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.

Liz Chappie-Zoller | Contemporary Mixed Media Artist

After years of grinding away at “job-jobs” – you know, the ones that pay the mortgage and provide a regular paycheck and a Monday through Friday routine – I was fortunate enough to come across a business development course offered by our state arts council and written expressively for visual artists, which helped me find my way as a small business owner in the creative sector. Read more>>

Nancy Rimbergas | Founder

I love supporting art and the artists behind the pieces. My house is covered in a wallpaper of original artwork that my husband and I have collected while travelling and from our favorite talented artist friends. It was always a dream of mine to be able to create something that added joy into the lives of others. Personally, I believe that the gorgeousness of our desert landscape needs to be celebrated for its amazing patterns, colors, and textures. Read more>>

Amarpreet Suri | Aesthetician/ Nail technician & Educator

It was inevitable that I would one day find myself drawing and creating wearable fashion on the body and eventually taking it seriously as a career path. Pursuing my passion with purpose is particularly important to me, without a purpose the chances of failure are quite high, which includes quitting one career path and moving on to another without truly giving it your all. Read more>>

Garrick Hoffman | Photographer & Actor

As hackneyed or clichè as it sounds, I truly feel like I’m the embodiment of “I didn’t choose this profession; the profession chose me.” I never had aspirations to become a photographer, although I’ve always been a creative. But my original dreams were more in music and writing – I was obsessed with playing guitar and I wrote for my student newspaper for three years in college, so I thought maybe I could pursue a career in something in that realm. Read more>>

David Quintanilla, PMP | Travel Photographer & Project Manager

Ever since I was a kid, I have been telling stories. Whether it was through my writing in the form of plays or through short films, I enjoyed sharing what was in my head with the world. However, as adulthood and its accompanying responsibilities gradually took over my life., Read more>>