We asked some of the most creative folks we know to open up to us about why they chose a creative career path. Check out their responses below.

Schantel Shay OmyGod” McCrary | Multi Award winning Celebrity Host

I am Shay Omygod, I pursued this artistic and creative career because it chose me! God gifted me with a strong voice that could reach people and a great personality to make me relatable. When I was younger I hated my voice because it was raspy but as I gotten older opportunities came to me where I could use this voice to make money and to be a great role model for young girls. Before I was embarrassed of it, now I love it and embrace it! Read more>>

Ji Woo Jung | Actor

As an actor, my love for stages has been a constant companion since my youth. The allure of spotlights has always captivated me, and witnessing my friends, or any audience, relishing my stage presence has been a source of immense joy. Throughout my performances, friends and family often remarked on the myriad of facial expressions I exhibited, a sentiment particularly cherished by my mom. The journey toward becoming an actor began with a transformative experience during a musical in elementary school. Read more>>

Keys Harper | Entrepreneur Mogul

I have chosen a career in the artistic and creative realm to purposefully channel my mental health challenges into a productive and expressive outlet. The act of being creative serves as a powerful means to alleviate anxiety and fosters a sense of freedom for me. Additionally, I am driven by a desire to motivate and inspire others facing similar struggles to explore their own creative outlets as a constructive tool in managing mental health. Read more>>

BeatsByHod | Music Producer

At a young age, I become inspired to do music, it’s always been my passion and something I always wanted to be a part of. I started off rapping at first, really wasn’t inspired by too many at the time. I just know I wanted to make music and have fun with it. I started recording myself when I was in elementary school using a tape cassette. As I got older, I started using programs on the computer, teaching myself the basics of the program enough to where I could get the sound to come back out of the computer speakers and hooking it up to the computer to get a recording signal. I enjoyed using a small board to record. I liked the quality of how it came out. Read more>>

Jamya Smith | Clothing brand & college student

I pursued the creative career, because when I was young I always had an artistic passion. I was always shy and it was hard to talk about my feelings so I always expressed my emotions through paintings or my clothes. I love drawing, writing, and fashion so much that I knew one day I’m going to use these skills in the future. Read more>>

Trevor Mugambi | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

I chose to pursue a career in the creative field because I had always had a passion for art and design. I believe that good design combained with creative thinking leads to impressive work. Read more>>

Fabiano Montesano | Famoe / Rap Artist

Everything started with my early fascination with Michael Jackson and the ability to perform his choreographies at a young age showcase a natural inclination for the arts. The stage feels like my home, and adding music later reinforced my passion. Pursuing my artistic or creative career often stems from a deep sense of fulfillment and joy derived from the creative expression. I just love what I‘m doing and being me. Read more>>

Teddy Sambol | Actor & Circus Performer

I chose a creative career because there were times when it honestly felt like I had no other choice. I’ve been consuming other peoples’ stories and creating my own for as long as I can remember, and I can’t imagine a life without art. I’m lucky enough to have access to environments like the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern where I’ve been able to explore different aspects of my creative calling, and I can’t wait to bring everything I’ve learned and continue to learn into my future career. Read more>>

Jade Renee | Creative Agency Founder & Educator

I’ve always been obsessed with designing and channeling my inner creativity into visual art. Growing up, I’d always sneak on the computer to play with Microsoft Paint when my parents were sleep LOL. It’s always been my passion. Fast-forward to college at Tennessee State University where I graduated with a degree in Mass Communications because I thought I’d have a career in TV and Radio but while doing college radio shows, I’d be designing random things in Photoshop. Students in the Performing Arts Building would walk past me designing and ask if I could design their graduation invites. Once that happened, I realized I could get paid for my craft. I never thought it was a lucrative hobby until the entire school began wanting invitations. Read more>>

Will Harris (Dieumoda) | Multi-Medium Artist

To live in a world that feels off-kilter, is a point of view that many share but may never voice. That’s been my experience from the day I was born. Most children say “mom” or “dad” as their first word, mine was “shoppin”; true story. I always went against the grain, it’s in my DNA. I can’t do anything normal. If I see a crowd of 500 walking one way, I’m going the other – that’s the heart of artistry. I create to bring new ideals to light. I create to bring people together. Art is able to transcend cultures, time, theologies, dimensions; it’s ethereal. I appreciate the fact that it’s powerful and through mastery you can become immortal. Read more>>

John Machesky | Actor & Model

I always said I would be an electrical engineer when I was growing up and asked what I would do. I was surrounded by theater my whole life, I was in the play in elementary, my best friend’s dad worked at the local theater and we would usher to see shows, and my first girl friend growing up went to the summer theater and I was parking cars there before I had my drivers license. We moved my junior year of high school so I transferred schools, the new school saw I had theater on my transcript so they threw me in another theater class (even though I had only done it to get an art credit on my transcript). At the new school if you were in theater class you had to audition for the play. Read more>>

Jereal Thomas | Content Creator, Graphic Designer, & Photographer

I’ve always had an eye and ear for the entertainment industry, and my creativity is one of my strongest traits. When I officially started my creative work and realized how empowered I felt from putting a smile on people’s faces through my content, I knew being a creative was what God called me to do. Read more>>

Sarah Dalton | Floral Designer & Artist

From a young age, I’ve always had an overactive imagination. I’ve used many mediums throughout the trajectory of my artistic growth; painting, drawing, collaging, ceramics, cooking, music, and floral arranging. I’m a very tactile learner, so the tangibility of a creative career and getting to work with my hands is important. To me, art provides a platform for self-discovery and reaching new heights within my own creativity, and allows me to share my unique perspective and experience with the world. It allows me a way to communicate my feelings in a meaningful way! Read more>>

J. Foster | R&B Singer-Songwriter

I decided to pursue a creative career because it’s what always felt right. Being creative was something that always came natural, I didn’t have to force it. I feel my purpose is tied to being creative. It’s only right I use my gifts to strive for something bigger then me. Read more>>

Justin Harris | Photographer

My pursuit of a career in art boils down to my compulsive desire to create. Through my camera, I’m able to convey thoughts and feelings in ways that are both easily understood and inexplicable. It’s a language I speak better than English. My career in art exists because I exist to create art in a world that demands it be a career. More importantly, my documentary work on Auburn/Opelika has brought joy to many people’s lives and that is ultimately more important than my own reasons and compulsions for creating. Read more>>

Christopher Garofalo | Ninja Master

I always knew that I would end up doing something artistic and creative for a living. Whether it was being a drummer in a rock band, a fine artist, or a film maker. I couldn’t image doing anything else. Read more>>

Kierra Wilson | Graphic Designer & Content Creator

From the time I was a young child, I knew that I saw the world differently. The ability to explore the ideas or mind produces, then to take that idea and physically form it in my hands, it’s such a satisfying feeling. I knew no matter what job or industry I entered, I understood I did not want to limit my creative abilities. Read more>>