Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindi Harwood-Rose.
Hi Cindi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started drawing portraits as a child with my mother, a fine artist and architect. She could also do paper cuttings from various countries in Europe, specially France, England. Poland, Germany. I was paid for portraits of families and pets as a child. As a teen I got a summer job at Six Flaggs to draw portraits in the park. They needed a silhouette artist. My first try they liked the silhouette I cut of the art manager and hired me as a silhouette artist. I am self-taught. I had never heard of silhouettes hand-cut live, without a shadow, tracing, or photo.
The company that hired me, Rubio Artists owned art concessions at Disneyland and sent me there every Christmas to cut silhouettes. I was paid per silhouette and paid for college and graduated in Fine Arts and Communications from UT Austin winning Miss Austin Beautiful, and graduating with high honors. This led to an agent who booked me-world-wide for events, including London where I was a guest of BBC TV, and silhouetted some of English royalty.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I had children I realized that I could not travel and neglect my children and easily used my event planning degree, marketing studies, and did PR, and fund-raising for individuals and charities. I also was able to be involved in my children’s schools and activities and worked from my home when they were asleep. I furthered my art with classes in SnowMass in sculpture and clay, and figure oil painting. We had an Aspen home and spent summers there. I also chaired events in Aspen for cancer awareness and research. My children are now lawyers and I have mobility to work weddings, corporate events, school fundraisers, baby’s first birthday parties, and children’s stores. People can buy mail order from me for 3 duplicates a person and 3 mats for $100.
Yes, everything in life is not easy especially working at Disneyland and Disneyworld which was known for treating female employees unequally to male employees.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most proud that I founded The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation a 501 (c) (3) and donate much of my proceeds to cancer wellness. I donated many years fundraising and saved 99 lives and raised over 1 million dollars. I am also proud that a priest saw me helping a child with Down syndrome at DisneyWorld and annotated me as a doctor of divinity. I made the child and mother smile and have hope. With every silhouette I bless the person and tell them something validating. My art speaks to people. I see light not shadow. I got my life coach certificate and can heal people at events and do intuitive readings, with colored papers. I have the world speed record and can impact up to 30 people each hour.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
As a person who was shy, but believed in myself, I would tell others to find their path, and trust in a faith. I never heard of cutting portraits without a light, shadow, tracing, pre-sketch, and could do it in my first try. Tell yourself you are special and have something to offer the world in a positive way. Never listen to people who do not believe in you.
There are many ways to make a career, and you can have more than one. I won Miss Texas Elite and Miss Texas Supreme with my art, mission, and won Miss congeniality in Mrs. Texas USA. I think it’s important to see what you can do daily for others as well as create a career that feels like fun. I have worked in every state in the USA, and still think Dallas and New York City are my favorites.
Pricing:
- $100 for 3 duplicates and 3 mats or one black oval wood frame.
- $1600 for 4 to 5 hour weddings, baby’s first birthdays, events, corporate parties, in Dallas, Austin, Houston, Beaumont, San Antonio.
- Stores and schools get 25 percent of sales but must have at least 30 verified appointments. Silhouettes are only $55 for 3 duplicates each person for stores and schools
- I will do home parties and give a percent to the hostess with 30 appointments at $55 each person for 3 duplicates.
- Destination weddings are the same price plus air, hotel, transportation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://SilhouettesbyCindi.com
- Instagram: Cindi. Silhouette
- Facebook: Cindi Rose silhouette artist and Silhouettes by Cindi
- LinkedIn: Silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose
- Youtube: Silhouette artist Cindi Rose
- Email: Cindisilhouettes@gmail.com
Image Credits
Herb Hochman, Gittings. I do not see where to send photos and will later today.
