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.

Dr. Parvinder Mehta | Poet, educator and scholar

I have to say that I never aimed for a creative career actively. Over the years, teaching undergraduate-level writing, literature, and film courses, I have taught my students to apply analysis and critical reading tools to understand how writers persuade and evoke specific feelings to convince us of their perspectives. Through close reading of literary texts, they would understand the intricacies of the written words. I have always loved how words provoke our minds to imagine and think. I am a Sikh American, so I am interested in Sikh issues also. We have very few Sikh writers in the diaspora who write poetry in English, so I know that our representation matters. I wrote my first poem showing a Sikh man wearing a turban. After finishing the poem, I sent it for publication where it was well-received. Getting encouragement from friends and readers, I started writing more poems and found the act of writing poems quite engaging. Thus, began my journey with writing poetry to self-affirm, remember our people’s histories, and learn from what has happened in this post-9/11 world and is currently happening in the 21st century. In essence, my poetry touches upon various experiences that are linked with the experiences of being a minority. My poetry is also about the emotional journey taken by many immigrants, and refugees who wish to dream about a world that not only accepts and acknowledges but also validates them. My poetry is about resistance and rebellion against oppression that subjugates our humanity. The ideas of homes and homelessness, the process of moving from one home to another, while being nostalgic and learning to regroup common ideas that many of us face. I have talked about Sikhs and Sikh experience in a few poems; many of my poems can relate to a teenager who encountered bullying, and communities who suffered hate crimes, racism, and other forms of prejudice. I am grateful that my debut poetry collection, On Wings of Words, is out in this world and has received readerly love from all parts of the world. Read more>>

Skylar Speedwell | Photographer and Interdisciplinary Artist

For me, pursuing an artistic career wasn’t really a question, it was a no-brainer. Art has always been an integral part of my life and upbringing – my grandfather is a painter, and other members of my family were graphic designers, musicians, and general lovers of art. As a young person, I picked up a camera. I started capturing photographs and videos, and later began carrying around a film camera. When I began my education at Kendall College of Art and Design and eventually made my way into the darkroom, that’s when things really clicked for me. Making art has become very healing and cathartic for me, as well as fulfilling. Additionally, seeing how other people react, interact with, and relate to my work has really changed my mindset. I have found that it’s okay to not know exactly what you want to do in the art world, and that your passion will lead you to the right thing. I can’t see myself doing anything other than creating art. Read more>>

Sean Shepard | Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter in Antighost

Growing up music was the only constant in my life that made any sense to me. Throughout my entire life, no matter what highs or lows I was experiencing, music was always there. Anything I experienced always played out alongside a soundtrack. Music was how I made sense of everything around me, it was there for me at all times even when people were not. Music has been ever-present throughout my life, it gave me reasons to rejoice in the good times, and it has helped me push through the darker periods in my life. I remember from a very young age feeling that it was the most important thing in the entire world, and if I could create music that made any sort of impact on anyone in the same way it had for me growing up, then there could be nothing greater worth pursuing. Read more>>