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.

Christine Gosch | Photography Studio Owner

There wasn’t much other choice, to be honest. As creatives, we have this pull to bring new ideas and projects to life. When I am in scenarios where I’m not creating, my mental health pays the price. I had a couple of late teens/ early twenties jobs that were not in the creative industry and I felt like I was drowning, simply hating that I wasn’t doing something I love. Read more>>

Kimberly Simon | Resin Artist

I started this as a hobby after losing my job for a bit. After a while I had people asking me to make custom items for them and it just grew from there. I had a lot of pieces I had made and no where to display them so they could be sold, so I started looking in to markets and ever since my first one I haven’t stopped. It’s been 3 years of doing this professionally and I love it. The highs, the lows, the unexpected achievements along the way have been immensely worth it. Read more>>

Viva Vidalia | Drag Performer and Costume Designer

I honestly never really saw myself doing anything else. Performing and designing felt like the most natural thing in the world. When I decided to choose performance and design as a career it felt like I had finally found my place in the world. Read more>>

Haley Welch | Business Owner & Artist

In 2020, the pandemic provided an unexpected opportunity to explore my creative side hustle, SwaggieScript. With a few strategic pivots (no more farmer’s markets to sell crafts) and a willingness to embrace new challenges (started painting on storefront windows during the holidays), I began receiving inquiries about permanent murals. By early 2021, my husband and I made the decision to fully commit to SwaggieScript, transitioning into large-scale mural work. Read more>>

Padon Suber

Music has always been a passion of mine. In my younger days, I would write and compose songs, but they remained tucked away on paper. It wasn’t until I started sharing my work with friends and companions, who gave me tremendous feedback, that I realized my art deserved to be shared. Their encouragement made me see that others could relate to the themes in my music and that I had a natural talent for songwriting and creating. From that moment, I decided to take a leap of faith and step away from the conventional 9-to-5 job. I’ve never looked back since. Read more>>