We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cindy Shaoul a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Cindy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My second year at Emerson college during Thanksgiving break at home. I was in my mother’s art studio and suddenly I got the urge to paint something. I saw a rolled up large empty canvas and just tacked it up on the wall and got to painting. That whole week I remember feeling like I was in the right place at the right time. I finished the large canvas and had this amazing feeling and knew this is what I wanted to do. When I got back to Boston, all I remember feeling was that I needed to paint. I brought back some materials and painted in my dorm. I had canvases, charcoal and paints everywhere, I think my roommates thought I was going crazy, I was even painting my converse sneakers, and friends asked for me to do custom paints for theirs as well. I inquired to take an art class, but there was barely anything offered at Emerson. So when it came time to return for second semester, I didn’t. I transferred back to New York and started taking art classes at the Spring Studio in Soho, and following the next year is when I started at the Art Students League.

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

I got into painting from the pure place of having an ethereal connection to it. It found me in a way when I lost myself. It was that Thanksgiving break, when I was able to take a break from the noise of college, that I was able to connect with something I never knew was there. After finding that voice and trusting the process, I broke free from the conventional way of living and decided that painting is what I was meant to do. Sometimes you need to break free from the noise of the world and when you find that quietness you can hear what’s actually inside and trust that process of letting go. Today, I get to paint and express so much love that I have and connect it with others to inspire and feel that love.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was the idea of perfection. Nothing is perfect, neither should a painting be. Sometimes those imperfections is what makes something beautiful. And when you let go of perfection, you let go completely and that’s when magic happens.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Keeping up consistently everyday, sharing what you are up to and being confident that what you share will be either judged or celebrated.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cindyshaoul.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyshaoul/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindyshaoulartist/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVWUW-9p87lNZepJ5gZW2mw/videos

Image Credits

Cindy Shaoul Lilac Gallery Ltd.