Million Dollar Art- Exhibit A: Selena Ferrer BRINGS THE VIBE

I typically want to dance, ALL the time. If it’s an event where I can just let go and let my body be loose, that’s where you’re going to find me” —- Selena Ferrer. 

There are people who create art, called artists and then there are people like Selena Ferrer who create and ARE the ART.

Art is the explosion of life and vibrant colors that vary from deep, earth green, blinding, bright yellow to loud, snapping red, or calming, sensual purple. There are so many forms and so many methods to express emotion and experience and pain and those are known in our world as ART. Something out of control but that touches every soul. There are some creatives that are known as dancers, or actors, or writers, or painters, and than there are others that don’t just offer one flower, one rose, but a fantastic garden of every artistic desire, a need that pulls at your belly and allows you to breathe. 

Today, here, we tell the story of Selena Ferrer, a young woman who is the definition of art and community. Culture bleeding from her very presence as her clothes are styled with intrigue, her hair and bright watchful eyes are full of life and eager to soak up more. Selena offers a bouquet of Dance, Fine art, Mural painting, Fashion design, Graphic design, Set Decorator, Model with an edge, Photography, Videography, Actor and MORE. If you want to know more, or simply can’t believe someone could be ALL this…Keep Reading as we rewind and watch each talent watered from the beginning of her timeline. 

This is the inspiration of Selena Ferrer who was born into a family of artists, raised in Chattanooga ,Tennessee, and blossoming in Tampa, Florida. Back in the days and in primary school, Selena recalls, “My dad used to introduce us to draw at the table with help draw books, my dad is a artist and although he does not practice as much as he used to, he still brought that type of joy to us at a early age and my mother as well, always supported the creative arts. So yea, I would say there was a push from the family”.

At the ripe age of 10 years old, little Selena began to dance with her brother, as he was her older brother and as younger sisters are prone to mirroring his movements, wanting to do the things he wanted to do. 

“When he got into pop locking, I got into it. Literally we would be in the bathroom in the mirror, practicing the wave, and yea, I ended up always practicing. I loved it, but I was shy. I started with just a move or two to a party,” with a snort Selena adds “and I didn’t party  as a middle schooler, but when we had our moments, you know I would break it out. And I was always nervous, so nervous”. She had grown up dancing salsa and meringue as a result of coming from a puerto rican foundation. 

Selena continues her story of beginnings with mirth in her voice, “ My mom made sure to tell us it’s a priority to learn how to dance. She said you learn how to dance, it’s good for your body; and also if you ever want to attract a partner knowing how to dance is a way, yea she was real forward about the joy and benefits of dance”.

Selena continued to specialize in street dance, funk and animation and can be found at different events around the city bringing THE vibe!

With that being said, Selena’s first love was fitness, playing multiple sports, excelling in basketball and aimed to be a personal trainer. Selena admits the time coming out of high school and going into college was when she really began discovering who she was and actually gave a thought to considering art as something she could actually do professionally. Selena’s goals transitioned from personal trainer to physical therapist, and she began pursuing a degree in this health science in Chattanooga, Tennessee before later changing her major to Studio Art .

“I got into health and wellness in highschool because I was going through things. You know when you have those moments when you go through something in life, and you have this, this was me before and this is me after. Like this is the life I had before this thing happened and then this is the life I had after this thing happened. The thing that happened was experiencing depression, the thing that happened was just a lot of turmoil in terms of views, differing values between me and my family. There was just a lot of self-discovery I was doing at an early age and I think I was starting to acknowledge and pursue my own beliefs,” Selena pauses as Writerreyes pushes for more.“ So when I started going through difficult times then I leaned into fitness and sports.So I think being in sports at an early age, taught me to facilitate and cope with exercise and breathing,”  Selena continues envigorated.

Starting in highschool Selena began to grow in art classes where she showed up each day with a little more fire, honing her born talent through highschool banners, or exploring better ways to use different mediums of paint, color pencil, charcoal , and marker. She really started with big looped lettering and sharp calligraphy which grew organically as her talent was discovered more by herself and others each month. While certain moments would feel awkward for her at the beginning as she practiced she noticed other students started asking her for tattoo designs and she would make surreal doodles on their arms which helped her become more comfortable with being an artist socially.  It wasn’t something she was loud about, but it was something she was good at.

“That’s how it started” Selena begins, “ I started to evolve it (personal dance style) during the difficult time of transitioning between highschool to college. This whole pressure of ‘ you’re an adult now’, I was coping with that with dance. It ended up being like a life saving therapy for me and I realized I had to overcome being shy if I was going to reap the benefits of something that was truly beneficial for me.”

Selena began spreading her wings further and learning the ropes of theatre as her confidence grew from her visual arts and she began acting and set design in college at University of South Florida. Selena reveals that as adults her two brothers are a graphic designer and the other a cinematographer, both skills she has picked up and honed herself over time. From a young age working with her brother acting in his home films to present day, the circle of creativity keeps coming back in full. Although independent film and acting was something she developed more after 5 years of heavy focus on visual arts. It was more an escape, a hobby until the last few years, around 25 years old where she took a lead role in a production called Alma in 2023. Selena states this experience truly opened her world to theatre and how unique it is with all its many variables. Film production and theatre has so many roles and she feels it’s a chaotic place. 

“ I think like as a artist theres moments where I need that chaos. It spices up the innovation.I can only say, I have been confident to believe in my imagination , because it’s something you have to relearn as a adult. You know a lot of the judgment and paths that people go through, at least what I went through. This is a cold world, it is a real world, BE LOGICAL, you need to have a goal, you need to have something to contribute to the society but where’s the time for play? Where’s the time for taking the chance on an idea or spending time making believe, all of those things you have to sometimes relearn. So, yea, I’m in my 20’s now and I’m valuing just the idea of make believe” Selena finishes. 

With 10 years developing her hefty BAG, Selena is a professional artist who makes her living as muralist, ceiling, walls, or floor; small will become big and vision comes easily to one with art in her very veins. She was mentored by Craig McInnis for 2 years. 

She also offers graphic design skills and teaches studio art classes. Did I mention she is bilingual?

“Art exists beyond the physical world. It is a universal language humans can share with each other. Art is a vital tool for discovery that promotes health and wellness. It helps individuals who may suffer from mental health illnesses recover structure and connection to the natural world” Selena Ferrer explains with passion alive on her face and just a little bit of the unknown shadowed in her aura. 

Selena has performed and had her art displayed at varying venues from Creative Pinellas Art Gallery, Dryp Pottery Studio, AMC Westshore, American Stage Theatre, St. Petersburg Pride Parade 2022, 7th and Grove, The Starz, WMNF 88.5 FM Tampa, Lector 85 APTs, and Tampa Bay Theatre. It’ll be up to you to determine which art skill was displayed at each. 

She has won awards from Studio @ 620 as “Ola Mae Jones: Emerging Artist” and from Tampa Bay Latin Film Festival “Best Narrative for ALMA” written and directed by Iris “Cookie” Reyes. Selena starred as the lead role. 

Selena is currently working on a series of murals located throughout Tampa Bay from Ybor to various murals dotted through an apartment complex  on East 2nd Ave, with her current focus on a mural for Lector 85 and preparing for acting auditions. Please check out our Artists Content pages for some examples of her work. Stay up to date with her next artistic move by following her on instagram at @selenaferrerart . To contact for collaborations, commissions work or artist for hire Selena Ferrer website.

Written By: Writerreyes

Podcast Episode :

Daka Taino Performance. Location : Healthy St. Pete : Selena Ferrer (Interpretive dance)  & Iris Morales (spoken word) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1geMMne4BmYPQ3b5fiuKL7mUGK4cgocrD/view?usp=sharing

WMNF 88.5 FM Tampa, Interview with Isha Del Valle  : 

Isha Del Valle

Visualizer \ Short Directed By Selena Ferrer. Featuring Sara Elisa 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19NI1Mtmt1bpXxJmPvNNrRBXgdkWMFUeG/view?usp=sharing