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.

Muffin Joy | Adventurous Foodie Dog Influencer

My husband and I thought it would be fun to start an Instagram account for our little girl dog, Muffin. We wanted to share photos of Muffin with the world and her adventures, which is how we came up with her Instagram handle, @Adventureswithmuffin. We like to travel several times a year and always bring Muffin along with us. We enjoy sharing our travels with others and bring them along for the hikes, the landmarks, the views, the food and sightsee. It has been such a joy to let others be apart of her life and ours. With social media platforms like Instagram, it allows for us to be creative with each post and reel that we make. Read more>>

Ruby Michelle | Illustrator, Designer & Educator

Growing up I was surrounded by creative people. Some of my oldest memories of making art started with painting a mural with my dad in our garage, dancing with my sister or helping my mom to sew a costume. So, I think it’s always been a very natural thing for me to want to create. It was because of these experiences that I knew very early on that I wanted to be an artist. At the same time, it was also the reason I spent a lot of time deciding just what kind of artistic career I wanted to pursue. It took a lot of life experiences, failed choices, and amazing opportunities for me to realize that I can do more than one thing in my life. I can learn different things and express myself in different ways and I am still constantly learning how to do that. Read more>>

Morell Brown | International Singer/Songwriter & Model

I chose to pursue an artistic career as I needed a way to express my emotions that I felt in that moment. I wanted to be a role model to others who may have had a similar experience and help them get through it. I’ve always loved making people smile. Seeing their faces light up in enjoyment would make me happy because I knew that I was able to open their hearts and have them feel what I’m feeling. This journey has been amazing and I’m proud of the fact that I’ve had the experiences that have shaped me into the artist I am today. Read more>>