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.

Philip Cox | Author

I guess it’s because I’ve always been kind of creative. When I was growing up I was always sitting at the table gluing together some aircraft or battleship model, and I and a couple of friends set up and ran a school newspaper. That was when I was in 4th grade or Year 5 as they call it in the UK. When I progressed to a senior school, studies had to take priority. However, those creative juices never left me. Read more>>

Rebecca Contreras | Pyrography Artist & Wellness Coach

I believe every person should always be in some mode of creating. Whether you are creating a family, some new art, a living space, a garden, an atmosphere for a business, or whatever your dreams are presenting to you; we are placed here to C R E A T E. Since a young age, I personally have always been flooded with so many art ideas that it’s been difficult to focus on one. When I discovered pyrography, I noticed that there was something special about it. Read more>>

Emily Halesworth | Artist

I have been drawn to art for as long as I can remember. I actually started college as a Political Science major and immediately that I needed to pivot and commit to my artistic passion. Today, I run my small business, Art by Emba, and work full-time in digital marketing/graphic design. I love to look at situations through a creative lens, whether that’s finding solutions to a problem or developing new ideas all together. My favorite aspect of creating visual art is bringing visions to life. Read more>>

Ethan Alijah | Singer/Songwriter, Performer, & Audio Engineer

I chose an artistic career because I grew up with a fascination for music and art. My parents both loved music, and were always playing it around the house when I was a kid. In middle school, my grandpa taught me how to play trumpet, and from then I learned how to sing and play guitar. I knew I wanted to make a living off of music or audio engineering, so I eventually went to school for recording arts and later on started working at a commercial recording studio in San Diego. Read more>>