Be Inspired By: Whitney Stroupe

This week's guest artist is my dearest friend, Whitney Stroupe. She has been one of the greatest inspirations to me both in my art and in my personal life. Her talents range from beautiful portraits to soul-stirring photos. I love the unique edge she adds to classic art forms. Be inspired by her work, her story, and what inspires her.

What are you currently doing in the art world?
"I am the Display Coordinator for Anthropologie in Scottsdale, Arizona. I have had this job since October 2008, Megan’s birthday to be exact. My sole responsibility is to execute the overall aesthetic of the store and embody the 'unimagined experience' for our customer. This includes window display, signage, platforms, shelf upper display, and jewelry cases. My daily life is what I like to call organized chaos or an unscheduled schedule. I would call myself a furniture fixture carpenter, crafty, creative and way to overly stimulated by ideas coming from all over the place. I use power tools, various textiles, materials, dumpster dive for treasures, generate extraordinary from ordinary. It is the most challenging yet most inspiring adventure I’ve been on so far…."

Photos of the beautiful work Whitney has done thus far at Anthropologie. I LOVE the moss on the bike and the portraits on the typewriter. Click to enlarge.


What's your favorite color combination?
"Ummm that's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child. But, recently I've been really feeling chartreuse+black+metallics."

Most listened to song on iTunes?
"Amsterdam by Coldplay, coming in next is This Time Around by Helen Stellar."

What is your favorite project/piece? Why?
"An acrylic minimalist painting I did in college, probably because it was a huge challenge and my professor made me redo it over and over. I was so proud of the end result and the "journey" it took me to get there. I aptly named it 'Vagabondage.'"

What projects are you currently working on?
"I am currently installing the new home concepts for Spring 2009 at Anthropologie, splitting my time between my store and assisting other stores in the area. I am working on a concept called Live/Work that emphasizes the juxtaposition of a person's work life and home life. Its focus is on obsessive collection of objects and meticulous organization. The other concept is called Farm to Table which houses dinnerware and a neutral and rustic potting statement. This resembles outdoor communal dining that’s very rustic, organic, fresh, and a personal connection to local farms. It involves the distortion of bread for display."

What inspires you? Who inspires you?
"Everyday something inspires me- usually as simple as something I’ve never seen before. Anything new. From a crack on the sidewalk, music, things that are imperfect, graffiti- especially the work of Dan Witz, Other, and Dephect, traveling is a necessity, vintage nostalgia, 1950’s-70’s era, city life, smells that trigger memories, the work of JR- French photographer, Agata Nowicka- illustrator, my family, friends, people’s behavior and the vast variety in the human face, O’Keefe and Degas, and my Mae of course. But above all, God has given me a passion and eyes to see snapshots of art in the world that surrounds me."

Here are some images that Whitney uses as inspiration. How amazing is the Audrey drawing??! Click to enlarge.


What are your favorite mediums?
"Acrylic, sharpies- does that count? Pen and ink."

Drawings and Paintings by Whitney. My favorite is the self portrait with her friend (3rd image). Click to enlarge.


What other arts are you interested in?
"Mixed media, photography, architecture, eloquent writers, I wish I was more computer savvy but I am just not. I’m old school."

Some of Whitney's photos. I love the stillness within them. Click to enlarge.


What do you want to be in ten years?
"Whoever God calls me to be. As long as I am creating. I have not a clue, but I am ok with that."

Contact Whitney at: w.stroupe@gmail.com.

Thanks, Whit, for launching "Be Inspired!" Wouldn't have anyone else!

*MaeMae