Dear Friends,
If you wonder how I come up with so many whimsical animal personalities, you have only to peek into my childhood or look outside my studio windows.
I've loved the outdoors all my life. I grew up in the creative confusion of a large, artistic family in Dayton, Ohio. Our family went for long walks every week where my dad taught me to love the shapes and colors of the woods and to watch the squirrels dancing through the treetops. He and I were drawing animals together by the time I was three.
I went on to major in art at Mount Saint Joseph University just outside of Cincinnati. I fell in love with pen and ink drawing, a love which has never left me. I was especially fascinated with the textured patterns I could create in my drawings. This love of texture shows up strongly in my clay work, where I use seashells, lace and seed pods to texture details like owl eyes, mermaid tails and bird wings.
I began sculpting large and small animals in clay in 1972 while I was the director of “The Station,” a community art center in Loveland, Ohio. I was teaching children to pinch animals in clay and became so fascinated with the process that I began to consider a career as an animal artist.
By 1975 my sculpting career was becoming established in the Cincinnati area, but I wanted a life closer to nature and animals. My husband Joe and I moved to a small farming valley in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near Boone, North Carolina. There we raised our daughter and crafted a business.
Soon after this move, I expanded my line of miniature animal sculptures to meet the growing demand of the collectors who visit our mountains each year. As the word spread, Little Guys found their way into fine gift shops and craft galleries all across the USA. I still pinch the personality into each one myself and hand draw each little smile.
Try taking this fun quiz to bring a smile to your face and learn more about how Little Guys are made. Here's a sample question: “How many pounds of elephants has Cindy created in 40 years?” Just download the Quiz and have a laugh.
Brilliant Star I find strength in my faith, my family, my friends and a few special volunteer projects that always involve children. I've organized small multicultural festivals where kids and adults learn about differences and celebrate our common humanity. For many years I helped to illustrate a small children's magazine. Then I wrote and illustrated two books about virtues for children. These drawings celebrate my vision for the children of the world—laughing, caring and sharing with each other as loving and beloved members of one human family.
Thank you for your interest in my work and my story.
Thank you for your interest in my work and my story.
Peace,
Cindy
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This website is designed by Pepper P. Oldziey, Peppergraphics.com