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.

Rashaad King | Artist, Producer, Filmmaker

Since a young age I’ve always felt that music expressed how I felt in a way that I couldn’t put to words. Even now as an artist I feel like music can explain feelings way better than we can with mere conversation. That understanding is what drove me and continues to drive me to be creative. Making art that someone can present and say “This! This explains how I feel perfectly!!” gives me a feeling that is indescribable. Moving the spirit with creation is a blessing. Read more>>

Cherry Cos | Cosplayer & Content Creator

I’ve always done something creative for as long as I can remember. Whether it was writing or art or sewing, it was always something. When I started my cosplay hobby I never thought it would be anything more than just making these costumes by myself, but it didn’t take long for me to realize I wanted to do something more. I wanted to see how much more I could learn and how much better I could get at my crafting skills. I wanted to see who I could reach with my work, because representation always mattered to me. I wanted to see how I could inspire people in the same way others inspired me to be creative. That is where the social media work and the videos and the entertainment all came into play. Read more>>

Iconic Bond | Hip-Hop Artist & Executive Director of The House of Creatives

I began pursuing a career as a hip-hop artist for a few different reasons. Growing up, I was exposed to many different types of music. I come from an Egyptian family so naturally I listened to a lot of Middle Eastern music as well as music from all over the world. I remember when I first heard hip-hop music I thought, man this is amazing. The ability for a hip-hop artist to tell a story, provide their perspective on the story, and show personal emotional impact, blew my mind. As someone who has always been drawn to poetry, hip-hop was able to take poetry, deep poetry, and turn it into a song with rhythm and flow that just hit me hard. Read more>>

Lindsay Purvis | Artist

From a young age I have always enjoyed and made art. I have dabbled in painting and sculpture in the past. For the past few years I have switched gears to making mosaics. The twist is that I make them using puzzle pieces. All of this led me to making a career with my art. Read more>>

Nishant Patel | Digital Media Consultant, Content Creator, Co-Founder Let It Wag, Animal rescue app startup and Guest lecturer for Media.

Being a Dyslexic child I had a difficult childhood where the entire education part was very negative and suffocating for me with no hope for my future, thanks to the diagnosis and the counseling after that for a long time allowed me to gained some confidence about my self and slowly steadily I got into a momentum of self-learning and exploring opportunities in my liking of work, I was always creative since childhood and was always curious with stumbling around art and craft, never did I know how important my curiosity will be for my career. Read more>>

Maria Tavarez | Abstract expressionist artist, writer, mother, spiritualist

I believe the universe kicked me into gear. I started painting again in 2021 while dealing with depression. I was avoiding the things that were weighing me down and it finally reached the point of boiling over. I was crying one morning while working from home listening to meditation music. Wanting to find the cause of the tears, I started painting a mural on my dining room wall. Right there in front of me was my, “why”. The cause of the tears . That was my sign, my voice. I wanted to paint and help others find their voice/truth through art. Read more>>

Samantha Amara | Elopement, Wedding, and Portrait Photographer

I have always loved every aspect of creativity whether that is expressed through music, art, or in my case photography. When I was younger I used to make things out of paper, sing when no one was home, and often take photos of my family on my phone. It was something that made me feel unique and different. I became very passionate in high school with photographer and decided to start my career in that field after I graduated college two years later. Photography is an amazing way to express yourself through creativity and my favorite part is that I can make people feel beautiful. Read more>>

Ky La’Vey | Music Artist

I love music so much! When I was younger, I dreamt of pursuing music but in the early 2000s, most adults then still didn’t see music as a thing people successfully do. I have looked into things like architecture, robotic science, and even teaching when I was young realizing that those things, while interesting, never hold my interest the way music did. I live to create, to learn more about music, to hear new genres and play with them, and to learn new skills in the business of music. It was that realization that made me take note that music was my one constant. No matter how hard this career gets, I can never convince myself to give up. Read more>>

ONICAS GADDIS | Spiritual Expressionism

I was born En Caul (Google). My birth mom Mattie Pearl Walton, Author (God, My Soul Provider, 2014) told me over the phone recently about a vision she was shown during my arrival. She told me that God had shown her that I was to grow up and become a famous artist. I’m 48 now and I was told not to stop doing art through the spirit when I was 7. So I never stopped. Now I’m connected to many important aspects of the history of Art. John Holyfield (Artist) Sarah Carlisle Towery, Artist , (Alabama Art Colony’s namesake) Black Mountain College Museum (permanent collection) Florida Highwaymen Artists (S.M. Wells, Uncle) Read more>>

Eastside Razor | Ceo Of Razy Stadium Entertainment

The crazy thing is, I really feel like this career pursued me. I fell in love with music before i really even knew who I was. That love grew and turned into a constant urge to “come up” with bars, infatuated with creating my own sound as a producer. I don’t consider what i do work due to the high enjoyment level, and the fact that it comes natural. Read more>>

Kendra Burnette | Home Organizer & Interior Designer

I decided to pursue an artistic/creative career because being able to express myself in an artistic manner provides me with the greatest joy in life. Being a creator of any artform is one of the most divine blessings in life. Being a Home Organizer and Designer allows me the opportunity to dive into a world of limitless creativity and artistic expression. My creative process is a therapeutic outlet and I thoroughly enjoy releasing my ideas while curating beautiful spaces for my clients. Read more>>

Krista Bartik | Hairstylist, Educator, Influencer & Podcast Co-Host

When my senior year of high school came around I started to question what it is that I truly wanted out of life. I have always enjoyed doing my friends nails and makeup but never considered it as a career until my high school teacher told me, “do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”. They were not wrong. Read more>>

Arden Coutts | Author

I’ve always been creative, and after years of trying out “normal” jobs, I finally figured out that maybe a creative field would be a better fit. I get to make my own rules, do what I love, and feel like I’m doing something with a purpose. That being said, I do still have a 9-5 that helps me support my creative career, and sometimes it can be a lot, but knowing that I’m working to support doing what I love makes it totally worth it! Read more>>

Megan Clark | Jewelry Designer and Goldsmith

I have found happiness in art for as long as I can remember. I spent a lot of time drawing as a kid, and a lot of time at the Durham Arts Council. I became interested in fashion in high school, and specifically interested in pattern making which led to a scholarship to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design where I discovered metals as a medium. It never felt like a conscious decision; In a lot of ways it feels like it found me. Read more>>

J. Edwards Holt | Author

I pursued a career in writing because I am passionate about storytelling and expressing ideas in a compelling way. I believe in the power of narratives to inspire, provoke thought, and evoke emotions, and I am driven by the desire to share unique perspectives and insights with the world. Read more>>

Exhale Taop | Music Artist & Self-published Author

We grow up in a society where success is usually measured by going to college and working within a career until you reach the age of retirement. I decided to pursue a creative career to feed my soul and show my son that we can do anything we put our hearts to, as long as we work hard at it. I remember growing up and only being influenced to get a degree and find a state job. Once I did start attending college, I didn’t feel passionate about what I was doing. I decided I didn’t want to settle or live up to anyone else’s expectations. Being a music artist and creative has taught me so much about life. Read more>>