Cindy Aune is an Oxford artist who has shown at the Caron Gallery from the very beginning. She works in acrylic, mixed media and often paints with her fingertips. In this video, she discusses her painting process during one of our quarterly art and wine dinners hosted at the Caron Gallery!
Cindy says, “I owned a successful wholesale business for twenty-five years. Life events forced me to close my company. I began to paint canvases, rather badly, but filling my days with art was exactly what I needed. My wholesale location turned into my studio. In 2010, I participated in a Robert Burridge workshop, changing my style. I started applying paint with my fingers in a fast, loose manner, not concentrating on details or worrying about the end result; but allowing the painting to develop in its own way. I now work with thin layers of acrylic pigments on randomly textured and painted canvases allowing the under paintings to show through in unexpected areas. It is an uncontrolled and experimental technique. Most of my days are spent alone in my studio in a cedar grove with four dogs and loud music. It’s not a bad way of life.
Painting is the most frustrating and at the same time most exhilarating work I have ever done. A good day produces work that I still cannot believe my hands created; a bad day produces under paintings, of which I have many. Many of my paintings express the emotions I keep hidden. Sometimes the images are simply something nice to look at, but many times they are where I place my feelings, both good and bad. For a few years now I have been painting expressive faces and figurative pieces. They are not always easy to live with; however, they are the pieces I think will remain interesting to view. Often the viewer does not understand the work, but they are drawn to it. There have been several incidences where a piece has been purchased and years later they contact me saying that they now understand why they needed that painting. In my heart, I think in some ways it is God helping us. I know that painting is a gift that God has given me to enjoy. I do enjoy it. My hope is that someone else may also enjoy my work.”
Thank you Cindy Aune for sharing your talents with us!