Deciding to pursue an artistic or creative career path isn’t for the faint of heart. Challenges will abound, but so many of the artists we speak with couldn’t be happier with their choice. So, we asked them about how they made the decision in the first place.

Mary Beth MB” Morrison | Atlanta-based Actor

That’s a really great question! I felt I couldn’t *not* pursue an artistic career. I’ve always felt it in my very bones – since I was a kid – this need to be playing an instrument, singing a song, working on a show. It’s a compulsion, really, but a very happy one. Read more>>

Lenora Grace | Actress| Fashion Model

I have always been both artistic and creative. I knew this at a young age. Growing up I didn’t always feel seen or heard. Sports and the arts were my outlet. When I was younger I saw a commercial of a ballerina and had a daydream of my name in lights. It was as if I snapped out of reality and then snapped back. Wild as heck for a kid right? After that, I remember talking to my mom and telling her I want to do that. “I want to be a dancer”! Was for a long time and always will be. Never did I think that I would fall in love with storytelling and be doing all of what I am now. I dipped my toes into theatre as a kid, but dance and sports was everything to me, so I never gave it a true go. When it came to modeling I just never thought I had the body for it, but always wanted to do it. My mom always wanted me to model. She was always taking pictures of me and posting them everywhere haha. I tried to run away from the arts believe it or not. Not once, not twice, but a few times man. I just didn’t believe in myself. I was in college for nursing, and even though I liked helping people, this burning urge for the arts would not go away. Sometime after covid I had dabbled in a few acting classes here and there, and officially dropped out of nursing school. Since then I have worked with many creative individuals, and a few who I have always looked up too. Worked in a number of commercials and films. Made my debut as a runway model, have worked with awesome brands, and packed my bags and moved to Atlanta by myself with only 700 dollars in the bank! .It took me a while to get here, and how I showed up for myself in my personal life has been shinning through in my career. I’ve been acting and modeling for a little while now, and I am extremely proud of myself and what I have achieved in a short time frame. Read more>>

Ryan Orebaugh | Photographer & Art Director

I pursued a creative career because it felt like something that was always evolving. Everyday is a new challenge to tell a better and more exciting story. I love that I get to create every day; whether it’s an ad campaign, editorial, social media, or whatever at the end of the day there is something tangible. I’ve always been passionate about art so having this become my job has been incredible. Read more>>

Alyki Senoj | Creative Strategist

It’s the role of my body. I’m a creation in live form, embodying many layers and components that help me carry out this experience that has been created by like minded beings. Read more>>

Elizabeth Pehrson | Cliff’s Notes Speaker” with a heart for inspiring women”

About ten years ago, I felt like I was about to embark on something new. Something different. With eight children, multiple volunteer roles and a busy life, I felt like God was nudging me in a new direction. I had gifts and talents inside of me that were not being used, and therefore I was not living to my full potential. I believe that each of us are unique and sharing our passions with others is a gift; and that gift is meant to be given away. That is why I created The Exchange. I meet with women all the time, that are unhappy, unfulfilled and desperately seeking their purpose in life. For so many years, they have put everyone and everything before themselves, and they have forgotten who they are. In the words of Marianne Williamson, whatever makes your heart sing, that’s God way of telling you it’s a contribution he wants you to make.” And I want to help women rediscover what that is. I have a heart and a passion for helping women live this one beautiful, messy life we have been given, on PURPOSE and with INTENTION. Read more>>

Mia Amey | Podcast Host

I’ve always been the type of person that never meets a stranger. I feel like I own the rooms that I walk into. When I speak people listen, so I’ve always wanted to do something that consisted of talking, helping people, encouraging people and voicing my opinion. Read more>>

Tonio G | Singer/Songwriter, CEO & Camera Operator

I chose to pursue an artistic career at a very young age. I’ve always had a passion for music and arts, no matter what stage of life I was in, music was always there to pull me through some of my toughest and most joyful experiences. I knew since age 7 that I would be doing this for the rest of my life. To be able to wake up everyday and make music and help others follow their dreams is the most rewarding feeling and prize j could ever obtain from life next to my son Read more>>

Daric McKinney | Signed Model, Performer, & Social Media Content Creator

I decided to pursue an artistic career because I was fully burnt out from not following my lifelong passion: performing. From birth, I danced, modeled, acted, and sang but I did not have any examples close to me to demonstrate that having a creative career could be possible and prosperous. So I followed the path everyone around me did: school, college, and then a corporate job. This path decimated my mental and emotional wellness and forced me to make a lot of changes to my life. Having an artistic career reminded me that I wield art & performance to become my most empowered self. Read more>>

Rell Z The Genius | Musical Artist

Everything honestly started when I was young. I hated feeling unheard. Whether it was because I was too young to be taken seriously, or not in a position where the people around me would be open to understanding my mindset. Read more>>

Melissa V. Cartwright | Voice/Performance Coach & Artist

I’m absolutely passionate about helping people discover joy, and for me, that’s always been through the magic of singing and performing arts. Even at a young age, I experienced the transformative power of music in a person’s life – whether it was for their own pleasure, a career launch, or in a rehabilitative capacity – not only allowing the audience to experience the power, but also the performer. There’s just this indescribable connection that happens when you confidently share your voice, and watching performing artists step into that, embracing who they truly are – it’s an absolute honor to witness and journey with them. Read more>>

Princess With The Real | Operations Manager/Personality/Influencer

So, picture this: I’m in the corporate world, right? Day in and day out, grinding away, but it felt like I was stuck in this never-ending cycle of just being a cog in the machine. My creativity was itching to break free! I needed a space where I could breathe life into my ideas, where I could wake up each morning with a smile because I was doing what I loved, not just what paid the bills. Read more>>

Indra Persad Milowe | Visual & Public Artist

My interest in art was inspired through nature, still life and design. I adored my St Augustine Girls’ High School art teacher, Mrs. Helga Mohammed from Madrid, Spain, who she was married to a Trinidadian. Read more>>

Jiayi Chen | Automotive User Interface and User Experience Designer

From a young age, I found myself captivated by the intricate world of automotive design, marveling at the sleek lines and innovative concepts shaping each vehicle. This passion for cars ignited a curiosity within me that only grew stronger over time. As I delved deeper into my undergraduate studies, I discovered a new fascination with digital interfaces and their potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Read more>>

Carolina Carrizosa Bernal | Idustrial Designer & Interior Design

Since my childhood, I’ve been drawn to the world of crafts. I started taking clay classes as a hobby on weekends, and in school, I always leaned towards art, exploring new materials in projects for all my classes, including chemistry. I always knew I wanted to dedicate myself to creating innovative objects that inspired me or were useful in my daily life. On the other hand, I watched one of my cousins, who had already started his career as a designer, always creating new and innovative things, enjoying his work. When I graduated, I doubted whether studying industrial design was the best choice, but in the end, I think it was the right decision. I started my career with the conviction that design is more than learning; it’s a lifestyle. You have to immerse yourself in design every day to be able to create and improve constantly. Read more>>

Jonna Leanne Patel | Actor + Writer + Wannabe Comedian

Although I have many artistic endeavors, my creative career currently involves Acting, Improv, Sketch Comedy and writing. I Growing up in a small town, and being a very active child, my mom quickly saw the importance of extracurricular. When I was young, I had the opportunity to play Toto in Wizard of Oz at our local community theatre. I loved every minute of it (and the attention was nice for a pre-teen). If I look back, it was that moment, that show, specifically when I pretended to pee on the human trees and received a roaring laugh from the rehearsal audience, I was hooked. I pursued as many activities as I could, and my town was a wonderful supporter of artistic talents, but there was little space for creative careers. Naturally, being a part of the generation whose parents were pushing for college, I did the education thing. I pursued my Bachelors in Spanish in Huntsville, Alabama and a Masters in Professional Counseling in Carrollton, GA. However, tt wasn’t until I moved back to the Atlanta area in 2018 that I realized I was in a city where opportunities were abundant and I can continue my creative pursuits. The why has always been to make others happy, to fill their life with laughter and love, but it was the how I was missing. I love Atlanta because it reminds me of where I came from, but also let’s me surround myself with other artists and creatives to hold me accountable for pursuing my love of the arts. I also love performing Sketch and Improv because I am able to create art with others and hopefully make others laugh along the way. Read more>>

Gustavo Castillo | Photographer & Cinematographer

As a child, my passion for creativity ignited through making videos. Whether I was directing and editing skits with friends and family on my trusty camcorder or crafting stop-motion films using my mom’s old Motorola Razor, I found immense joy in storytelling through visuals. However, as I entered my teenage years, I drifted away from this passion, grappling with the insecurities and uncertainties typical of high school life. Read more>>

Aryana Hamzehloo | Actress & Entrepreneur

I pursued an artistic or creative career because I believe it is apart of my life’s purpose. Ever since I was young, I’ve loved performing, theatre, acting. I’m now a professional actress and I get to impact people on a daily basis. I get to help people feel less alone, feel seen, feel represented. I think the most beautiful thing about pursuing an artistic career is the ability to connect – I believe art brings humans together and expresses our emotions in a way that basic words cannot. I love the responsibility and commitment to represent human nature and all walks of life, and to make a positive, lasting impact on this world through my talent and through my art. Read more>>

 Courtney McGinty | Beauty Specialist

My decision to pursue an artistic career was kind of always in my cards I would say. Innately, I am an artist. I have been drawing, painting, and just creating things ever since I could hold a pencil. I have had a profound imagination, even as a child I have always seen the world differently than most of my peers and family members. My mother also played an immensely important part of encouraging me to dream big and to go after those dreams at all costs. As life continued for me, I noticed how my creative expression made people around me view themselves in a better light; and that is when I knew that I just had to see my passion through. I have had countless of cooperate jobs/internships since I was sixteen, and although I thrived in those environments, they never fully satisfied me. I feel closer to God being in my industry of beauty, like He uses me to relay his message to people in an indifferent but unique way. So honestly I do believe that this creative career chose me and I could not be more gratefull. Read more>>