Cindy Kanakriyeh
Storm over Highland Springs by Cindy Kanakriyeh
Join us for an evening with local artist, Cindy Kanakriyeh, where she will “Color Your World.”
About Cindy…
I am a self taught pastel artist. I have lived in the community for 23 plus years. In my artistic journey, I have always been an artist since I can remember, coloring, painting all brought me joy. I took a summer oil painting class when I was 11 yrs old. I took as many art classes in high school as possible. It was my high school art teacher who saw promise in me and encouraged me to enter an art scholarship program. I did and I won the scholarship. My parents dissuaded me from accepting it due to their view of me becoming a starving artist. I listened and pursued nursing as my career. I married and started my family but never gave up my thirst for art. I would go to museums, read art books, expressed my creativity with cooking, interior design and gardening.
It was not until my youngest child was a junior in high school, anticipating my soon to be empty nest, that I started to pursue my art seriously. I had never painted with pastels but was always drawn to them. I started viewing YouTube tutorials on pastel painting. I also took a class at Redlands Art Association with Pat Ford, I loved it and was hooked. I joined the Pastel Society of Southern California, and took every workshop that was within driving distance. I really loved an Australian pastelist, Stephie Clark, who was teaching a workshop in France so I traveled there to experience that.
I was further encouraged by being honored with a few awards: Best Use of Color 2016 Yucaipa Art Spring Show, Best of Show 2017 Yucaipa Art Spring Show, 2018 Award of Excellence Redlands Art Association Mini Show, juried into PSSC 2020 Member Show, and Third Place Mixed Media 2023 Yucaipa Spring Art Show.
All these little milestones have spurred me on. It has now been almost a decade since I seriously pursued my art. I love bold color, and pastel is such a satisfying medium for that. I mostly do landscapes and some florals. I feel fortunate to live in such an active art community. Art is important, it is a place of refuge and calm. Beauty is important. I am happy to share my paintings with my community. And I am a firm believer in that it is never too late to pursue your passion.
Themed Thursday is an opportunity for all of us to paint together in our studios in a relaxed manner. You can work on whatever you like or follow along with the chosen theme of the evening. You can paint, interact or simply watch. Whatever suits you!
Join with the Zoom Link below. The Passcode if needed is 409756
(The Zoom is limited to the first 100 people to sign in)
If you would like to be a guest demonstrator for a future Themed Thursday meeting, please email us at info@psscwebsite.org
Golden Hour in the Lavender Field by Cindy Kanakriyeh