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.

Keocia Perry | R&B/Pop Artist &Songwriter

Since I was a little girl, I’ve always knew that it was my destiny to be an entertainer. I love to put on a show and be the center of attention when I step in a room. Singing and dancing is my passion and something that I’m very great at doing. I get excited to see my fans faces while hearing them sing my lyrics. I’ve always knew I would pursue being an artist because I create daily and I don’t like to work for people. I rather be my own boss and have 100% control of my creativity. I can write, sing, and dance how I want without having to answer to anyone. Being an artist allows you to color outside of the lines instead of being boxed in with society. Being free to be me is why I chose to pursue my dreams in the entertainment industry. Read more>>

Madison Fox | Photographer & Set Designer

I chose to pursue a creative career because I feel the most at home when I am creating. The entire process from initial brainstorming to final photos makes me so incredibly happy. Often times, you are told that being an artist is not a stable enough career to pursue, but what matters most is how excited you are to wake up each day; creating gives me that feeling. Read more>>

Andy Post | Studio Photographer

I thought I’d start with an easy one. As a kid, I loved photography. I was always fascinated by the sharpness and the other worldly look of a black and white negative. My family’s camera (yeah….WAY before cell phones) was a Yashica twin lens reflex. It was really hard to use as left and right were reversed in it. But the images were beautiful. While I was still in High School, I got my first SLR (Canon) and started working in earnest. Photography was never a career goal. I was always the math/engineering type and all the kids in my High School went into medicine, and things like that. So…I went into pre-med with an eye to psychiatry. In my first year, I was shooting for the school paper on the side. It turns out there was a REAL reason the Princeton turned me down as a math major. Read more>>

Dustin Coffman | Vocalist & Bassist

Music is an obligation that we’re required to participate in. Strictly for our own benefit, it’s something we can’t function properly without. There’s something about writing that allows us to vent emotion and give our meaningless lives a modicum of purpose. I wish the answer was more profound than that, we simply need to do it. Read more>>

Elisha Floyd | Alternative Fashion Influencer & Freelance Model

I decided it was the right time to pursue an artistic career focusing on making myself a small platform in alternative fashion when I started to realize I was enjoying my side hobbies and passions more then the other career I was currently working on. It really inspired me seeing others putting their focus onto their passions and working hard to build themselves a voice to talk about what they loved, it really made me want to do the same about my passions as well knowing anything can be possible. Read more>>

Mark Deuber MD | Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Plastic surgery is the field in Medicine I chose to pursue because it is unique in allowing me to combine the meticulous and technical aspects of surgery with my artistic/creative side that is such a big piece of who I am. My creative outlets include photography, cooking, painting and obviously my chosen career. I can’t imagine not having that side of me shine through all of my pursuits. Read more>>

Lynné Bowman Cravens | Contemporary Artist & Gallery Manager

I have always been interested in art. Even as a child, I was always drawing or creating something. My mom is an artist, and my father was a hobby photographer. They tried to make sure my brother and I had lots of creative outlets growing up. I feel very lucky to have parents that encouraged my artist side and supported my decision to go into the arts professionally. I don’t remember making a conscious decision to pursue an artistic career, it always seemed like the logical thing to do. For me it’s about feeling like I am contributing something important through my work, but also gaining something through that process. Being an artist and working in a university gallery gives me the opportunity for both. Read more>>

Charlie J Memphis | Musician & Songwriter

There are two answers to this; Intimacy and communication. Intimacy is such a special feeling when both the entertainer and the entertained share a moment of emotion invoked by song (if not by the music or words.) But communication has a special place in my heart. Cause I couldn’t speak a word till I was five and even after that I still had trouble properly speaking without slurring all my words. So having the ability now to communicate emotions and thoughts coherently feels like a near blessing if anything else. Read more>>

SARRA | Artist

Pursuing a career in the arts was never a question for me. Growing up in a musical family, performing and creating came very naturally to me. It hasn’t always been easy staying the course but I’ve never wanted to do anything else with my life but music. Read more>>

Jaime “Jimmy” Aranda | Musician & Designer

As a kid, I was always intrigued by letters, and I loved music. I would ask my mom to play the La Bamba movie ALL the time – it was my favorite. I honestly had no clue how I’d tie my admiration for letters and my love for music together in my life and career, but I found a way. Read more>>

Singchun Chen | Art teacher & Artist

I love to experience the diversity of life. Whenever I have keen and bright insight, I feel the breathing and pulsating, a fresh life. If we notice what we are doing every day, we will find that is having reaction to our senses immediately most of the time. Decision is made according to what we perceive. For example: Should I turn right or turn left to approach my destination more efficiently, or how shall I react when I am facing a person on the street? These perceptions keep us busy, we forget why we are here. Through combination of visual form and intellectual thinking, artistic expression becomes my daily practice to connect this world. It is quite similar to practicing mindfulness for me. I can step back and see, notice the space before I take the reaction. Read more>>

JD Williams | Media Guru & Positive Influencer

The reason I pursued an artistic/creative career is, because I was brought up around art…especially music. Growing up I always wanted to entertain. From telling jokes, performing in front of people, doing things to make people laugh and feel good about themselves. So, then I knew that was something I was called to do. All the people I’ve encountered has told me how much I’ve made an impact on them in some type of way, because of my creativity. Read more>>

BOGGUS | Vocalist, Producer & Songwriter

It may come across at first seeming selfish, but I pursue music for me. It’s my way of expressing myself. When I write lyrics they are just an expression or just facts about my life and the things around it. When I produce for another artist it’s just me putting a splash of my soul on their project through in instrument or piece of production. And when I perform that is the highest purest form of me period. My art is not my identity but helps outsiders get perspective on my identity. And those who resonate with the music are those who I know I can resonate with because it’s deeper than just a surface level connection. Read more>>