Andre Feriante describes how he first became interested in the guitar: “Music found me as a teenager in Rome, and at the age of 16 after playing guitar for three years I knew that I would be a professional musician. I have made my living strictly with music for over 40 years.” His range of musical styles includes Baroque, jazz, Flamenco, gypsy jazz, Middle Eastern, South American and Rock (and probably more…).
His love of the guitar and other stringed instruments has led to his “Stringstories.” These stories come from his playing many different stringed instruments from many countries around the world. He says, “I frequently get comments and feedback from people thanking me for introducing them to instruments from faraway places that they would have probably never been exposed to in America.”
Andre's life has been music, and his passion, the guitar. He was born in Naples, Italy, where his journey with the Spanish guitar began. This journey took him to South America and later to Spain to study in a private masterclass with Andres Segovia in 1983.
Live performance has been Andre's sole profession for the past 40 years, playing in the Northwest and internationally. Now, he is an entertainment fixture on Whidbey Island, where he founded the Whidbey Island Guitar Festival. He currently owns 30 stringed instruments, and often plays several of them when he performs.
After spending most of his adult time in Seattle, he discovered Whidbey Island in 2016 and moved here with a special friend. He says, “After 28 years in Seattle I thought it would be a nice change to live in a more peaceful environment.” He adds, “The island has embraced me as an artist. Living on the island is inspiring artistically; the beauty of the land, water and sky never ceases to speak to me.” He adds, “When I play, I close my eyes and relax. I hope my audience does the same; I think of music as a little ship, where your troubles and concerns can sail away.”
Now, in addition to his music, Andre’s special and creative photography skills are adding a new dimension to his artistic reputation: Welcome to “Car-tography.” After he moved to Whidbey he noticed that several elements inspired his photography: “I began to notice the nature, people, my dog, guitars and die-cast cars and toy cars.”
He was buying some toys and gifts at a local store in Freeland and, by chance, picked out a little toy car to purchase. On a whim, he decided to see if he could make the car look real. He became fascinated with “forced perspective photography.” He simply uses his iPhone, a toy car, and nature to create the illusion that the toy is a real car. “Many who look at my car-tography photos think they are seeing an actual car in the pictures.” Andre says, “Art and photography will now be part of what I do.”
What started as a hobby has been embraced by Artworks Gallery in Freeland, where he is the guest artist for the month of July. Visit his website HERE
