Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Cindy Richard

Hi guys

This is the first TAT in over a month woooooooooooah!

If you read my last Weekly Ramble then you may know the strangest mixture of events has had a hand in that, but it was also a timely break as this feature needs more artists that want to be featured to continue after this week - so if YOU DO please click the details at the bottom of this post. Be bold. Be brave. Be yourself and share with us what you've got to say!

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
Today I am a textile artist and landscape quilter. I worked in high-tech before turning to art as my Day job. I've been living in Israel for 23 years. Before leaving the US I worked in publishing, supervising the printing of children’s books created by master illustrators. After immigrating to Israel, while working as a technical writer in hi-tech, I sought a creative outlet and started quilting. At first I was attracted by the structured simplicity of traditional designs. It was only later that I branched out to create contemporary designs of my own. Today I prefer creating fabric landscapes using raw-edge appliqué. I particularly like creating handmade quilt art that reflects the people and places of the Holy Land. I am drawn by the beauty of the landscapes and the unique colors of Israeli society. I have built a repertoire of landscapes of the natural wonders here like the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. Currently I am working on a series of “moments in time at the Jerusalem marketplace”. One of these pieces is hanging at the Jerusalem Theater.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
I think my biggest challenge is finding my voice and getting my name out there. It's really hard to wear an artists hat as well as a business woman's hat. Success is only going to happen if I also learn to market my art and sell my name. That isn't my strong side. It isn't easy to be out there attracting attention to my work. I would much rather be quilting!

Do you think you have achieved a uniquely recognisable style as an artist, or do you find it a struggle to find your own style?
I have been searching for my voice all along. I realized early on that my best work was always based on places I love. So, I basically focus on places that have personal meaning for me. I'm originally a New Yorker, so I am attracted to New York scenes. More important though are the scenes of people and places that surround me in Israel. The natural wonders, like the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee are so amazing. I strive to capture their grandeur. The marketplace in Jerusalem is so colorful and poignant. So these are my most favorite subjects. I think if I can become known as the quilter of Israeli society and landscapes I will be thrilled.

What daunts you most as an artist?
I don't have a background in art. I've worked with color and I can learn technique, but I really wanted to make a leap for craft to art. So, I found a really talented art teacher who knows how to teach and started taking drawing classes. It's the best step I have taken. I have learned quilting with some amazing masters and that's shaped my work as well, but building a foundation has really helped my confidence. Drawing is not something you can learn from a book. You have to see it, feel it and immerse yourself in it. I can now piece and embroider faces, which was a real goal for me. I've overcome this stumbling block enough to move on.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art? 

I teach private students from my studio at home and sell my designs at my online 

store, cindyrquilts.etsy.com. My work can be found on my website, cindyrquilts.com.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and work with us Cindy, you are seriously talented! You're quilts are beautiful and I am so grateful I get to share a variety of enriching art on here.

*****IN NEED OF ARTISTS*****

Again artists interviews are nothing without the artists lol

Do you want to be featured?

To be featured email me or find all the details here =)