Why they do what they do

We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.
Pursuing an artistic career came to me after having an emergency surgery when I was 20 years old. Post surgery, I had to take a leave of absence while attending SDSU. During that time, I was dealing with a lot of emotions. I had my first major medical scare, and I questioned so many things about my path. It ultimately came down to two questions, “Is this path going to sustain and fulfill me? Who am I really doing this for?” The first answer was an easy no, the second answer was something more complicated. Read more>>
Liz: Growing up I was always the “artist” of the family. If it involved being creative, I was doing it! Drawing, painting cooking/baking, singing, interior designing my Barbie’s dream house. All through high school I dreamt of becoming a fashion designer, then in college I ended up focusing on art design and graduating with an emphasis in photography. I then married my high school sweetheart, became a young-ish mother and focused on raising babies… Read more>>
Once upon a time, i was a concert promoter in Los Angeles, working to help develop local bands in the heavier music scene, as well as offer touring bands a place to play regardless of the size of the band, or style. I did this for 16 years, and when that came to an end, i was left without an outlet to create, build, and showcase my work ethic and creative skill. Read more>>
I pursued becoming a Branding Manager because I always had a heart for helping people & seeing their potential. I have always been good at pin pointing & helping build people into the best version of themselves. It honestly took me a while to find my niche because I never knew that I could make a career out of helping people grow in their passion. Know that everyday I wake up helping people become what they have always wanted to be makes me unbelievably happy. Read more>>
I knew from a young age that I felt the most free and comfortable while doing creative tasks like painting, drawing, and even putting together presentation boards for class. So when I thought about my major for college, I knew I wanted to go into Fine Arts to be able to learn all about the different paths of a creative career. While every career still has its moments when it feels like a job, overall being in a creative career allows the opportunity for freedom, self expression and connection. Read more>>