Samantha Rogers started learning 3D Art during high school and, as soon as she graduated, she immediately jumped into working on freelance projects. Once she started posting her work on ArtStation, she was trending. And this led to her being recruited to take an Art Test for ArenaNet. Which is where she is now, working as a Creature Artist. :) Take a listen to the podcast to pick up the nuggets of wisdom she shares. They range from how important it is to pick a strong concept on which to base your project to why it's important to have a strong sculpt on which to add amazing textures to the necessity of constantly setting new milestones for yourself as an artist. One of the highlights of this conversation for me? It's when she shared an article by her studio director on how to be a better artist. It boils down to 3 simple tips: (1) Use reference; (2) Be nice; and (3) Ask yourself why you're making the art. 
Learn more about Vertex School here: http://www.vertexschool.com
More about Samantha Rogers: www.artstation.com/samrog 
Want to be a Character Artist or an Environment Artist in the Video Game Industry? Apply for your spot in our upcoming Game Artist Bootcamp here: http://www.vertexschool.com