Where were you born and where do you currently live and create? I was born in Brisbane, Australia, and after living in Sydney and other Australian cities, Brisbane is where I call home at the moment.
How would you describe Cindy Nelson? I would say she is an extroverted introvert who is thoughtful, detail oriented, often anxious, but always thinking creatively.
What was your first experience with art as a kid? I remember creating books, writing them out with matching illustrations, and tying the pages together with wool for binding. There was also painting on wooden panels that my parents thoughtfully varnished; my love for art started early.
Did you study art or is it inherent? I took art classes all through school, and then after graduating from university where I studied drama and communication, I went back to college to study fashion design, branding and graphic design for a short time. This was brought on by wanting to turn my love, and as you say, inherent grasp for art into a viable career choice.
Have you ever come across a piece of art that you could not or did not want to stop looking at? I have always been struck by Modigliani’s portraits of women, especially “Female Nude; Iris Tree”. I have a really early memory of this and it has stuck with me.
If you had to watch one movie on repeat for eternity, what would it be? That is the best/worst question to ask a former actor who ran a video store for 10 years, but I would have to say “Lost In Translation” by Sofia Coppola.
Where/when do you get most inspired? Inspiration for a creative mind for me is anywhere there are other creative people at work; advertising, magazines, social media, retailers, film & TV.
First thing you think/do in the morning? And Last thing at night? In the morning after pressing snooze on my alarm for too long, I manage to climb into some active wear and stretch with a short yoga routine, then look at my Instagram feed and thinking about my next illustration journey. Last thing at night I’m afraid phone may still be in hand, but followed by a long, hot shower (even in summer!) and nightly facial routine, which sets me up for a relaxing sleep.
What is your least favorite part of the day? When I haven’t been creating, I become a terrible human. I sometimes catch myself in a shockingly bad mood, and I realize I haven’t drawn anything for a day or two; it’s that quiet time when I’m focused on creating, to the minute detail, something beautiful that for me is very zen.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you have liked to be? An actor – which I was for a short time in feature films and TV. I’m all about the storytelling.
Why make art? To entertain, to share, to enrich, to educate, to inspire; but also just to create something beautiful to look at. Sometimes all once.
The future is _________? The future is both terrifying and exciting, filled with more creating whilst discovering new styles to play with, and fantastic collaborations with all sorts of creative partners. And a long awaited trip to Japan too!
If you could have dinner with 3 artists living/dead who would be at your table? Picasso, Diana Vreeland and Wes Anderson.
Name three things you can’t live without in your studio? iPad Pro, Apple Pencil & iPhone!
Anything else you’d like to mention that I didn’t ask? I am an Aquarius, I adore film soundtracks (again so much storytelling!), and I love having plants in the house – I’m fast becoming a serious plant lady!
