We were fortunate to catch up with some brilliant artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from throughout the Houston area and they share the wisdom with us below.

Mike Colbert | Artist / Designer

How do I define success? The way I define success is by the things I’m able to achieve on a daily basis. To me success is not some distant point of time in the future but a daily path I set for myself once the blessing of a new day is given to me. The questions I ask myself every day; How can I build upon the skills I have? Where do I devote my energy to become better in all aspects of my life? Yes, by nature I think I am an artist, a creative being but how do I use my creative talent to maximize my success every day? Read more>>

Sa’Kiyha Matthews | Model

If it doesn’t motivate me to go harder or even benefit me in a positive way it isn’t for me to keep going. It’s hard to stay motivated sometimes, but regardless of who cheers for you always remember to celebrate yourself. We put so much pressure on ourselves that we rarely even take the time to admire the small and big things that have been accomplished during the journey. Many of the things you’ve dreamed of wanting to do since you were a kid you are doing and have done, so let that be a piece of self motivation. Read more>>

Billy Sullivan | Professional Musician

Generally speaking, the music business is all about taking risks. In the beginning when you’re young, making music was all that mattered and it was fun. Live music in Cleveland in the 70’s was big business so you had to have that mindset. Like any business, you reach for goals. I am fortunate that I was able to maintain a living by playing music. It’s been my occupation since 1975. The only time I wasn’t employed was the pandemic, thankfully like most of my musical colleagues, I was able to get back working. Read more>>

Kim Blan | Illustrator & Fine Artist

There’s so much that makes me happy, but to narrow it down to a few things I would say; Art, people, and my community. Kind of an obvious answer, I know, but the rush of excitement when I have a new idea for painting and going through the creation process is probably one of my favorite feelings in the world. How the world around me can inspire my work is something I am still finding out as to what exactly makes me tick, it can be something as simple as just the other day on a walk I saw a mailbox that looked like it had quite some time in the sun, my imagination starts running wild and coming up with a story for this little mailbox and characters to go along with it. Read more>>

Molly Kreuzman | Program Director of Ohio Goes to the Movies and filmmaker/Ohio film industry advocate

Just how broad and deep the film industry is across our state and how deep our role is in it all. Legendary actors like Lillan Gish, Clark Gable, Doris Day, Dorothy Dandridge and Paul Newman are all Ohioans. Today we can add to that prestigious list the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Sheen, Halle Berry, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monae and Ellen Griswold herself, Beverly D’Angelo. But before there were stars there had to be films and a way to show them. Thanks to a guy named Thomas Edison of Mylan, Ohio, who invented the Kinetoscope, we were on our way. Read more>>

Hannah Moulen | Artist & Printmaker

My ultimate goal, first and foremost is to maintain an artistic practice. I hope that creating things never takes a “backseat” to anything else professionally. Knowing that universities often encourage their faculty and staff to continue personal research while they inspire students to follow similar passions. For this reason, I think that a higher education institution is where I hope to land a job. Read more>>