Meet Andy James White

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andy James White. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andy James below.

Hi Andy James, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Honestly in life I have been a work in progress with this. In art and music it was different. When I was a kid I used art and music to escape what was happening at home. I grew a big imagination to escape the reality of having an alcoholic father. That’s how I developed in art and music. Constantly going to this safe place in my mind that gave me peace. Obviously the more you do something the better you get at it. It was hard for me to notice that until I got to a really good place creatively. Then it gave me a sense of confidence and self esteem.
I think it has taken a long time to recognize how that happened.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an artist and musician. Both have played a big role in my life. I work in sales but my true passion lies in art and music. I always played in bands since I was 17 but in recent years I tend to make music mostly on my own. I create ambient soundscapes through my guitars and effects pedals. Soundtrack type music. It took many years but I got to the point of being able to create something I wanted to hear that didn’t yet exist. It can be a very experimental and abstract process which I love.
It also happened with creating art as well. It’s a similar approach too. The thing I love about abstract is it’s 100% pure. Planning out my art or music is also great because I love all the different ways and mediums you can create.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Follow what you love and what inspires you then learn to find yourself along the way. If you don’t learn to find yourself then you’ll just end up copying what or who you love. Part of that is just to create as much as you can and keep pulling from many different influences not just one. Eventually it all settles and you can see yourself in your art or music like a mirror.

Always be open to learn. Spend as much time around people who are better than you. It challenges you and by listening and watching you can grow faster from people further along than you.

Find mentors. If you’re lucky enough to find people who will help you along the way it can be super impactful.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

I had many art books growing up like those of Matisse, Van Gogh, Picasso, Escher, Dali, etc. But one of the most impactful books to me was Subway Art by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant. When I first got into graffiti in NYC I got this book. It inspired me in so many ways. For one here were these amazing masterpieces on the side of a subway train that had bright colors to jump off and stand out so they would be seen and heard. The letter styles were so different depending on who did them. These were young kids doing all of this. It’s crazy to think all of these amazing graffiti pieces were being done illegally and would only last a very short time for anyone to see yet this book immortalized them forever. Imagine Van Gogh’s Starry Night painted on a wall but then got painted over a few days later. I was blown away at the skill level and talent of graffiti that was mostly ignored by the mainstream and society in general. It was like being let in on a huge secret if you understood it and it made sense to you. I am so grateful to have graffiti as a part of my history. I still to this day think it is an under appreciated form of art but also still feel special that I someone who gets it.

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Image Credits

All photos taken by myself

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