Today we’d like to introduce you to Fredricka Fonta.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The origins of my love for all things creative can really only be traced back to my mother. She may not have been aware of it, but her total way of being was so expressive and different from everyone else in my life. She modeled from a young age and was so meticulous about the way she presented herself. I can vividly remember watching her put on her eye makeup and the way she got dressed for the day. Her attention to detail was a true art form and an experience to witness. She is from the era of gorgeous Vogue magazines when the pages were filled with fashion instead of loads of ads. She would display them around our home and I learned so much about myself from them. They helped me see what I was drawn to aesthetically and what I had an emotional response to. She would also wallpaper and paint the walls of our home, and come up with unique designs for earrings and anything else she could imagine. She was the first person I ever encountered to have her own business and it was centered around art and fashion. It was a clear blueprint for me to be an artist and make a business out of it. There was never a feeling of being an artist doesn’t pay off, or it isn’t a real career option. It felt like there was always some piece of artistry around me and that we were living in her creations. I laugh because my son probably feels the same way about me now because our home is truly an artist’s den. As I grew up, I realized how much I was drawn to nature. I think nature is the purest form of art. You have the seed of something, and then in time, layer upon layer, something magical is before your eyes. I began a career as an artist at a very early age. From dancing to music, to designing, to photography, and poetry, I was always drawn to the natural way things existed. I found such beauty in seeing what existed before mankind touched it. When I was 8 years old, a national award for a painting I did of wildflowers in watercolors was given to me and I never looked back. I was always shy about the idea that what I made was celebrated because I was just celebrating the hand of God, but over time I learned to see myself as a messenger. I carry the messages now through every design and item for sale at my store Glamoroushippe.com. At Glamorous Hippe everything is about a natural state of being. Every item for sale is plant-based and natural. My love for nature manifested itself in a true desire to learn about natural healing. At age 17, I began to study the benefits of healing through herbal medicines. For more than 20 years I have had the honor of helping to introduce nature into the lives of those whose path I come across. I have a deep passion for people and our growth as the human race. I truly see how today’s “business of medicine” is really designed to keep people sick. I strive to open the mind to the thought that all we need for healing has already been provided in nature. We offer herbal supplements, healing teas, bath soaks, natural apparel for men, women, and children, original art, and so much more. Now I am really focusing on spreading messages of wellness and mental healing through the podcast, The Glamorous Hippe Life, and you can listen to it through the website, Glamoroushippe.com
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road, because life is full of wild things that seem to drop from the sky. The struggles that stick out to me the most have been the trauma of dealing with the hurts that other people cause you. Everyone has a story about that, but the key is to let the pain go as quickly as you can and accept that life doesn’t stop with what you’ve just experienced. As an artist, it can be hard to create when your head and heart are full of things that need healing. We are the vessels that the art travels through and we must stay clear from pain if we want to receive the messages. The biggest hurdle I used to face was recovering from what seemed like paralyzing heartbreaks, and these could be from friends, family, or lovers. You have to get to a point where you truly accept that all you can do is show up to your life and relationships the best way you can and the seeds of that will reap what is due you in due time. I learned to understand that everything is an experience that is revealing you to yourself. The more you become revealed, the more you can see who you are and give yourself what you really need. I also really believe that we should put what we love first in our lives and the hardships will be easier to endure. Imagine you have a glass jar, you are given a large stone, some small rocks, and some tiny pebbles. The large stone represents your passions and things you love, and the smaller rocks and pebbles represent life and all that can come with living. If you put all the smaller things in first, then when you try to put the large stone in, there won’t be any room. If we put the large stone in first, then all the other smaller stones will fit around it when you add them. If we are first filled up with what we love, then the pains and hardships of life don’t break us down and they don’t consume all the space inside of us.
As an artist and creative We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a multi- medium artist because I’m a writer, painter,dancer,singer,fashion designer,medicine woman, and healer. I’m most known for my natural tshirts that feature my art and positive messages as well as my poetry and podcast.The shirts are truly the softest thing ever and we use plant based inks for the art . I’m truly most proud of the kind words that people say about my work. To know that you have imparted something into someone’s life that they can view as a bright spot, is the greatest gift ever. I am also very proud that a portion of every purchase goes to a positive change initiative around the world. My customers get to select a cause that is close to their heart at the time of purchase. It is a way for me and the customer to give back while doing something for themselves. I’m really excited about the fact that we now have a men’s apparel line. The name of it is called 819. The story behind it is something very close to my heart. My uncle Chauncey and I share the same birthday of August 19th, and when he passed away in 2015 I wanted to be able to continue his spirit and essence here on Earth. We both shared a love for baseball caps and music. The line features something for every man, no matter what his style. It is something that I can still share with him,and I know he would be very proud. I believe what sets my work apart from others is my vulnerability. I’m not afraid to tell you that my heart is broken, or that I’m afraid. I’m not afraid to share myself and my life with others. I want people to see that I’m human so that they too can heal through my experience and work. I want them to know that they can triumph in life and share something valuable with others, no matter their story,and that it is actually their story that makes them valuable and unique.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My outlook on mentors is a little different than most because I believe that if you look around in life, you have all the mentors you need. You have people showing you what to do and what not to do. I also believe that we are our best mentors because our lives should mirror the dream in our own head, not someone else’s. If you must have a point of inspiration, look for someone’s life that makes you feel the way you want your life to feel, and see what steps they took to get to that feeling. For example, if there is a person that makes you feel at peace from seeing their life, or feel confident from hearing them speak, that means something inside of you connects to that. Those things are echoing your true self. The essence of what you should take from them is in that, not in how much money, or Instagram followers they have. That feeling to me is success. Use the same method in networking groups, spend time with what matches your soul. All in all, I believe the more you stay looking within, the less chance you have of living someone else’s life and definition of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.glamoroushippe.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glamoroushippe/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvD20v-1UT6oZ1s9YwlHCKw
- Other: https://theglamoroushippelifepodcast.buzzsprout.com/
Image Credits
Fredricka Fonta
Royce Fletcher Thomason
November 3, 2022 at 5:17 pm
This is such a wonderfully articulated inspiring story – simultaneously sharing depth, vulnerability, strength, and beauty. That comes as no surprise, as I find Fredricka Fonta to be a soul that embodies all of the above at the core her beingness, and being the creatress that she is, those things can’t help but to make their way to the surface to find expression.