When I was in my early twenties, I decided to take time away from my theater career to evaluate if I still wanted to work in that industry and somehow found myself working for a bankruptcy attorney, managing cases for Chapter 7 clients. At the start of this year-long experiment in having a “normal” job, I thought I could see myself doing this—working a job in a non-creative industry and pursuing my passions outside of the workforce. But as the months wore on, I realized that while I’m perfectly capable of existing in that world, I really don’t want to.
From an early age, something in me has felt compelled to create. When I was bored, I’d dig through our garbage and make things out of empty containers. I distinctly remember creating a diorama of a car driving down a road in the mountains, cobbled together out of a Tic Tac box, an old straw (cut up for the wheels), a random plastic container, and construction paper. My mom looked at me like I was crazy as I pulled Tic Tac boxes out of the trash, but was pleasantly surprised when she saw the end result and even displayed it on a shelf for a while. That drive to make something out of nothing never faded and has really become the guiding force in everything I do.
What I love about our Makers Issue is discovering talented individuals with that same drive. From a troupe of performers creating laughs out of on-the-spot suggestions, to a store that creates an accessible path for kids and adults to craft, to a group of women who have built a growing market for crafters, this issue is filled with makers who fearlessly pursue their passions.
While it felt counterintuitive at the time, I’m grateful for the year I spent away from my career in the arts. That year solidified for me that I have a deep need to be ingrained in the creative process every day, and taught me how to push myself to try new crafts. I no longer dig through the garbage to fuel my sudden inspirations (at least, not too often). However, like all makers, I still carry that compulsion to create.
