When you step inside White Flowers Gallery, you feel an immediate sense of calm that goes beyond the soothing interior. Credit this tranquil spirit to owner Diana Hansen, whose gentle nature fosters a sense of serenity in all that she does, professionally and personally. She personifies contentment and proves the old adage that says if you find what you love to do, then you will never have to work again.

"It makes all the difference in the world to enjoy what you do," Diana says. "If I was doing something that I didn't love, it would be hard to find this inner peace. For me, wellness starts in your mind--how you feel about yourself and the serenity you get when you love what you do."

The Lady in White
By choice, Diana and her husband, Eric, center their lives around their store in Mountain Brook, Alabama, where they sell her signature T-shirts, baby clothes, and other specialty items. "Most of our time revolves around our business," she says, "but that is what we love and choose to do. It's not work; it's our therapy."

Diana creates T-shirts that focus on the elegant shapes of flowers, rather than their riotous colors. She captures the essence of nature's beauty in these and other designs that feature black-and-white photography by Eric.

"Seeing is the key to everything," she says. "I love shapes, and when there is color, you don't see the shapes as well. White provides a canvas for the beauty in life."

Everything from what Diana wears (all white, all year) to how she lives (she decorates her home in shades of white) focuses on that which celebrates calm. "My mission is to transfer that feeling to other people," she says.

Diana expresses herself through her work, hoping others will find a similar peace and joy in simple pleasures. "My inspiration comes from those that I make happy," she says.