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.

Hugo Ivan Juarez | Artist/Yardero/Texican

I pursued an artistic career simply because I found joy in doing it. Art then became a gateway for the furthering of my education. In 2020 the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth held a Mark Bradford exhibition. In his artist talk with the museum he mentioned the idea of separating what you do as an artist with what you do to pay the bills. He also said that eventually it is possible to bridge those two ideas, but it is a very slow process. While in Dallas and more specifically during the day I work for my father as a Yardero. The time I have outside of manual labor is spent progressing my career as an artist. I am currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I am a first-year graduate student in the Printmedia department, and I am having the time of my life. It is difficult for me to say that in such a dark time in history, but I want to be as present as possible. Read more>>

Vic Esparza | Co-Founder / Cafe Director of Lazy Daisy Coffee Bar

Coffee is one of the most artistic and creative pathways I have come across. I have been entranced by coffee shops since I was in high school, and knew that I wanted to pursue coffee in some way throughout my life. I had originally gone to college for Horticulture and Urban Farming, and even though I enjoyed that path for life, something kept bringing me back to this one interest. There was something about the intricacy and science behind coffee brewing that has always intrigued me. The openness to experimental thought and team innovation seemed too good to be true. Obviously like any other industry, it has its ups and downs, but there’s a community within coffee that represents each and every one of us. I was never built for an office job, and definitely not made to walk around in a suit all day. I am able to be a professional within this industry, while still being able to express myself in a way that feels comfortable to me. I am also able to create an environment for my team that allows them the same comforts and safety of self-expression. Even with a 4 am wake up time, I still find myself falling in love with coffee more and more. It truly is an industry worth fighting for. Read more>>

Morojuoluwa Oke | Music Artist, Song Writer, Vocalist. Producer, Software Engineer

I think the biggest factor that led to me pursuing music and a career as an artist was my passion for music . I knew I had the talent within me growing up, I sang for the fun of it, so I decided to join the choir at a very young age, and I’ve been in the choir since then, although I didn’t officially drop a song until 2016 and it’s been up since then. Read more>>