We were lucky to catch up with Whitman Lindstrom recently and have shared our conversation below.

Whitman, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

It has been over a decade since I decided to work for myself and make art full time. Along that journey I have experimented with many different mediums and participated in a lot of projects, but the common theme has always persisted is my love for nature and my desire to give back to the planet. So in 2018 I founded a modest environmental project called Make Art for a Change. The simple goal of the idea was to bring communities together to create art while learning about and engaging in sustainability and environmental conservation. Fast forward to today and that project has grown, we are now a fully operational 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission of re-imagining the way we approach environmental education and sustainability through engaging art events. I consider this project to be as much a part of my legacy as my art and along the way I have learned a lot about the world, business and myself.

Whitman, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a fine artist focusing on contemporary landscape painting in oil and acrylic paint. I was lucky to have great exposure to the arts growing up and I have always enjoyed being creative as a result. Being a self-taught artist, I have experimented in many different art disciplines throughout the years, but I am most drawn to plein air & contemporary landscape painting. For me, the connection to nature is the most important part of my creative voice. I think the meditative experience of observing and interpreting my environment is what intrigues me the most about art and painting. Other than nature, my biggest inspiration derives from the post-impressionists and their use of large color shapes and simplification of form. I am always working on a few commissions or gallery shows at one time and I enjoy staying busy moving between different projects.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For me the goal as an artist has always been to express myself and enjoy the artistic process. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I complete a painting whether it is for myself or for a client. At the same time however, I am always searching for a connection between the work that I do and the progress of a sustainable society that is in harmony with the environment and the planet.. Since my work is a celebration of nature, I enjoy the prospect that my paintings can be used or viewed in a way that promotes sustainability and conservation. As a result I am often donating my work for environmental charities or creating themes that advance environmental messaging. On that note, I have been building a project called Make Art for a Change that seeks to change the way we approach environmental education through the use of creative art events. Make Art for a Change is a 501(c)3 organization that shares a similar goal to my own personal mission and that is to make the world a better place with art. Each year the Make Art project is becoming a bigger part of my identity as an artist and the events and programming that we build are a major passion project for me. I am enjoying watching my artistic journey evolve along with the Make Art for a Change organization!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The truth is my work was not good in the beginning and it took years of learning and practice to get to where I am today. I believe that most artistic skills can be taught to anyone who is interested in becoming a professional artist. I think that the foundations of art as well as creativity can be learned, but it does require time and commitment to get there. What makes a successful artist is the drive to continue practicing, creating and learning about themselves and their craft. It is easy for someone to look at a body of work from an experienced artist and think that they are naturally gifted, but they might not see all the hard work and challenges it took to get to that point. I encourage anyone to explore their own creativity through the arts and they might just find with some practice that they are more creatively talented than they think.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.WhitmanArt.com
• Instagram: @paint_traveler
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitman.artist/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitman-lindstrom-19348724/