We were lucky to catch up with Cindi Yaklich recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cindi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

Boy! I was scrolling through the topics, and this shouted at me. I have said that the only (or one of the main – haha) regrets I have in life is that I did not pursue art as a career. I had begun in fine arts and knew I had to earn a living the day I left school. I did not want to continue cleaning houses, which was how I worked my way through school. I had a painting teacher tell me about graphic design. I checked that out and realized it was something I could do and become employed at the end of school. I transferred, had a successful career, and even started a ten-employee business. Although graphics involve artistic sensibility, it is different from being a painter, especially with the computer involved. When I finally started painting, I felt reborn and so alive. I wonder where my paintings would be today if I had stayed with it from the beginning.

Cindi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As I mentioned earlier, I began as a graphic designer and then became a fine artist. I returned to a painting career about seven years ago and discovered it is just part of me. I have come a long way in seven years, but I also know I don’t have a lifetime to accomplish what I want. I am a still-life artist in a very old-world style; it is not often seen and stands out for that reason.

I am an explorer, revealing the beauty in quiet, everyday objects that often escape notice. In my art, each object becomes a portal to our intricate reality, where light and texture interweave. These ordinary pieces, tucked away in life’s corners, hold hidden histories contributing to our shared understanding of reality. In honor of the realist tradition, oils are used on fine Belgian linen to bring untold stories to light. By recontextualizing the ordinary, I want to reveal the beauty and interconnectedness in what is often overlooked.

Last year, I had a gallery show in Crested Butte, Colorado, called “Brushstrokes of Time.” The show visually depicted Crested Butte’s history through still lifes of ordinary objects.

I currently have a show at the Boulder Museum with Jennifer Holhlfelder titled “Stills: Moments in Time.” A visitor to the exhibit, Reese Pearson,
says, “I felt very calm; it was very relaxing to look at.” he goes on to say, “A lot of the pieces reminded me of moments from my life. It all felt familiar to look at, almost like they were captured from dreams I’ve
had or memories”.

I’m proud to have my art displayed in The New Local Gallery in Boulder and RAModern Gallery in Crested Butte.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I returned to painting I was still working a full time job, but I was determined to give this ‘art thing’ a go. What that meant was working 8+ hours a day and then painting til midnight many nights in a row. It was hard at the time, but I’m glad I did it.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Working with other artists and learning from them. Being more open about asking them questions and not being so afraid of my failures.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vivifineart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivifineart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vivifineart/

Image Credits
Head Shot Keith Brenner [email protected]