Empowering Women through Fitness and Art: The Story of FIT’s Custom Gym Artwork

FIT is not your average fitness studio. Founded by Yakira Apfel, FIT is a next-level boutique fitness studio that takes women on a physical, mental, and emotional journey via high-intensity, engaging workouts that are designed to push them to their limits. But it’s not just about fitness – FIT is also about empowering women to create a life well-lived. As part of this mission, Yakira decided to commission a custom gym mural for the studio. In this interview, Yakira and artist Adam share the story behind the artwork and how it represents the values of FIT.

Q: Hi there, can you tell us your name, your business and where we can find you on social media?

Y: My name is Yakira Apfel. My business is called FIT, located in Cedarhurst, NY and you can find us on Instagram at @the.fit.studios.

Q: So, what sets FIT apart from other fitness studios in town?

Y: FIT is a next-level boutique fitness studio for women, by women. Our immersive classes take our members on a physical, mental and emotional journey via high intensity, engaging formats, technique mastery, and epic motivation.

Q: What inspired you to start FIT, and what do you hope women gain from attending your classes?

Y: I started FIT to give women the space and the tools to build self-awareness, competence and drive – the opportunity and confidence to create a life well-lived. It’s not uncommon for women to get lost in their respective roles as they move into marriage and motherhood, or to have been raised in an environment that never championed their own self-development. At FIT, we unearth or reawaken personal passion.

Q: Alright, we’ve got to know – what’s the secret to making your workouts so engaging and epic?

Y: It’s a total mind-body experience. Physical fitness is cool, but it’s also one dimension. We use physical fitness as a tool to unlock all parts of the self, so that members leave not just with stronger bodies, but stronger minds, and a feeling of being alive. We also hold all our trainers to a high standard of education and hands-on form correction. Not to mention, the facility is beautiful, the community is dope, and the coffee is free.

Q: Commissioning an artist is such a cool idea! How did you decide on adding custom artwork to your studio, and what other types of artwork did you consider?

Y: We wanted to give our studio a unique, bespoke touch, and we had initially considered custom wallpaper. However, we ultimately decided to hire an artist because we loved the idea of having an artistic, human touch in our studio.

Q: Collaborating with an artist must have been exciting. Can you share a bit about what the design process was like, and how did you work together to create the final piece?

Y: Working with the artist, Adam, was seamless. My team and I spent about two months discussing creative solutions and refining the concept until we knew we had found the perfect vision. Adam was so responsive and open, and readily tweaked the design according to all of our requests.

Q: What was it like using the Book An Artist platform to find and hire an artist?

Y: The Book An Artist platform was really helpful in that it allowed us to easily compare different artists and get quotes from them all in one place.

Q: For any other fitness studios out there considering getting custom artwork, what advice would you give them?

Y: There’s no downside. I highly recommend it. Our members LOVE it.

Q: We asked Adam, the artist behind the gym wall mural, What was your experience like working with the FIT team and bringing their vision to life?

A: Traveling between cities to accomplish this piece in one day required about two months of design review and planning between us and the FIT team. Through each step we discussed creative solutions and refined the concept until we knew we had found the perfect vision. I’ve always seen figure painting as the ultimate subject matter, it tells the story of us.  In particular, I’ve always loved painting figures larger than life because of the presence they have when standing next to them. The beauty of painting is that from afar, the imagery creates a cohesive form and narrative, but up close it all breaks down into abstract shapes and brush strokes.  Painting, in its essence, will always be simply pushing colorful mud around with a stick!

It was a pleasure speaking with Yakira Apfel, the owner of FIT, and Adam Solid, the artist commissioned through Book An Artist. Their collaboration on a gym wall mural is a great example of how a custom artwork can bring a personal and unique touch to a business, and enhance the overall experience for its clients.

If you’re a business owner looking to add some art to your space, consider hiring a professional artist through platforms like Book An Artist. It could be the perfect way to showcase your brand, support local artists, and create a memorable environment for your clients.

And if you’re an artist looking to showcase your work and connect with potential clients, don’t hesitate to check out the opportunities available on Book An Artist. Who knows, your art could be the missing piece that completes someone’s vision.