Following on yesterdays book review and giveaway (there is still time to leave a comment for a chance to win!), I’d like to introduce you to Whitne Ferre, the author of “the artist within: A Guide to Becoming Creatively Fit.” I think you'll enjoy getting to know her a little better.
Tell me your story. What is your background?
My story gives others hope! I grew up as a “wanna be” artist. I did not think I had inherited “that gene”. I was envious of my friends who could draw or paint. I stuck to “safe” crafts and pined to paint. It literally wasn’t until I was in the process of opening my first art center, The Creative Fitness Center, that I started to paint. I was reading a book called Zen and the Art of Making a Living and the author insisted throughout the book that one has to develop an “Artist Mentality” in order to create the life of their dreams. I was sold, but had only experienced fear and difficulty trying to sign up for an art class as an adult. So right there I had the classic light bulb moment—to open a right brain gym so people could do their creativity workouts and strengthen their Artist Within so that they could go back out into their world and CREATE the change they desired.
What do you love about being an artist?
What I love is the natural curiosity and enthusiasm that comes with the “artist mentality”. When you make art, you cultivate an open mind that is receptive to spirit and to “Pure Potentiality” (from Deepak Chopra). I love noticing colors in the sky and how the light is illuminating the view out of my window differently each day. I love that wave of inspiration that seeps through you when you see something you want to paint, or a color combination you want to use.
I want my paintings to make people want to paint themselves. We have put art making on this pedestal and, in essence, only given permission to those with “talent” to create. We ALL can share this gift that makes us human.
Why do you teach/coach/write?
My whole career FOUND me. I so love connecting with other people. In “left brain mode” we each see ourselves a separate from the whole. I just re-read an Einstein quote that said, “A human being is part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, and feelings as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and too affection for few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison…”
What are your realistic goals and pie in the sky dreams?
Here it is…I want to world leaders to PAINT TOGETHER and THEN go into the United Nations to negotiate world peace. That would be tremendous.
(And from Whitney) As a THANK YOU for reading this article, please email me at whitney@creativelyfit.com to receive a coupon code for a 2-for-1 offer for the entire 3 Step Program so that you can join with a friends and support each other’s creative dreams!
My whole career FOUND me. I so love connecting with other people. In “left brain mode” we each see ourselves a separate from the whole. I just re-read an Einstein quote that said, “A human being is part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, and feelings as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and too affection for few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison…” 
The book has an interesting twist. It is a life-balance-creativity-self-help manual couched within a breezy basic design manual. A rather unique concept. I think the purpose of the book is not to teach you to become a fine artist, but to help you add creativity to your every day life. Not a bad goal. In fact - it's a goal I heartily agree with.
For instance: When talking about the design principle of Unity she says "In life, a lack of unity can distract us, make us feel like we are stretched too thin. If you feel this way, try finding the common thread in your life, what is vital. This will help you to refocus your energies and gain a greater unity of purpose."
