Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges. We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to pursue a creative career.

Tiara Slater | Fashion Designer, Wardrobe Stylist, and Artist

I chose a life of artistic endeavors because that is what I see and experience every single day…ART. Since childhood, I have taken a likeness in noticing the beauty in all things, whether it be considered good or bad, societally. I grew up admiring the way the leaves grew, changed, fell, flew, and rebirthed through the Mississippi season changes. Read more>>

Tamika Jackson | Costume Designer for TV & Film

You know, being in an artistic career is something that resonated with me deep inside, even as a child, long before I knew all the different possibilities out there. I remember being enrolled in dance classes at the age of four, and I thought maybe that was it—maybe that was my calling. But then I discovered the world of design and realized that interior or fashion design could be my path. One thing was clear from the start: math was not my strong suit, so I knew that wasn’t the direction for me. Read more>>

LONELY BOY | Singer-Songwriter

I pursued my music to tell my side of the story. Bring an authentic vulnerable and eclectic feeling to music that is reminiscent of the late 90’s and 2000’s. I experienced by first heartbreak at 26 years old and haven’t known what pain felt like from an emotional standpoint, I decided to transfer all that pain into my artistic career. I’ve shared a-lot of stages with incredible canadian acts throughout in cities like Montreal and Toronto. Read more>>

Peytan Gibbs | Content creator & Hair stylist

I pursued am artistic/creative career because I am am an artistic/creative person. Ever since I was born I was always the hand on creative child. I loved to build and make things out of nothing. I have 2 siblings, an 20 year old brother and a 15 year old sister I’m the middle child. I was the one in school that never fit in. I was the one always being left out of the joke. I was the one who sat alone during lunch. Read more>>

Emily Vulaca | Scientist | Dancer | Model | Entrepreneur

Working in the medical field for 12 years has been rewarding, but I wanted to pursue something that also allowed me to sharpen my artistic/creative ability and direct artistic expression. Dance, as in many cultures, is one of the major pillars of my Fijian culture. It is how we tell our stories and record historical and cultural ideals for the ages. Read more>>

ROLLA MusicSmileWitME | Singer-Songwriter

Why I AM pursuing an artistic/creative career is, every since I can remember as a little girl I’ve been singing (I came out of my mother’s womb singing) and would sing along with my mother as a young toddler. I’ve always been attracted to the arts (ALL ART) mimicking different cartoon characters to stand-up comedians. Read more>>

Tom Bender | Songwriter & Musician

Music has always been a passion of mine, especially song writing. Music helped me get through some of my darkest times and I wanted to be able to use the songs I write to bring others the some hope music gave me. The songs I write are inspired by years of my personal life experiences, mentoring, counseling, general story telling and poetic writings. One of the best ways you can express your feelings is simply through listening to music. Music will always have a special place that will spark emotions and memories! Read more>>

Rasheed & R. Saeed Green | Creators of ‘The Urbans’

If one is creative, then they usually find a way to express it. My brother and I always knew how to tell stories. And, I felt like – if the story was interesting to me, then I’m pretty sure it’ll be interesting to others. And, from the looks of our early film festival entries, I guess we were right (haha!) Read more>>

Takeya Glenn | Makeup Artist + CEO

Many people pursue artistic or creative careers because I have a passion for creating and expressing myself through various mediums such as music, art, and writing but my favorite is beauty. I have been drawn to this form of expression from a young age and have developed my skills and talents over time. Read more>>

Yaxeni Rivera | Leader (Accordion player & Voice) of Los Luzeros de Rioverde

“I have the belief that when we’re born God gives us many paths choose from. I don’t think this is a path that we chose. God chose to put us on this path and we are very in love with what we do and grateful.” – Yaxeni Read more>>

Bethany Jones | Interior Designer

I’ve known for a very long time that I wanted to do something creative as a career. While I didn’t quite know what that “thing” would be, I have always loved to create. As many do, I followed a more traditional, corporate career path out of college; but, during those years, I explored a handful of ideas, none of which stuck. It wasn’t until my husband and I built our current home in 2018 that my love for design was uncovered. Read more>>

Fenix Lobo | Artist

I decided to pursue a creative career because I found that art allows me to express myself in infinitive ways and connect with others in the process. My love for art began at an early age, thanks to my mother and sister, who encouraged me to communicate my thoughts and emotions through various mediums and introduced me to many artists such as Frida Khalo, Salvador Dali, and Georgia O’Keeffe. It wasn’t until college that I realized that creating art was something I wanted to continue eternally. Read more>>

Asia “Audrā” Hodnett | Performing Artist & Aspiring Filmmaker

I chose to pursue a creative career because it restored power I chose to lose control of, attempting to fulfill society’s norms of “being successful.” Being a creative allows me to change the narratives of my vulnerabilities and truths, into a concept that can be purely passed on as encouragement, love, and beauty. Read more>>

Deion “D Fist” Peoples | Rapper & Content Creator

I feel creativity is central to me and everyone else. Without being too philosophical, I believe all careers have a strong creative elements in them although often unrecognized. Being an entertainer allows me to express creativity openly, inspiring some feeling or experience. With the vision of encouraging people to create with more mindfulness, this path is so aligned to who I am. Read more>>