We recently connected with Cynthia Hunter and have shared our conversation below.

Cynthia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve been fond of textile and bead art since I was a little girl. My grandmother is a master crafter in my eyes and she introduced me to crochet and sewing. I’ve taken community classes all around Baltimore. From the YMCA to Beadazlled or Baltimore Jewelry Center, I tried to learn as much as I could with the resources that were available to me. Everything I learn I add to my arsenal of skills, but the most important skills to me are dedication and consistency. Socio-economic issues may cause artists to lose faith or momentum in their career path, but its always important to stay the course. Embrace the ebbs and flows. I’ve had the most humility and audacious spirit during rock bottom because at that point fear is out the window and you have nothing to lose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born and raised in Baltimore. I was always encouraged to explore different art mediums, but I found my artistic niche in beads. Beads have a beautiful way of transporting light and messages. Beadwork is an ancient craft that deserves to be preserved. I came up with an idea for a beaded handbag line in 2020. I was able to find my lead artisan through Instagram hashtags. Don’t you just love social media? She is based in Nigeria. It has been a challenging, yet rewarding learning curve. I learned so much about importing, international shipping, and manufacturing. Through my brand we are working towards poverty eradication, equality, economic growth, and good health. The purses aren’t just bags for my artisans and I. Its a chance for freedom and a lifestyle change. We hope to grow and expand into full accessories and apparel production. For right now, I am proud that I launched YoCyndie Studios in 2022. It took a lot of work and I’m still not where I want to be, but I am excited for the journey. I am relaunching with a Kickstarter campaign in late spring of 2023.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I launched Yocyndie Studios with a pre-order model. This wasn’t my original idea, but I allowed people to get in my head. Fear crept in. Subsequently, I didn’t have the best launch that I could’ve had. I knew the capacity and infrastructure of what my business could handle. My original idea was crowdfunding my first production line and I am going back to that. It’s okay to take advice from others, but always follow your intuition. Now, I have earned strength. The strength that comes when you have the ability to pivot, reinvent yourself, and face your fears.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability be ahead of your time. Often times, creatives can ignite a trend or initiate a chain of thought that provokes the collective to have conversations or to create their own art work. I think its really impactful to have that kind of influence.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @yocyndieee
• Youtube: yocyndie

Image Credits
Katelyn King