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.

Katy Lemieux | Co-Owner, Talking Animals Books; Writer

Katy: I was writing about the arts locally in Dallas-Fort Worth when I got my start. I had an idea about a feature on the many theaters run by women in the metroplex. Of course, no one wanted to hire a brand new freelance writer when so many seasoned ones were out there. A now-defunct website called TheaterJones hired me to write a few features here and there about local theater. Read more>>

Meghan Rossi | Creator, Marketer, & Planner

Since I was a child, I have always loved creating and thinking outside the box. I was always the kid who got in trouble for being too chatty in class, daydreaming, and of course – drawing. I think being artistic is an outlet for so many, myself included. I remember our 4th grade counselor, Ms. Samples, telling us “to find something you love and find a way to make money doing it” and I think that tidbit from nearly 25+ years ago really stuck with me. Read more>>

Hacer Selin Cebesoy | Illustrator

I can say that I started walking this path when I was a child, because as far back as I can remember I was drawing on the street, in the margins of notebooks or books at school, and when I started to get to know myself I realized that drawing was my best way of expression, but it was like keeping a diary for me, it was not a serious career goal. That’s why I had many detours on this path that I took my first step on in my childhood, and we had just entered the pandemic period when I decided to choose an artistic path only. Read more>>

Young Marrs | Musician/Artist

I guess you could say I’ve always been exposed and involved in the music industry growing up. My father’s side of the family ran a record label called ‘Big Gun Records” in the early 2000s managing, producing, and promoting the likes of Big Gemini, Blast, and Unkut while working with artists like Play N Skillz, DSR, Bun B from UGK, Akon and Scarface. So I’ve always been surrounded by incredible musicians who have shown me that a career in music is very possible. Read more>>

Diane Reis | Floral Artist and Visual Arts Advocate

Moving into a creative career was second nature for me as I moved out of teaching junior high science to exploring my creative skills when my husband and I decided to start our family. For me, being creative is like breathing. It settles my soul when I am in the creative process. You cannot worry and create at the same time. I grew up in Dallas, in our family floral business, so the elements of design and color came naturally to me. Read more>>

Arpita Goel | Cake Artist

Artistic expression can take many forms, and for me it’s expressed through cake decoration. Just as a painter uses a blank canvas to create a masterpiece, I see cakes as my canvas. The creative freedom I find in decorating cakes allows me to convey my positive emotions and thoughts. Each cake becomes a unique work of edible art where I can express my joy, creativity, and happiness, making it a delightful experience for both me and my clients. Read more>>

Ryan (Parallel) Parker | Rapper/Singer/Songwriter for Parallel Parker

I have always been a musician at heart. My family talks about when I was three years old, coming home from church I would be singing the songs and making up random nonsensical lyrics that my family still sings to this day. I was living in the Dakotas and wanted to play drums. My dad, Ron E. Parker, told me I should start on piano to get a solid understating of music, which at the time I didn’t like but now I am grateful I did. By age nine, I was performing in small churches for my dad who led worship and needed a consistent drummer. Read more>>

Carroll F. Burgoon, III | Artist-Scientist

I made a conscious decision to be a stoic scientist at ANSP (Acad. Nat. Sci. of Phila.) and not an expressive artist. One way or another I wanted to help others, as many as possible. I was 4 1/2 y/o. My older sister, my playmate and leader had tragically, suddenly died. I came to believe it reawakened my dad’s PTSD. I lived in a hellish world surrounded by all the goodies that two world famous medical doctors could have. More than anything I desperately had to know what happened in our family, and to me, and why I was the way I was. Read more>>