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.

Jake B | Nerd Tattooer & Pyrographer

I suppose that creation is one of the foundations in all life. It felt right to me to purse that intuition, as best as I can, in the society we’re born into. Feeling lost and trapped from rough upbringings, as many people often are, it became clear to me that creating was like a remedy. I saw the way it made others around me smile, and that drove me to chase any career that allowed me that privilege. As a child my family moved frequently all over Arizona and the Southwest. Making it tricky to find roots in what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was uplifted by the grace of creativity though. Music, fine art, film, literature, comic books, etc… all became my references for a positive adulthood. At some point I realized that these were major careers. The kind that made so many people smile, and that made me ambitious to feed my creative instincts. Read more>>

Mikaela Rizik | Photographer

I have always been passionate about photography, and then with the quarantine I had time to pursue this creative endeavor. It has really taken off. Going down a creative path has taught me so much about myself. Read more>>

Noelle Salinas | Owner and Chef

I love to create! I was always involved in an art as a child. Whether it be actual art (drawing, coloring, crafting), or art like dance, music, song, it was my passion to be creative. Both my parents loved to cook, and I feel this gave me an edge from my inception. From as early as 6 years old, I consistently told my mom, I want to cook. The desire never left me. Her love for cooking caused us to create meals together and have friends over to share in what we made. I was probably one of few children that had a subscription to cooking magazines, but loved them. Would always pick something from each one that I wanted to make. My mother also pushed me to try new foods, and not be picky. Both my parents passed away, my father when I was young, my mom while I was in college, but I know they’re both the reason why I pursued a creative career. Read more>>