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.

Marina Hernandez | Graphic Designer & Video Editor

Since I was a child, I have always used my imagination and creativity to express myself. Art, music, books and movies have fueled me with inspiration and I have never wanted to do anything else but to make my ideas come to life through graphic design, video edits or visuals. I chose this career as a way to have fun, while also helping others execute their visions. Read more>>

Kiss Meta | Singer, Producer, Creative Director

Art is the bridge between mind and matter, it is all an offering to God. I’m very good at it, and turning it into a stable service for the world is a blessing. Read more>>

Melina Velleman | Photographer & Model

I want to pursue a creative career because I feel that this is the best suite for me. Not only because it’s “art” which to some means easy or fun, but it’s one of the better ways for me, as a photographer, to express myself and my thoughts. I find that I am able to convey feelings and emotions better through an image or photographic series that resonates and invokes deeper conversation with people who view it rather than just sitting down and being asked, “What does this feeling mean to you?” When I’m working with others, I know I am providing them with a service. A service that I am passionate about- capturing these moments and memories for them that they will have and hold. Read more>>

Bryce Cannon | Professional Wrestler

I pursued Professional Wrestling because it was my first love. Professional wrestling is the one thing that I can think of that has always been apart of my life. Whether it was the darkest moments, or even the happiest moments, somehow pro wrestling was there. Professional Wrestling is a childhood dream of mine that I decided to make a reality. Read more>>

Pooja Gade | Henna Artist and Owner of Healing Henna Studios, LLC

Well the thing is, I didn’t really have an option. I tried everything else first; I played violin for 8 years, started school for engineering, dabbled in materials science, then business and nonprofit work for home and abroad (COVID frontline-what a trip, learned a lot about people); meandered over to the local political scene working on a congressional campaign (boy what an interesting room to be in), worked retail and restaurants, and I think it was the hardware store that was my first experience working a more creative job, helping others make and create. After that, I worked at my first art studio for some months. It was a small business, singular owner and her couple employees, making magic connecting with people through creation for over a decade. Read more>>

Tynisha Reneè | Content Creator: Challenging Norms & Normalizing Transparency

I pursued content creation because it became an avenue to feel empowered and utilize my voice. For a large portion of my life, I’ve lacked the confidence to speak about my emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. I come from a family where expressing emotions and being transparent isn’t really a “thing”, which is vastly different than who I am as a person. I launched my YouTube platform ‘TynishaTalks’ during the pandemic and discovered that speaking my mind on camera is the equivalent of writing in a journal for me – it’s my outlet. Read more>>

Liv Peltier | Creative Director & Visual Artist

As a child, I had a very vivid imagination. I saw the world as my personal visual journey. So I created and wrote a lot of fictional stories/images that support my representation of my world. As I got older, when most adults lose theirs, my imagination never died. It was my junior year of highschool that I realized our imagination as a society has been lost. So I wanted to pursue my creative career as a Creative Director/Visual Artist to help bring back imagination, the feeling of unrealistic, impracticality into our society. So many adults gain their imagination again! Read more>>