From the Groundlings and “Chelsea Lately” to fashion illustration, textile work and beyond, Carly Kuhn—aka The Cartorialist—may not have set out to become an artist, but she became a brilliant one.

After dreaming of becoming a musician, Quiara Alegría Hudes found her true future on the page—and in such works as “My Broken Language” and “In the Heights.” Here, the Pulitzer winner meditates on the many muses that were instrumental in her becoming the creative she is today.

Forging on past failure, Suneel Gupta began to ask wildly successful people about their less-successful moments—and that laid the foundation for his own career highs, not to mention his new book that helps anyone with a great idea become Backable. 

Bobbi Brown had a revolutionary idea: to create a natural-look makeup line that would make people feel like the best version of themselves. She launched it from her home to overnight success, and today is back with her blockbuster clean DTC brand, Jones Road.

At 10, she announced that money or no money, she would be true to her art—and there was no plan B. And, well, actress Claire Danes stuck to it.

Fiber artist Bisa Butler discusses the AfriCOBRA tradition, the artistic breakthrough that led to her finding her voice, and the process behind her amazing life-size works.

Writer, director and actress Miranda July discusses the surreality of releasing a surreal movie in an even more surreal time—and the eternal magic of kissing, cakes and clothes.

Feeling like an outsider, Jonny Sun turned to performance, comedy and Twitter—eventually channeling his thoughts into Jomny Sun and his signature Aliebn, and now his beautifully, happily sad book, “Goodbye, Again.”

Alison Bechdel. Eileen Myles. Kenny Fries. Saeed Jones. Four icons reflect on their journeys in this special Pride episode of Design Matters.

Ping Zhu’s parents were afraid her interest in illustration might just be a phase … and then she landed her first assignment ever at The New York Times. Here, she discusses her brilliant career trajectory.