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.

 Justin

Music has always been a safe form of expression for me. When I was young and discovering who I was as a human, music gave me the outlet to feel emotion, to dance, to sing and to be 100% myself. Growing up in a conservative town in NJ, I was expected to play sports, and follow a set of traditional male values that just weren’t me. I was assaulted in High School for expressing myself through make-up and clothing – the attackers “thought I was gay”. Read More>>

Anastasya Korol

I’ve been immersed in the arts for as long as I can remember. I started singing at age three, and throughout my childhood I explored painting, dance, and music. In high school, I threw myself into art, fashion, and performance, and eventually majored in music and photography in college. Creating has always been how I connect with the world — it’s how I process, celebrate, and elevate life. Read More>>

Ying Xiong

I’ve always loved to draw. As a child, drawing was my way of processing the world—quiet, intuitive, and deeply mine. But when it came time to choose a career, I followed a more conventional path and pursued architecture—partly because of my father’s influence, and partly because I thought it was a “safe” way to stay close to creativity. Read More>>

Mário Lopes

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by nature: by insects, plants, and animals. I would spend hours exploring the outdoors, captivated by the beauty and complexity of the natural world. During that time, I also developed practical skills, learning to use various tools and machines through play and curiosity.

Later, in school, I joined a stone carving program, and it was a turning point. I felt a deep connection to the act of creation in three dimensions. For the first time, I realized I could transform an idea into a tangible object. That sense of possibility, of giving form to imagination, has never left me. Read More>>

Irina Ovchinnikov

Art has always been a part of my life. I took art classes as a child, graduated from art college, and later earned a degree in journalism and marketing. My passion for photography began back in middle school, but it truly came to life after I moved to Japan and had my children. Capturing their everyday moments reignited my creative drive and gave me a new perspective through the lens. When I moved to the U.S., photography naturally evolved into a business. After second-shooting my first wedding, I was immediately hooked—Read More>>

Eduardo Castrillo

I am a filmmaker who specializes in features. I try to shoot one a year and also teach filmmaking as well. One of my favorite past times as well is attending conventions and speaking on panels. All of my projects have been meaningful but I really want to talk about my latest film: Bears on a Ship! It’s about a group of stranded passengers and spring breakers who decide to take a ship voyage back home to the United States. Unbeknownst to them however, are two more passengers aboard that vessel. More specifically; Man-eating bears. We screen May 17th screening at Look Cinemas in Downey. Read More>>

 Patriot Mukmin

It all started with curiosity and ended with a sense of feeling right.
Since I was little, I have always liked drawing and doodling. A typical school kid likes to choose a seat in the back row. However, many children also like to draw but do not become artists when they grow up. Another influential factor is my liking for thinking the opposite. Trying to see something from an alternative perspective. I like to find gaps between what people usually do and don’t. Read More>>