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.

Taylor (TayBae) Van Slett | Artist & Photographer

Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was given free reign to express myself as a child. As I grew older, I began developing different artistic talents that allowed me to help others express themselves- whether that was what they saw through one of my paintings, bringing their brand to life by helping them with logo design, or simply reflecting their own beauty back at them through photography. The look on someone’s face when my work lights up their own imagination is why I continue to pursue an artistic career. Read more>>

Evgeniia Darland | Tattoo artist

Since I was a kid, I was always drawing..sometimes it felt like I don’t do anything else than that! It was my only good skill that eventually folrmed my whole life! I went to art school while being in high school and then chose to get architect degree. It was a start point to get art more work like. Read more>>

Prop The Producer | Music Producer & Engineer

Music has been apart of my life as far as i can remember. Most of my family members has some sort of musical background singing dancing or playing an instrument so it was only natural for me to gain my own curiosity to experiment. I started off writing songs and just had to find a way to take my music to the next level so i developed and interest in production and engineering so i could make songs easier and faster. Read more>>

Emily Mancini | Herbal Apothecary Owner and Energy Healer

As a child I was always creating. I was raised with a ton of love and the idea that hard work got you all the things in life you could possibly want. We didn’t have a lot growing up, I was raised by a single mother, and all areas of life were rationed. So if there was something I wished to have, I had to come up with the funds to get it on my own. The go getter in me at an early age found a way to sell my creations and magic potions to neighbors and such to afford the things I wanted. Read more>>