Getting to Know...Cindy Goldrick

If you've taken a class with Cindy Goldrick you know the enthusiastic and creative dynamo that she is! Creativity was highly regarded in Cindy's family. "The women around me, aunts, grammas, neighbours, were crafters out of necessity and love, so I was always making potholders on lap looms, corking, making my own Barbie dresses, weaving bracelets from coloured telephone wire. My dad was a painter in oils and water, in his precious spare time, so I also like to draw and paint. I remember getting things like rock tumblers and bead weaving looms for Christmas and making my own jewellery to go with my 70s chic maxi dresses and bellbottoms", explains Cindy. 
 
"I loved vintage in my 20s, and spent a lot of time plundering my mom’s and gramma’s costume jewellery, taking it apart and remaking it. After my son was born in the early 90s I needed small, easy projects so I bought earring supplies almost weekly at Arton and made things for friends and family. Then I had a friend who loved cross stitch and I went to classes at CreativFestival, moving into intricate silk on linen pieces. When they required beads, I went to a TBS Fair at the Y(MCA) and was hooked on creating again," she adds.

To learn about her craft, Cindy took classes from local and international instructors and delved into books and magazines. "I grew up around tools, since my dad was a Jack of all Trades and taught me how to use them, including large metalworking tools. I believe that learning a technique opens your mind to a reinterpretation of the artistic motif that informs all of your work," says Cindy. "Mastery of the medium is important, channeling of artistic meaning is essential to creative development."

Cindy's inspiration comes from many sources. "My students inspire, delight and surprise me all of the time. I have always loved the symbol of the vortex and like to incorporate it into my work, if possible. Beautiful lampwork, raku or polymer clay pieces inspire me to design the framework to make them really shine," states Cindy.

"If I learn a new technique I just start playing with it. I like to set creative limitations, such as use only what I have in my stash to go with one new piece, to see what comes out of it. I look at photos of decorative objects on the V&A web site. Mostly I design to teach a technique and I like to create something that will inspire students to learn the technique while applying their own design sensibility. I make things I would love to wear. If someone else likes it, then I’m amazed and honoured and humbled," she adds.

When asked about collecting and recording ideas for future projects, Cindy explains, "I sketch thoughts and have lots of little pieces of papers in the bottom of my purse (!?!) I have a design journal that I decorated with a variety of techniques from resin to bead embroidery to foldforming, and I don’t use it as much as I should . But I rip things out and paste them down in it. I also put sticky notes on pages in magazines and books, then every once in a while go back through mags from a couple of years ago. Sometimes projects I didn’t even notice jump out at me with time and distance.

Cindy's advice to other artists? "Make mistakes," she says. "There’s actually no such thing as a mistake. Everything is a happy accident and a new path to a creative solution and totally unique finished piece."

Upcoming classes lead by Cindy Goldrick:
Wire Kumihimo Beaded Bracelet
Sunday, August 11
11:00am - 1:00pm

French Knitting with Wire & Beads
Sunday, August 11
1:00 - 4:00pm

Cindy also facilitates Open Metal Studio: Metalworking. 
Watch for upcoming dates!