We asked some of the city’s leading artists and creatives to tell us about how they decided to pursue an artistic or creative career. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Tessa Porter | Baker & mother

Creative expression has been an essential part in combating some very difficult mental health struggles and big life changes I have experienced all throughout my life. I didn’t always feel confident or energized by other types of work or subjects in school as an adolescent. Then, when I became a mother and experienced some other major life changes all at once, I began to lose a sense of who I was. I knew that I could come back to baking and creating and find myself, so that’s what I did. It started very small and I’ve been slowly learning and growing as time goes on. Read more>>

Ethan Clifton | Creative Director & Entrepreneur

I couldn’t fathom anything else! My first job was as a graphic designer for an independent film company in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas at 16, and I’ve been making stuff ever since. I’ve been a woodworker, designer, printmaker, beer brewer, freelancer, and muralist, and I’ll jump on any creative avenue out there. As long as I’m making something, I’m happy. Whether that’s clothing with LONERBRAND, brewing beer and designing for Swine City, or running my new kitchen, “Underdog’s”, and everything in between. Read more>>

Kayla Palmer | Fashion Photographer

It didn’t feel like a choice honestly. I remember thinking about how I would feel later in life if I never pursued photography professionally and that scenario scared me. I was experiencing somewhat of a mid-2os crisis during COVID and reevaluating my life as a whole so these thoughts were swarming around in my head constantly. I was lacking fulfillment and my job at the time wasn’t aligned with my values. I think it would always feel like I never got to know that side of myself if I left photography on the backburner as a frivolous idea. Read more>>