We recently had the chance to connect with Frenchaire Gardner and have shared our conversation below.
Frenchaire , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day unfold gently, like watercolor spreading across paper. I start by waking my body with cat-cow stretches, feeling my spine loosen and my breath deepen. Then I turn inward with a meditation on Insight Timer—just me, my thoughts, and stillness. My mama often fills the air with the comforting rhythm of breakfast sounds, grounding me in love and gratitude. Sometimes I take a slow walk outside, letting the morning sun kiss my skin. I don’t rush—I ease, flow, and roll softly into the day. 🌞🕊️
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Frenchaire Gardner, the heart and hands behind Be And Us LLC—a soulful, creative sanctuary rooted in healing, expression, and community. Born and raised in sunny South Dallas, and a proud graduate of SMU, my journey has been one of resilience and rebirth. As a Black bisexual mama of four, I’ve learned to turn pain into purpose—overcoming PTSD, ADHD, bipolar depression, and anxiety through the transformative power of art. Be And Us LLC is more than a brand—it’s a movement of mindfulness and making. From vibrant paint parties for children and adults to heartfelt storytelling through color, words, and sound, everything I create aims to inspire connection and self-expression. When my time is not filled with life’s ‘need to dos’—working, staying healthy–I’m building spaces where creativity heals. My newest artistic venture, the EP “Eclectic and Strange,” blends the rhythms of world music, soul, and imagination—it’s available now on Even. (https://www.even.biz/releases/eclectic-and-stranger) Every brushstroke, lyric, and project I touch carries a message: that art is not just what we make—it’s how we be.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My mama, Virgie Gardner, taught me everything I know about work—about showing up with heart, humility, and grace. She was the kind of woman who could juggle two jobs and still make sure a warm, home-cooked meal waited for me every evening. Growing up, I spent countless afternoons at the hospital where she worked, watching her move through the halls like sunlight—greeting everyone by name, offering kindness that lingered longer than her shift.
Her work wasn’t just about earning a living; it was about building connections, honoring people, and taking pride in what you do. From her, I learned that independence isn’t about doing it all alone—it’s about trusting your own strength. Mama’s resilience, her laughter after long days, and her gentle discipline formed the foundation of my own work ethic. She showed me that real success starts with love—for what you do, and for the people you do it for.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The deepest wound of my life came the day my four children were taken from me—snatched away without warning by Child Protective Services from their daycare. One ordinary morning turned into a lifelong scar. I dropped them off with hugs and smiles, never imagining that I wouldn’t be the one to pick them up. When I returned, the daycare owner told me a caseworker had already taken them. No call. No explanation. Just silence where my children’s laughter should’ve been.
My world shattered that day. My youngest, Sarai, was still a baby. My oldest, Joseph, only five. Nothing I’d learned, no degree or prayer, could bring them back. I became a shell—grieving, angry, lost. St. Louis became both my exile and my sanctuary. Away from my husband and my babies, I poured my love into other people’s children, even when it tore me apart inside. I asked the universe how I could mother another’s child when I couldn’t touch my own.
Therapy and counseling became my lifeline. Meditation helped me quiet the storm inside my head. And the arts—painting, music, and dance—saved me. Every brushstroke, every movement, became a prayer. I surrounded myself with photos of my children, manifesting their presence until my heart could hold hope again.
Then, a miracle. About four years ago, Joseph reached out to me on Instagram. Hearing his voice again cracked me open in the best way. Last summer, my mama and I drove to see my children for the first time in over ten years. I watched my son graduate high school. I held my babies—now grown—and felt the pulse of divine grace. This year, I watched my eldest daughter, who shares my name, walk the stage too. Soon, my youngest son will graduate.
My story is one of loss transformed into love, of grief alchemized into art. The wound remains, but it no longer bleeds—it breathes. I’ve learned that healing isn’t about erasing pain; it’s about turning it into something beautiful, something that reminds you love never truly leaves.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what matters most to me is protecting my joy and peace like sacred treasures. They’d tell you I’ve learned—after all life’s storms—to create harmony wherever I stand. I know how to laugh loud, love deep, and still hold space for family and friends when their spirits need lifting.
They’d say I move through the world like a melody—painting, songwriting, dancing, modeling, and snapping photos to keep my light flowing. The arts are my heartbeat, my therapy, my way of breathing beauty into even the heaviest days. I dance to my own rhythm, always chasing joy, always choosing peace—and inviting everyone around me to do the same.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
What I understand deeply—perhaps more than most—is how fragile this life truly is. One day you’re here, laughing and dreaming, and the next, you’re a memory someone whispers about. When my oldest and only sister, Shonette Meshon Anderson, suddenly passed away just six months after I moved to St. Louis, everything I thought I knew about time and permanence shattered. She was only 42. Her short, brilliant life reminded me that we’re all just passing through, and tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.
Since her transition, I’ve made a promise to myself—to live. To fill my days with art, love, laughter, and passion. To say “yes” to joy. To create from the heart and cherish every sunrise, every song, every brushstroke. Because I know now, in my bones, that life isn’t something to be survived—it’s something to be savored.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.even.biz/r/eclectic-and-strange
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintingwithfrenchaire?igsh=ejdrbTVzZnBvdHIx&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frenchaire-gardner
- Twitter: Frenchaire Gardner (@MsFrenchy06) / X
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrenchaireGardner
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@anewsyoucanusepodcast?si=Xc71vqhgM731pVZ_
- Other: https://frenchyswonders.threadless.com/Affiliate link: https://loudbeautybrand.com?bg_ref=KhLbFQkYMy
https://www.amazon.com/shop/frenchaire_gardner?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_aipsfshop_PE5ERQ9258MFX0AHRRBG&language=en-US
https://www.facebook.com/FrenchysWonders
@frenchaire https://linqapp.com/frenchaire?r=link
Image Credits
Feature photo and two other modeling photos credit Thomas 4 Images
