turn my artistic/creative abilities into a career allows me to live a life I always dreamed of. Read more>>

Mari Velez | Owner of The Planter & Plant Workshop Instructor

I never thought I would be an owner of a business. In 2018 I had my first child then shortly after my second in 2019. Struggling with postpartum depression and the anxieties of being a new mother, then a single one, I found mental relief through plants. More specifically, building terrariums. Read more>>