Creative of the Month: Lauren Wilhite

Creative OF The Month:

-Lauren Wilhite-

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you consider yourself a Creative.

Hi! My name is Lauren and I am a freelance artist living in Louisville, KY. My primary mediums are oil and watercolor paint. Growing up, I actually wasn’t a huge fan of art as drawing and painting quickly became boring to me—I just preferred being outside or playing with friends! It wasn’t until middle school when my art teacher really showed me just how much you can do with art that I began to fall in love with it. It was there that I painted on my first canvas and was hooked on the idea of painting! I continued painting and creating through high school, continuing to major in studio art in college. My business actually began in my house my senior year of college, and I have been creating professionally ever since!

To be honest, I’ve definitely struggled with thinking of myself as a creative and still wrestle with doubts (especially considering that I’m very type A!). But the thing I have to remind myself of is that if we are each made in the image of a Creative God, we are inherently creative beings! My creativity and process doesn’t have to look like other creatives, and that’s okay!

One thing I do know, I am undoubtedly drawn to the beauty around me. When I see the sun rising and beaming in through the trees, or hear the birds chirping in the morning, I just want to stop and breathe in that moment of wonder. I believe that as a creative, I am called to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, and through my own creation call others in to wonder at that same beauty.

2) What was your favorite art class or were you self-taught?

My favorite art class was definitely my AP art class my senior year of high school. It was a small group of us that worked long hours on our art after school. We really bonded and had a ton of fun being creative together! The teacher (Mrs. Cusick) was my absolute favorite and was a lot of the reason why I began to love art (also my middle school teacher!).

3) Who inspires you the most?

My inspiration comes from all over! Things that I see, music or sounds that I hear, books I read, or conversations with friends and family. Flowers and plants make my heart sing. They never fail to inspire me and make me giddy on the inside! Hikes and mountains are another huge inspiration to me as I grew up going to Colorado for family reunions and just fell in love with the landscape. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel to 16 countries and it has really opened my eyes to so much of the beauty in the world and is a constant inspiration! And then of course seeing other artists on Instagram or Pinterest—but I try to limit how much I get my inspiration and creativity from other people’s work versus putting my phone down and focusing on what’s around me.

Some women I’m always inspired by include Alyssa Bethke, Jenna Kutcher, Emily Jeffords, Lara Casey, Ruth Chou Simons, Erin Benzakein, and Jennifer Ou. I would love to be friends with all of them!

Monet is my favorite artist of all time— I never grow tired of looking at his paintings!

4) What would be your biggest and wildest dream concerning your creative talent?

My dream concerning my art probably doesn’t seem too big, but I would love to eventually be able to completely live off of creating art. It would be great to get to a point where I can primarily sell my own creations rather than commissions (don’t get me wrong, commissions are great and I’m so thankful for the people I’ve had the opportunity to create for!!!). Another little side dream I have is to learn floral design! Since florals are some of the things that inspire me most, it’s been a dream to be able to create some of those same arrangements for weddings and events.

5) If you were a plant what would you be?

I think I would be any kind of Eucalyptus. I love their shape, the blueish-green color, their smell, and just the way they grow! Or maybe I would be a peony bush….this one is a hard question!

6) Describe your ideal creative work space?

I feel like I’m already in my ideal creative work space! I have a large enough space to have a painting station, work desk for my watercolors, and desk for all things business so I can have multiple things going at once. The lighting is great, and my studio is at home, so the commute isn’t bad :). Someday it would be nice to have a studio space alongside other creatives. While it’s so nice being able to work from home, I miss having other creatives around me!

7) Do you listen to music while you create? If so, why type?

I love having something playing in the background while I create. I’ll mix it up between worship music, country music in the summers, some alternative, and random Spotify playlists that others have made. When I get tired of music I’ll put on a podcast. Some of my favorites include the Goal Digger Podcast, Makers & Mystics, Love That Lasts, or any of John Mark Comer’s sermons.