Artists and creatives face innumerable challenges given that their career path often doesn’t come with a playbook, a steady paycheck or any form of safety net. It’s definitely not easy and so we asked a few of the artists and creatives we admire to talk to us about why they chose to pursue an artistic or creative career.

Tamara Denson

I started training in dance at a late age of fourteen years old. Even though I started training at age fourteen I fell in love with dance at seven years old. My mom was a professional dancer and dance teacher. She danced for cirque du soilel, Whitney Houston, on the TV show Fame, and in several dance companies around the world. Just to name a few things. She’s the one who introduced me to the dance world, she is my inspiration. I have learned a lot about the dance industry from her. Read More>>

Ritzi Lanier

Art has been a part of my life since I was three years old, when my mom enrolled me in my first ballet class. I began acting in church plays at eight years old. I took my first Drama class in the eighth grade and that is when I remember feeling the first spark of love for acting. I decided that I wanted to pursue acting professionally in high school when it was time for me to start thinking about college. Without a doubt I had to go to college, according to my parents, but I didn’t know what the best major was for me because all I wanted to do was perform and nothing else. After visiting different universities that were still close to home and conducted research on their Theatre Departments, I settled on Georgia Southern University and obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a double minor in Business and Spanish.  Read More>>

1ne Chance

Music has always been in my heart. Growing up I was surrounded by many different genres, from hip hop to gospel country r&b etc so I believe that played a role but more than anything I just love the creative process of putting things together, and music became an outlet for me to get things off my chest. Read More>>

Ellie Maney

Art has been a part of my life ever since I could hold a pencil. I’ve always loved drawing—whether it was on scrap paper, napkins, or my school notebooks. Growing up, I spent time going to tattoo shops with my mom and flipping through tattoo magazines, which sparked my interest in the industry. When I was 11, my grandmother arranged for me to take painting lessons with a friend of hers, which is something I will always be grateful for.  Read More>>

 Angela Ray

Creativity is all that I have ever known, even when I was working in a non-creative field. My first job out of college was working as a supervisor in a call center. But while there, I created a newsletter, initiated Super Bowl parties (when we had to call people DURING the Super Bowl) and even created a small catering venture there.

I’m very fortunate that I have multiple outlets to express that creativity (actor, poet, speaker, host, author) that have led to a career. Read More>>