Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

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.

Robyn French Smith | Handmade Cosmetic Maker

I started college as a Biology major. And don’t get me wrong, I loved biology. I never really had to study and I still got perfect grades. I would listen to the lectures and then, like magic, all the ideas were just there in my brain, and it was fantastic. The only problem was I just could not seem to pass chemistry which, unfortunately, is an important part of a degree in biology. After my first semester I took an art class to buffer my GPA. It was through that class that I realized that what I loved about biology wasn’t the material, but the ordered artistry of it all, because there is an intrinsic beauty in science. Read more>>

Jourdan Davis | Owner of MxedThoughts LLC and Music Journalist/FreeLancer

I pursued a creative career because it was the one outlet where I felt free. For many years growing up, I had the pleasure of experiencing many different forms of life through the arts, from sports, playing musical instruments, and even academic competitions. The reason why I chose podcasting and music journalism was for two simple things. I believed in my voice, no matter what direction I was headed, it had meaning and it had power. The art of communication is where I felt needed, as I wanted to spark a change in this world and even in local regions of Houston to create and inspire the people about topics and discussions that us minorities don’t speak upon. Read more>>

Jawon Thomas | Graphic Designer / Drafter

I love art and drawing and It has always been a passion of mine to make an impact on peoples lives and businesses through my art. Read more>>

Hasan Yousef | Photographer

The plan heading into College had always been to get some degree that would land me a job that paid good enough to where I could fund my own hobby in Photography and Videography. I thought I’d continue doing that until it reached a point where I didn’t need that original job anymore and I could be financially set and free to pursue my hobby as a full time job. As we all know, things never really turn out exactly as we plan and after some health problems I had dropped out of College completely. Read more>>

Parker Konchalski | Tattoo Artist & Printmaker

I’ve always known that I was meant to create things larger than myself. The creative process is something that allows you to access undertakings far greater than just existing, and brings meaning to whatever life you choose to live. I’d always felt like not pursuing art in the ways that I wanted would bottle and subdue the endless well of imagination that everyone has within them. There is a delicate dichotomy between existing and living that remains untapped for so many people, and choosing to pursue tattoo artistry in particular not only connected myself with boundless creativity, but also the creative dreams of others. Being able to facilitate the artistic control over other people’s bodies and support them in adorning themselves with their greatest loves and joys has been boundless in emotional rewards, and I cannot imagine living any other way. Read more>>

Dallas McMahon-Williams | Foodie and Probation Officer

Even though I am still working a full time job in my field of study, I decided to pursue creating a foodie Instagram page because I wanted to share my love of food with others. I am very familiar with social media platforms, and I have always been interested in content creating. My current career doesn’t allow for anything artistic, so venturing into the world of content creating has opened a new world of creation for me. Read more>>