Meet Gena Ford

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gena Ford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gena, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
“The Clarity Cleanse” became my anchor during one of the most transformative and challenging chapters of my life.

I first read it while navigating the emotional storm of my divorce. That was followed by a breakup, and then the bold decision to quit my job to pursue life as a full-time artist. I was unraveling, but I was also awakening.

Habib Sadeghi’s The Clarity Cleanse: 12 Steps to Finding Renewed Energy, Spiritual Fulfillment, and Emotional Healing didn’t just guide me—it realigned me. The book offered more than healing tools; it gave me permission to stop surviving and start truly caring for myself.

It became the foundation of my self-healing and sobriety journey. Through the teachings, I dove into my shadow work, confronting the parts of myself I had long buried. I realized that sobriety wasn’t just about abstaining—it was about facing the pain, healing my inner child, and untangling the trauma I had carried for years.

This book didn’t just change how I live. It changed why I live.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
“From Leasing Offices to Canvas: My Journey to Creative Freedom”

My career story begins in the heart of Multifamily Housing, and it’s still very much a part of my life today.

I was practically raised in the industry. My aunt Liz introduced my mom to leasing, and they both quickly rose to become Property Managers. Summers and after school, I’d help by filing papers, making copies for bank deposits, taping notices on doors, helping clean the grounds, and even making balloon bouquets for curbside marketing. It was grassroots training in both customer service and hustle.

Naturally, my first job was as a Leasing Consultant for Kelly Investments. From there, I built my reputation and spent 19 years navigating this industry, eventually becoming a Leasing Manager. I’ve worked with teams, built communities, solved complex tenant issues, and learned how to connect with people across every walk of life.

Even after leaving the corporate world for a time to pursue my art full-time, I returned to leasing in 2022 to help pay for my wedding to my now-husband, Andrew. I started back with Madera Residential and eventually found a property closer to our new home in League City, TX, where I currently work as a Leasing Manager for Adara Communities.

Monday through Friday, I help manage the daily chaos of community life. But on the weekends, I decompress by painting, creating, and reconnecting with my truest self.

What sets me apart is that I don’t separate my corporate past from my creative present. Both exist together. The multifamily industry taught me structure, marketing, resilience, and communication. My art teaches me surrender, healing, and self-expression. Together, they form the full picture.

My work is deeply rooted in healing. Through abstract art, I process my journey of sobriety, shadow work, grief, joy, rebirth. My art is layered with stories that can’t always be told in words but are felt through texture and color.

What I want the world to know is that you don’t have to choose just one version of yourself. You can be the problem-solver by day and the soul-healer by night. You can honor your past and still chase what lights you up. This is what my story, and my art stands for.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
“A Week in My World: Soulful Eats, Artful Days & Big Birthday Magic”

When my friend Chas (short for Chastity) comes to visit for my birthday, we’re doing it right. We met during a corporate cruise trip to Cozumel through Andrew’s company, and we instantly clicked. Now she’s flying in from Newark to spend my big 4-0 with me, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her in my life.

Here’s how I’d show her the best of my world:

🧇 Day 1: Brunch & Treasures
We’d kick things off with breakfast at Viola & Agnes in Kemah, TX. Chef Aaron—our incredibly talented neighbor—creates magic in that kitchen. The wait is long, but totally worth it.
Afterward, we’d go antiquing (my favorite hobby!) and get lost in the beauty of old treasures.

🥗 Day 2: Midtown Foodie Adventures
Lunch would be at Brasil on Dunlavy in Houston. Andrew and I used to visit after yoga sessions—it’s got this effortlessly cool, creative energy.
Dinner would be comfort food heaven at Grace’s on Kirby. I’m obsessed with their cornbread and honestly, everything on their menu is a hit.

🎨 Day 3–5: Arts & Heart Spaces
We’d spend time exploring Houston’s Museum District, soaking in the art and stopping at local gems for lunch. We’d visit the Houston Zoo too—it’s one of the best in the country.
Then we’d get closer to home (because Chas has enough traffic in Newark), we’d explore our charming little city. We’d grab coffee at SoulFreak Coffee Shop by the park and visit The Purple Ravens to shop for herbs, crystals, and candles. I actually used to work there—it was a beautiful chapter in my life.

🎉 Saturday: My Big 4-0 Birthday Bash
We’re hosting a party at my house—and I’m turning my home into a gallery! I’ll be unveiling my artwork, gallery-style, and inviting everyone into my world of creativity. We’ll have painting, charcuterie galore, and catering from Hyde Park. It’s going to be a night of art, connection, and celebration.

🧘🏽‍♀️ Sunday: Soulful Reset
To close the week, I’d take her to Lost Lotus on 114 E 5th St, to Get Your Shit Together Yoga with Natasha. Her Sunday classes are revitalizing, and I’ve missed her and her studio deeply.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom and my kids were the first sparks that ignited something deep within me.

My mom has been my biggest believer. She not only saw the artist in me before I did but also made it real—literally funding my first body of work. She bought the tools, the paint, the canvases, the easels, the organizers—everything. Her belief gave me permission to begin.

My kids offered more than encouragement—they gave me perspective. They saw beauty when I only saw chaos. They helped me notice the “next layer” of a piece when it was still in its ugly phase. Their honesty and wonder shifted how I viewed my own process.

And then there’s my now husband, Andrew Ford, and his family. Their support was more than just emotional—it was visionary. They saw what my art could become, not just what it was. They offered me hope when I needed it most.

The book The Clarity Cleanse by Habib Sadeghi cracked open the dark corners of my mind and heart, and helped me pour it all onto the canvas. Another pivotal book, Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon, taught me to release fear—fear of criticism, fear of being seen—and to boldly share my work with the world.

And even though she doesn’t know I exist, artist Lori Mirabelli changed everything for me. I found her on YouTube in 2020, and her journey as an abstract artist gave me the courage to believe in mine. In 2021, I quit my job—largely because of the fire her work lit inside me. She taught me to invest in myself and in my creations. Thank you, Lori.

So—thank you. To those who inspired, cared, believed in me—you are in every brushstroke.

Website: https://genafordartwork.com

Instagram: Genaford_art

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenarieAnderson/

Image Credits
All Photos are my own property and taken by me.