We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cynthia Wierschen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cynthia below.

Cynthia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Finally, yes! I am happy as an artist. It’s been a long journey. Up mountains, down in valleys. But I’ve reached a plateau where I can look back, from where I started and look forward to my next venture! I’ve never thought much about what it would have been like had I chosen to continue working a standard 9-5 job. Instead of choosing the long days and often long nights working as an artist. I think that I was destined and created to be an artist.

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

If asked to define myself, a simple response would be is that ‘I’m an artist’. But a more complete definition is that I am a creative painter. Creating visual images from my imagination or a subject and transferring what I see or feel on to a canvas or another surface with the mediums of acrylic, oil or water color paints. I am a sculptor, bringing to ‘visual life’ portraits, figures and abstract shapes using clay, stone, metal and wood.
I am a designer and maker of unique jewelry and textile creations.
I have studied and I have taught art. And I’ve learned that art is not just what I do, it is a part of who I am.
I believe that I was born an artist. I started on my creative path when I was five years old. And since then I haven’t been able to stop! And yes I have tried to! Disappointments, frustration and feelings of failure made me want to turn off that flow of creativity that coursed through me. But I could not! Every time I put my tools and art supplies away, vowing never to use them again…that creative flow would force me back to creating again.
I think every born artist is addicted to and subject to that internal creative flow!
If I am unique as an artist, I would say it is because I do not limit myself to any one field or form of art. I have delved into arts many visual expressions.
The rewards of being an artist are not always monetary. The cliche of the ‘starving’ artist has some merit of truth!
After decades of striving as an artist, I’ve accomplished two milestones. Having my own independent art shows. And having several of my sculptures on display in a museum. For me these were my Grammy and Academy awards!
If asked, has my artistic journey been worth my investment of tears, time and tenacity?
My simple answer would be ‘yes’!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In my high school art class, the teacher taught us that artists should decide which area and style of art that they would pursue. Once decided an artist should remain in that discipline. We were also taught that it would be an academic degree in art that would distinguish a novice from a professional artist. The novice never to achieve any respect or acclaim. For years I carried the baggage of that short sighted narrow view! Its effect made me feel limited and marginalized. Thankfully I learned a different lesson ‘taught by life’ and its scope of experiences.
Art is not confined to just one style to choose.
Artist should not be segregated as novice or professional.
A degree or absence of one does not determine who is or who is not an artist. That determination should be a self made judgment.
I have seen the amazing works of artist who have never taken an art class in their lives! Who are driven by the same internal creative flow that drives every artist!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I had been trying year after year to get my art ‘out there’. Nothing I was trying seemed to bring any upward change. I was really at a standstill!
Then my sister asked me if I knew how to make refrigerator magnets?
Well, three days later I did!
I showed her my new creations and she wanted them all!
That started me on my way!
I decided that if I couldn’t get my art into the galleries where people could get to see what I do. Then I would take my art to the people!
So I packed up my magnets, paintings and textile creations in a plastic three drawer file cabinet. Which I repurposed as my traveling gallery/shop on wheels! I loaded everything up in my car and drove from the desert to the beaches, city to the suburbs! Showing and selling my artworks out of the trunk of my car. In hair salons, at gas stations, parks, church events. During family gatherings, at company and community events, parties and even on the street.
I spent so much time on the road that I knew all the freeways and backroads in two California counties! By the time I stopped traveling, three years later, things had changed! I had become well known, by people who appreciated and eagerly brought my art. I met influential people who invited me to participate in a variety of art shows. I garnered a licensing contract to have my art images put on a line of casual clothing and I was asked to produce the cover art for several book authors!
From this experience I found out that success is at the landing of some pretty steep and high stairs! And it takes steady hard climbing to get to it.
Looking back now, I can tell you, that every step was worth it!

Contact Info:

• Website: theartofcynthia.com