Art and Self with Cindy Ingram
Art and Self with Cindy Ingram
How a Boring Textbook Transformed into a Courageous, Artistic Memoir with Heather Doyle Fraser
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How a Boring Textbook Transformed into a Courageous, Artistic Memoir with Heather Doyle Fraser

The creation of my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir, was a pretty epic journey from start to finish. When I first started the book, it was going to be an art education book, but somewhere along the way, in both little and big moments, the book morphed into what it is now, which is a soulful, poetic, artistic exploration of not only the story of my growth but of the basic human emotions and experiences that so many of us share.

I could not have ever created such a heart-wrenching and incredible work of art without the help of my amazing publisher and book coach, Heather Doyle Fraser of Compassionate Mind Collaborative. I recently sat down with Heather, and we reminisced on the whole creation process as we highlighted those big, transitional moments that sent the book from a research-based textbook to a poetic, artistic memoir.

Here are just some of the highlights of our conversation:

  • the importance of compassion in the writing process

  • what it was like to relive and reprocess all of the emotions of my past

  • how the books I read during the writing process influenced this book

  • how poetry can express deep emotions without explanation getting in the way

  • how the addition of poetry unlocked creative expression and creative freedom in ways I never could have ever predicted

  • a reminder to stay true to and to always start with the art

  • the resistance to and then acceptance of including my own art in the book

This conversation with Heather was so fun, and it was so great to sit and outline the entire process. Because, you know, with every artwork, with every poem, with every book, with every theater production, with every dance, there is always a story of its creation, the support systems, and creator. 

But what’s so exciting is—this book’s story? It’s not over. It now continues with you, the reader. I can’t control the process from here on out, but I can’t wait to see what happens as this creation touches lives across the globe, starting with you.

To continue the magic of Art Is About Being Whole in your own life, get the book at this link. I know there are treasures, insights, and wholeness waiting for you between the lines of this book.

Discussion about this podcast

Art and Self with Cindy Ingram
Art and Self with Cindy Ingram
Art is more than a creative outlet or something to study in art history. Art is a catalyst for self-improvement, a tool for understanding the human spirit, and a way to find your path. Through reflections, art conversations, and in-depth explorations of artworks, this podcast might just change your life.
Join your host, Cindy Ingram—the founder of Art Class Curator, the Curated Connections Library, and the Art and Self Connection Circle—as she explores the life connections waiting to be discovered in works of art.
We live in a world that overstimulates our senses but often ignores our needs. With an unending feed of bright lights, loud noises, and information both true and false, it feels like the scroll never ends. Despite the fact that our feeds are constantly live and updating, our souls are not being fed. We need creative thinking, true communication, and genuine connection to ourselves and others—that’s where art comes in.
Art and Self is both an art and a self development podcast about using art as a way to find your truth, know yourself, and discover the path you were meant to walk in life. Remember, the most important part of an artwork is you.