Cyndi Shantz

I have been creating art in one form or another since I was a kid. I began with pencil drawing and over the years I’ve worked in practically every medium from watercolor to digital (and if you want to count landscape design and gardening, along with a good measure of home improvement DIY projects, that’s a lot of mediums!). Growing up I practically turned my entire bedroom into a studio. 

I had decided to focus my full time career on Graphic Design and Marketing but I’ve always kept a foothold in the fine arts through painting, photography, beading, decorating, gardening, or whatever creative outlet I could find. A few years ago my interest turned to metal. I had always admired the beautiful textures and the rich colors of bronze, copper and steel as it patinas and rusts. As luck would have it, my favorite garden nursery here in Houston was hosting a welding class being given by the metal artist who had created many of the pieces sold there. I fell in love with welding! Being able to take a solid piece of steel and twist and shape it and then fuse it together with another piece of steel was awesome!

I think that I will always be in the learning process with this medium as the possibilities seem endless. Steel by itself is extremely beautiful, but I have also been incorporating other mediums like wood into my work as well. I'm so looking forward to discovering new techniques and perfecting my skills with each new piece that I create!