|
 Cindy,
when did you first become interested in art and when did you think about
doing it professionally?
I dreamed about Art
and Jewelry all through Junior High School. So I did all I could in
High School to make sure I took all of the art classes offered so I
could go on to college. Once I ran out of art classes to take I took
Drafting, Wood Shop and Plastics Design and was the first girl to do it
in those days since I am now 49 years old. We can say it was the old
days. Ha! Ha! I was encouraged by all my teachers in my high school
year book to follow a career in Design… Funny because I listened for
once and that is what I do…
What was your process of becoming an artist?
I did art as a
child and I took all the classes I could in High School to develop my
art so I could go to college. I always dreamed of using my art in
jewelry design as I loved them both so much and it was my dream to do
them all at once. I began College in St. Petersburg and Sarasota
Florida but quit when I saw that I had to take so many other classes
that I did not relate to. I came back to Indiana and met a man who
learned to make Jewelry from a Native American. This is before I knew I
was Native American. My mother then took some of my college money to
pay him to teach me privately to make Jewelry. I then started doing
artwork to make into a related jewelry design and would dream about how
I could cut a stone to look like something I drew. I would then try to
make the silver to match the drawing also. So to sum it up at the young
age of 18 and 19 I was doing art and jewelry professionally.
What led you to jewelry design?
As a child after the
death of my father at the age of 8 years old I would spend some summers
in Fullerton California with relatives in the summer. We went to Disney
Land and Knott’s Berry Farm many times. I saw all the sparkles and
beautiful artwork there. It had a lot to do with me wanting to turn
beautiful things into jewelry. I also loved nature and would pick up
things from the earth and find ways of wearing it. I also was taught
by, in the older days, a “Hippy Chick” how to make Macramé Jewelry in
Junior High. I believe that all of these combined gave me the
inspiration to make jewelry.
Please tell us a little bit about the other types of art that you do.
In the past couple of
years I have developed ways of turning other well known artists artwork
into metal so that is one of my primary things I concentrate on. It is
important to me to make great wearable products from art. Since I love
jewels I have also developed products that have both art and jewels
involved. Right now I am working on clothing that has artwork, jewels
and glitters. Also all my products on my web site contain glitter and
jewels of some kind. All of my artwork for 2007 will be a process of
permanent glitter applied to all of my prints. I also have something
very new called Story Book Greeting Cards. I also have always
had a talent with words. As a Native American, story telling is
something that is done within our culture. So I have created a line of
Story Book Greeting Cards that relate to my Artwork. Each card is made
from handmade paper with tree parts showing in the paper. My artwork is
on the front with a story on the inside that relates to the art. Then
each card is glittered and a jewel and bow are added. They come with a
special envelope and the card itself in a clear bag for its protection.
This way it is a small story that someone can buy as a gift and a send
to that special person, which they can collect and use to teach their
young. I like to think that I am carrying on the tradition of story
telling and pray to compile enough small stories for a book in the next
year.
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Cherokee Liitle People |
Flames of Peace |
Lady |
Thunderbird |
Do you have a specialty?
Yes, my specialty is
now turning artwork into FULL COLOR Jewelry for both private and
business. I am now being hired to do full colored Art Log Jewelry for
Companies so they may give their investors and employees a piece of
Jewelry that will last a life time.
What has been your most memorable experience as an artist?
 My
most memorable experience is, as of last year, my jewelry was adopted by
the Famous Easyriders Motorcycle Company for their Roadware Wholesale
Catalog which also led to me meeting my idol Movie Star, Branscomb
Richmond, an active advocate for Native American Events all over the
world and in the Movie Industry. Within less than 3 months Easyriders
Roadware Division bought over half of my inventory for their catalog and
I was off to do a show where Actor/Producer/Co-owner of the American
Motorcycle Company, Branscomb Richmond and I wore matching bracelets I
designed for the company called the Smokin Dragon Bracelet. On
my web site you can see the picture where I was recuperating from
surgery and was in a wheel chair, so not only is this most memorable but
it is time of great thanks for blessings I have received and for even
being alive, as we all know Cancer can be a devastating disease. So I
can look at these moments and remember that even in the bad, if you find
goodness, you have gained wisdom.
Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life when it comes
to your art?
The knowledge of the
relationship between Native Americans and the Earth and its creatures
are my biggest influence. I am now working on Earth, Endangered Species
and The Cherokee Little People Meet the Fairy People.
You have a lot of symbolism in your art. Does that come from your
Native American connection or does it have some other meaning?
My artwork is a form
of peace and therapy that is has allowed me to survive the tragedies in
my life, including the death of my father in a explosion when I was 8;
in 1980 my brother was killed by a drunk driver; my adopted sister by
marriage died of a drug overdose; in 1990 my husband was murdered by a
brutal stabbing and my nephew shot himself. I found that the only way
to survive was to create deep thoughts of fantasy and mingle it with
goodness and my Native American roots to come up with a self survival
technique that would allow my talent to evolve and literally save my
life along the way. In other interviews I have been told that my art had
deep meaning and symbolism and it is what attracts people to my art.
What would you still like to accomplish with your art? What are your
goals and where do you see yourself going with your art?
I still want to
become financially stable through the professionalism of both my art and
jewelry. Along the way I pray to help other unknown artists, and
especially teach others that even though you sometimes go thru
unbearable tragedies, through art you can not only make a career, but
you can use it to save your mental health.
I want to say thanks
for giving me this opportunity to do this interview, and on behalf of
myself and Peaceful Art Jewelry/Design LLC extend you every good
blessing in the world, that your life may also be fulfilling.
Tanakeha (Until we
meet again).
Smiling Eyes Cindy
To view more of Smiling Eyes Cindy's
artwork, please visit her website:
http://www.peacefulartjewelrydesignllc.com.
All works
are copyright. Permission to use these images in any way must be
obtained from the artist.
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