Houston Silhouette Artist Cindi Harwood Rose by Bernadette Verzosa

Houston Silhouette Artist Cindi Harwood Rose

by Bernadette Verzosa             Cindi Harwood Rose fondly remembers making homemade dolls with her sisters Holly and Bonny. The three little girls would use rocks and scrap materials to create their little playthings. It was just one of the simple and artistic family activities she enjoyed growing up in her Houston home.       "Our mom would sit with us for hours doing fabulous art projects. In one way, I was being trained to be skilled with pen, paintbrush, pastel and scissors," recalls Rose. "But I've always been fascinated with drawing by scissors, cutting out paper dolls and hearts when I was three years old, cracking paint off and sculpting on the walls to my parents' dismay with the rounded-edge of scissors"          Scissors are Rose's trademark tools. She is now known around the globe for her talent and skill in paper cutting elegant silhouettes, a disappearing art with roots in ancient China and France.       She has done in-person silhouettes of a range of public figures including Barbara Bush, Queen Elizabeth, singer Tony Bennett, violinist Itzhak Perlman and movie star Ashley Judd. "This art gives me great joy because it opens up a whole world," Rose says. "Facial features can reveal a lot about a person. When I'm doing someone's silhouette, I need to capture their personality so I have to connect with them."  SILHOUETTES & CHILDREN        Here in Houston, Rose's delicate silhouettes hang on the walls of hundreds of homes as heirloom keepsakes. They are especially popular as reasonably priced gifts for grandparents. For $35, she takes her scissors and vintage paper, and snips away a profile in a matter of minutes. Children are fascinated to watch her use her magic scissors to form their likeness out of black paper.        "I do well with children. I educate them while they watch me do their silhouettes. I tell them ‘Everybody has a magic wand.' For me, it's scissors and for them it's a sport or dance," she says. "The amazing part is children don't have to sit still, and can come dirty in a T-shirt! Parents can tell me how they want the hair and clothes to appear."        Rose is hired to create silhouettes for guests at weddings, business conventions, school fundraisers and birthday parties. She can be booked by playgroups and private homes with a minimum of 20 spots reserved.         She donates all proceeds to the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, an organization she established that provides free reconstructive surgery to uninsured breast cancer survivors. The foundation bears her sister's name – Holly Harwood Skolkin passed away earlier this year after a long battle with breast cancer.            Rose will be at Fundamentally Toys on Rice Boulevard on Sunday, December 2 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Reservations are required. Please call 713-524-4400 ahead of time since slots fill up fast. For Rose's schedule for the rest of the holiday season, see the bottom of this article.   SCHOOLS, DISNEY & FAMILY        Rose says she has been drawing "non-stop" since she was in kindergarten, earning quarters for her artwork of pets, kids and landscapes.         At Bellaire High School, she used her art to get high marks. "I would illustrate everything from clothing from other countries, to Texas pioneers, or the constellation," she says. "It was like a magic trick.  I would make an A, even in math or Spanish, by just drawing something about the subject."        She discovered her passion while working at Astroworld as a teenager.  She was only 15 years old when she started drawing portraits at Astroworld for a Walt Disney art company. While walking past various art concession stands, she witnessed the work of a silhouette artist from France and she knew she found her calling.         "Silhouette art is not just drawing a shadow. A shadow is just blocked light and can be distorted. Silhouette artists need to be life artists first. They need to be able to draw everything they see and capture a spirit," she says. "I taught myself how to cut ruffles, bows, shirts, ribbons, glasses, hats, couples together, pets, all from practice. I just can see things. I'm good at seeing shape, form and contour and cutting out interior details," she says.       Her work was so impressive, she was flown to Disneyland to do her silhouette artistry. It became her summer job through high school and college, helping pay for her tuition at the University of Texas in Austin.        Rose also awed audiences and art critics with her speed. At Disney, she was able to create 600 silhouettes per day. She set a record with the San Antonio Express News in the early 1980s cutting out 144 silhouettes in one hour – that's more than two silhouettes per minute!          After getting her degrees in art and journalism, she married noted plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin Rose. They have two children, 29-year-old Erica and 27-year-old Ben.   SILHOUETTE ART – HOUSTON HOLIDAY SCHEDULE November 30: Cypress Learning Express Toy Stores December 1: Cypress Learning Express Toy Stores December 2: Fundamentally Toys, Rice Boulevard December 6: Town and Country Learning Express December 20: Town and Country Learning Express December 21: Town and Country Learning Express December 22: Katy Educational Toys    For more information, check Cindi Harwood Rose's website and blog at SilhouettesbyCindi.com

http://www.parentspost.com/Party+planning/Silhouette+Artist+Cindi+Harwood+Rose/

YOU ARE INVITED to Karen and Roland Garcia's Annual Halloween Bash and Light Show - Sat. Oct. 27th, 2012

YOU ARE INVITED to Karen and Roland Garcia's Annual Halloween Bash and Light Show - Sat. Oct. 27th, 2012

Can you believe it’s Halloween again!  Ready for some scary fun?!

You and your guest are invited to Karen and Roland Garcia’s Annual Halloween Bash and Light Show on Saturday, October 27th from 7:00 p.m. to midnight at their home, 46 East Rivercrest, Houston, TX 77042.   Costumes are preferred.  The light show will start at 8:30 p.m., with different shows every hour.   You will not want to miss it!  There will be tricks, treats, food, drinks, a photo booth, silhouettes, astrology readings, complimentary valet for parking, and more.    Contributions in any amount are encouraged at the door, but are not required, to the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, a nonprofit organization which provides help for uninsured and underinsured cancer patients of all ages and genders including psychological support, alternative wellness treatments, free reconstructive surgery and free wigs in the US and globally. 

Please RSVP your attendance and the name of your guest to Patty Finch at finchp@gtlaw.com or call Patty at 713-374-3544.  We look forward to seeing you on October 27th!

Hope you can come!!

Roland Garcia
Shareholder
Greenberg Traurig, LLP | 1000 Louisiana Street | Suite 1700 | Houston, TX 77002
Tel 713.374.3510 | Fax 713.754.7510 | Cell 713.598.6284

GarciaR@gtlaw.com | www.gtlaw.com

Your dining-out green turns pink for breast cancer fight

Dolce Delights by Candace Chang: This new Midtown bakery has teamed with Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, which provides gratis reconstructive surgery to post-cancer patients. Buy a Pomegranate Honey Creme Brulee Cake for $5.25, and $2 will go to the Houston foundation.
3201 Louisiana, 713-807-7575

Read the entire story here!

How to learn to cut silhouette profiles from sight

How to learn to cut silhouette profiles from sight

By silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose

                When I was a little child, I would sit with my talented mother, and cut-out Valentine’s, snow-flakes, paper dolls, flowers, and  butterflies. My mother, Doris Harwood, a paper-cutting artist and architectural designer would also draw portraits, front and side-view.  Little did she know that this practice in contour would prepare her to be a natural in the fine art of English and French profile hand-cutting, an art difficult to master, that only a few handfuls of fine artists, are prolific at.   You can look on-line at The Guild of Paper cutters and see a listing of the world’s best silhouette artists and paper cutters from the past 300 years, and samples of their works.

                As a natural artist, skilled in life drawing, I got a job in my early teens at an amusement park drawing portraits.  While taking a tour, I saw a silhouette artist—someone cutting out profiles from black paper freehand without sketching or using a light—and said “I can do that.”   Laughed at, I was handed scissors, and thin black paper.  Freehand, without a sketch, or light, I cut out the manager’s profile, in less than two minutes, and the prior silhouette artist was fired on the spot.  What I did most, was compare each feature, the same way I would when I draw.  I used my scissors as I would “a thumb” to eyeball the spaces between the features in the subject’s profile

                Silhouette cutting for the Disney art concessionaire became my summer job, throughout high school and The University of Texas where I graduated in fine art and journalism. Later, I worked for Disney World and Disneyland, where  I broke park production records doing 600 silhouettes in a day.  Soon, I found myself doing silhouettes all over the world, for many celebrities, families, formal affairs, television shows, galleries, department stores, and collections. I made a world speed record in 1982, 144 silhouettes of 144 individuals cut-out in one hour, timed by The San Antonio Express Newspaper.

After a busy career, I married Franklin Rose, and had two children, Erica and Ben.  I used my silhouette art, as a fund-raiser for their schools, and many philanthropic causes, including Texas Children’s hospital, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, The American Heart Association, The Ronald McDonald House, The Houston Symphony, and The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, a non-profit, I formed with my husband for uninsured cancer survivors.

                Paper-cutting was discovered in northwestern China around 386-586 AD with Chinese embroidery patterns, for the royal dynasties.  Silhouette-cutting  was associated with the royal courts.  It was not uncommon to have a silhouettist employed, capturing every movement of the entire court. Some paper-cutting artists, told stories, such as Hans Christian Anderson.

 The name silhouette, is from Etienne de Silhouette, a French minister of Finance, who was dismissed in 1759, after 9 months in office. He had cut out pensions and luxuries, thus, items “cut-out” or minimal in expense, reminded people of him.  Silhouettes were the way to have a profile made by an artist, without having to have a portrait drawn.  Oddly, a true silhouette, hand-cut by an artist, is more difficult than drawing a portrait, and all silhouette artists can draw portraits, but not all portrait artists can do silhouettes free-hand.  There are only around 25 to 50 real silhouette profilist artists in the world, and hand-cut silhouettes, not computer generated ones, only become more valuable in time.  It is not necessary to have little embellishments in your silhouettes. A good silhouette artist, will not give everyone the same hair-do and face, they will make you look like yourself, with the details that express your style. 

                 The beauty of a silhouette is passed down from generation to generation.  Rose has done silhouettes for over 35 years, and has done generations of families.  She prides herself on her likeness’s and embellishments—the white- cut-outs, when it adds to the profile and the style of the individual subject.   If you are a gifted portrait artist, especially keen with the profile, you have a good shot at being a real silhouette artist.  Not one who Photoshops, or traces a shadow off a wall, but a person, who can see features in comparison to other features, and in proportion.  You can start by drawing a profile, around 4 inches high, and cutting it out, or taking profile photos and cutting them out.  Once you figure out how to draw with scissors.  Practice with real people and pets.  Wrapping paper is a good medium to begin with, or computer paper.  If you want to make if official, spray paint one side black, but use the white side to cut from. You can also buy real French silhouette paper on the internet, or at your favorite art supply store.  Barber and surgical scissors make great tools to use, but are costly.  You want to make sure the scissors you use has a straight edge, so that you can control your cuts.  I like to start cutting from the bottom up, which is different than the way I draw. For fun, use colored backgrounds and junk mail.  It is wonderful what you can do with

the silhouette and your imagination.  Silhouettesbycindi.com 

George W. Bush’s silhouette created by Cindi Rose gets President’s A+ Approval

George W. Bush’s silhouette created by Cindi Rose gets President’s A+ Approval

Former United States President, George W. Bush, wrote the most beautiful thank-you to noted silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose. At a prestigious event for The W Source In Houston where President Bush was the honored speaker, his famous silhouette was hand-created full-length and bust style by historic profilist, C. H. Rose. The details and personality of the President was captured by the skilled artist. Cindi is considered the finest

silhouette artist of this and last century. C. Rose has done her artwork over 35 years, and has silhouetted many US and foreign Presidents and royalty. Her work is sought after for Hollywood-style events and weddings, but Rose likes capturing the candid and real genre of the individual she is hand-carving from sight. George W. was spellbound by the work. In minutes, with surgical scissors and thin black paper, she cut his likeness! Rose had done his mother, Barbara Bush’s silhouette several times, and many of his nephews and nieces, but this was the first time she had done his. The country’s leader stated that Cindi Rose did a “fine looking silhouette.” He further commented, in his truthful manner that “the care and craftsmanship that went into every detail are apparent.” The President of the greatest country iterated that C. Harwood Rose’s work showed thoughtfulness, and that he and Laura, sent blessing and best wishes to the artist.

The fine art of hand-cutting silhouettes was a way of record keeping by kings and queens, and American Presidents for several centuries. In the 1700’s and early 1800’s it was the only way that clothing and style were recorded, pre-camera. What separates Cindi Rose’s work from other amusement park-style real silhouette artists is that no two of her works look alike, and she captures the features and persona of a subject, making her work

an empowerment of who the person is feature and soul. More information on historic silhouettes can be read on the universe’s top authority on the history of silhouette art and artists, the renown, Peggy McClard. Peggy

has valuable silhouettes worth thousands for purchase and important books on the subject of Shade artists, later called silhouette artists. Some of the silhouette artists these days, are computer generating the work, and do not get the interior cuts that the master artists can get. The Guild of American Paper cutters list only a few handfuls of silhouette artists living in this century, and they call C. H. Rose, America’s premier silhouette artist.

Looking at her website, silhouettesbycindi.com you can see the Silhouette of Barbara Bush and on some of the articles, Queen Elizabeth, President Obama, Mickey Rooney, Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Ashley Judd, and Golda Mier. Her videos on YouTube show that she has taken her skill into the field of masterful art, with gallery presentations and historic lectures. By interview, Rose explained that she used vintage, French, silhouette paper, that is no longer available, 50 years old, that she purchased the vintage paper in bulk from an English vendor in 1971. The paper alone has a ranking worth hundreds of dollars. Rose uses this paper for donations to the uninsured and underinsured with cancer through The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation, and her project, “Silhouettes for Survivors.” Once made a hero, by American Profile Magazine, Cindi Rose, can be reached for a personal high-quality silhouette, with her signature, framed in solid wood and real gold leaf. In interview Ms. C. Rose stated, “I do not use a shadow to do a silhouette, that is what a non-silhouette artist does, and the shadow is a reduction of who you are, it is the blockage of light. Thus, a silhouette made by viewing someone, and studying the total of their nature, adds a fourth dimension of their actuality, making a monument to who they are.” I think Cindi Rose is referring to the many trite silhouettes found on the internet that are made by computers or wall-tracings, or the copy-cat silhouettes that you often see that do not reflect contemporary fashion.

Paperosity expert silhouette artists

Paperosity expert silhouette artists

There is a paper renaissance in the art field, according to Rob Ryan, Cindi H. Rose, Nikki McClure, Laura Heyenga, and Matthew Sporzynski, where the imagination turns the sublime into fine art! Whether it be huge museum pieces such as Kara Walker executes, or the thin white A4 papers of Peter Callesen—bold statements are made. In this unique silhouette, artist Cindi Harwood Rose explains that paper and acrylic were used. Kako Ueda, explores paper material as a product of tree pulp and culture by the invention of paper and its production, whose line shifts and blurs, making simple man completed by nature’s almost holiday ornamentation. Helen Musselwhite takes her color schemes from nature, and Cindi Rose takes her art conversations from physiognomy and soul. “To delve into a person’s unabridged life path,” C. H. Rose explains, “the true silhouette artist can interpret and empower. Laura Heyenga compiled an in-depth book of the universe’s most sought after scalpel, scissors, and exactor knife fine artists in her book, Paper Cutting. For more books on the art, look at Kathryn K. Flocken’s Silhouettes Rediscovering the Lost Art, available on Amazon.com

Trista Sutter's silhouette by Dr. Franklin and Cindi Rose by E.D. Woods

Trista Sutter’s sculpting by Dr. Franklin and Cindi Rose

Lucky for the Bachelorette’s and Bachelor’s that Erica Rose’s father is famous plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin Rose, and her mom is noted silhouette artist, Cindi Rose. It makes the contestants and winners look and stay beautiful. Recently, the first reality Bachelorette, Trista Sutter, met up with Bachelor legal star, Erica Rose, and discussed her wanting an updated look. Although Erica thought Trista looked beautiful, she referred her to her father (who would never operate on his family). Trista had been admiring Emily Maynard’s plastic surgery, and did not want to be Bachelorette history. For her first meeting, in Franklin Rose’s hometown, Aspen, Colorado, Trista drove in from Vail. The petite beauty was met by Franklin and Cindi Rose.

As always, Cindi took out her surgical scissors and in a minute sculpted the world’s darling’s profile. Trista loved it, and signed it with her good-valued signature. Trista commented that her children would love Cindi Rose’s artwork. Her real concerns however was, a drop of fat, droopy eyes, and breasts that were not what they were pre-children.

Franklin Rose, a board-certified MD, who studied at Yale, Manhattan Eye and Ear, and Baylor College of Medicine, booked the soon to be 40 year-old at his doctor owned surgical center, First Street in Houston, Texas.

Trista got small breast implants, and the tired look erased from her lovely blue eyes with upper and lower eye lifts. In her pre and post-op photos it appears that she may have had liposuction. Word is that there is a room in The Rose Home devoted to patient care, and that after a luxurious stay at First Street Hospital (with culinary meals and wait staff), patients recover with Cindi Rose’s low-fat, organic nutritious meals and care. No wonder, the most beautiful men and women in the country get on Bachelor and Bachelor Pad, they have a connection—Erica Rose’s father. Unlike what people would think, Erica’s perfect size 4, 5’ 8” figure is natural. Her mother and grandmother where former beauty contest winners, and it is a natural for Erica. Read Life & Style Weekly to see Trista’s before and after plastic surgery photos and decide yourself, if she did or did not also have liposuction. I think somewhere there is also word that there could be a book coming out about parenting, and being in love, penned by no-other than America’s darling, Trista Sutter!

Silhouettes in New Orleans

Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose, is happy her son will get his Masters in law from Tulane University, former home of Valobra Jewelry. “The city is still beautiful, and I plan on trying to help it, with silhouette art bookings in New Orleans, and donating proceeds to keep cleaning up the city,” Rose states to Pippin Lane, an extraordinary children’s boutique, frequented by Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock.

Silhouette Artist Ties the Knot!

Silhouette Artist Ties the Knot!

Your wedding day is special, a talented silhouette artist, such as Cindi Harwood Rose or Kathryn Flocken can add elegance, and a lasting keepsake for you and the wedding guests.

Just view the rave 5 star review from a recent wedding that superb silhouette artist Cindi created with this personal, creative touch. At this Chicago wedding, Cindi Rose, placed a silhouette of each guest in a picture frame, and also placed one in a guest book. Silhouette cookie cutters of the bride and groom can be ordered for an added touch, as can fabric for the bride and groom’s table. Read this fabulous silhouette artist wedding idea, and the praises for the added entertaining fine art gift. For even more fun, hire two silhouette artists, and be sure that all your guests get a great heirloom gift.

Client Feedback Cindi was the hit of our wedding! She was incredibly friendly and professional and her talent is amazing! She stayed longer than we had originally planned and made a great effort to do as many silhouettes as she could. If you want something completely unique at your events to wow the guests this is it! Customer Ratings On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their professionalism? 5 On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their overall talent? 5 On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how accommodating was Cindi Harwood Rose in handling special requests for your event? 5 On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how strongly would you recommend Cindi Harwood Rose to a friend? 5 And finally, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate your overall satisfaction with Cindi Harwood Rose? 5

Cindi Rose Fashions Silhouettes at Baby Bugaloo

Cindi Rose Fashions Silhouettes at Baby Bugaloo

Famous Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose will be at Baby Bugaloo for fashion week, Monday

Aug. 13, from 11 to 3, to hand-cut original silhouettes of customer’s profiles. She does

the lost, French art of looking and cutting freehand. Silhouettes $35 a person,

Copies $10 a person. Wiggly children and adults accepted. Appointments

Requested by phoning 512 301-3800. Takes a minute, lasts forever!

www.silhouettesbycindi.com

Silhouettes by Cindi in the Jewish Herald

Silhouettes by Cindi in the Jewish Herald!
Read the full story here!

Tying the Knot with Silhouette Art!

Tying the Knot with Silhouette Art!

Silhouettes a cut above in beautiful Illinois-- 8 cities, 5 days!

Silhouettes a cut above in beautiful Illinois-- 8 cities, 5 days!

Click here to see story!

Loving Silhouettes by Cindi Rose

Whether you are surprising a loved one with a silhouette fine art gift, or having an art expanding experience, Cindi Harwood Rose’s silhouette artistry can capture cherished events, and individual’s profile features and expressions, as shared in this customer review by Alexander Moore.

Client Feedback

My fiance, my daughter, and I sat for silhouettes and I simply could not be more pleased with the experience. I thought I would feel a bit overwhelmed by her fame (she is the world's fastest, has done Queen Elizabeth, etc), but Cindi was entertaining and amiable, a joy to be around, and every bit as elegant and refined as I expected. My daughter learned a lot about art and poise from the experience. Her work is both classic and contemporary, like Cindi herself, actually. We'll cherish the gorgeous silhouettes for a long, long time, bargains at twice the price, and likely ask her to be a part of our wedding, too. Cindi was the perfect choice, hands down.

Customer Ratings

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their professionalism? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their overall talent? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how accommodating was Cindi Harwood Rose in handling special requests for your event? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how strongly would you recommend Cindi Harwood Rose to a friend? 5

And finally, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate your overall satisfaction with Cindi Harwood Rose? 5

Client Feedback from a Wedding

Client Feedback

Cindi was truly an amazing woman to work with. She flew from Houston to Denver to cut silhouettes at my wedding reception and it was truly the event of the night. All the guests loved her and thought that the idea of getting your silhouette cut was such a unique idea. The guests also loved sitting and chatting with her and she made the wedding such a wonderful experience. She is a true professional in how she handles herself and we are so lucky to have had her at our wedding! Our wedding silhouettes turned out beautifully and we hope Cindi all the best in the future. We even got to meet her husband and he was also very sweet. I would recommend Cindi to anybody!

Customer Ratings

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their professionalism? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how would you rate Cindi Harwood Rose in terms of their overall talent? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how accommodating was Cindi Harwood Rose in handling special requests for your event? 5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=lowest, 5=highest), how strongly would you recommend Cindi Harwood Rose to a friend? 5

Silhouette Wedding Wonderful Review by Sue Anne McKinney

Silhouette Wedding Wonderful Review by Sue Anne McKinney

"Amazing" was the comment we heard over and over from our guests at our daughter's wedding last night. Cindi's talent is remarkable and we had guests that would not leave (even after bride and groom were gone!) until they had their silhouette done by Cindi. The catering staff and the venue staff all commented on the uniqueness of her talent and how well it went with a wedding reception. The portraits were beautiful and likenesses so accurate. Our guests and our daughter and son in law left with a special gift that will last a very long time. Thank you, Cindi!

Contemporary Cindi Rose Silhouettes

Contemporary Cindi Rose Silhouettes

http://www.peggymcclard.com/aaa%20Cindi%20Rose%20Silhouettes.htm

Contemporary Silhouettes by Cindi Peggy McClard Antiques Americana & Folk Art Home • About Peggy • Antique Portraits • Antique Silhouettes • Folk Art • Americana & Pewter • Antique Jewelry • Greeting Cards • Books • Gifts For $300 & Under • Just for Fun • News • Contemporary Silhouettes by Cindi • Antiques Links

Silhouettes by Cindi. Offering the best of contemporary silhouette cutting. I'd like to introduce you to my friend and silhouette artist, Cindi Harwood Rose. Cindi began cutting silhouettes when she was 16 years old. She is a co-founder of the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation 501 (c ) (3) for which she creates custom "Silhouettes For Survivors," which are available for purchase. All Silhouette proceeds are dedicated to helping uninsured breast cancer survivors receive free reconstructive surgery. The Foundation was created in memory and honor of Holly Harwood Skolkin, Cindi's sister also a 20th and 21st century silhouette artist and humanitarian. Holly survived with Stage 4 breast cancer for 15 years. The Foundation was started during Holly's life and it continues in her honor. The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation offers also offer wigs, support, permanent brows to those in chemo who lost their brows, and free reconstructive surgery to under and un-insured. Cindi Harwood Rose is acclaimed by the Guild of Papercutters as the premier silhouette artist of the last four decades. Cindi uses French silhouette paper that is more than 50 years old and no longer made. I first met Cindi in 1984, when she cut the silhouette of my son, Nathan, at Joske's Department store. I became friends with Cindi over the last few years as we have worked together to promote silhouette art, both antique and new. Cindi is talented, creative and responsive to requests for certain kinds of silhouettes. Her work is fresh and incorporates inspiration from historic silhouettists as well as contemporary work with an eye towards realism. When Cindi first visited my home gallery and shop, she was taken by the works of Everet Howard, the 19th century silhouettist who cut my logo silhouette at the very top of the page. Howard used very creative, varying bust-line terminations. At Cindi's next silhouette-cutting event, she incorporated creative, varying bust-line terminations in her work. She soon cut my silhouette with such a creative bust-line termination. Recently, I asked Cindi to cut a very elaborate silhouette that I could give to Nathan and his fiancé, Rachel, as a wedding shower gift. I forwarded my favorite of their engagement photos to Cindi and asked her to recreate it in silhouette with an elaborate background. She obliged, offering three wonderfully creative silhouettes from which I could choose. Cindi is available to cut silhouettes for your special occasion. She cuts designs for wedding invitations and even does some silhouette jewelry. Proceeds from her silhouette cutting goes to the Rose Ribbon Foundation. I am not receiving a commission nor any other type of compensation as a result of this or any other mention of Cindi and her work. I think she is the best of the current silhouettists. Please look at the silhouettes pictured here and also make sure to visit Cindi at Silhouettes by Cindi, where you will find more examples of her work as well as her email address.

DisneyWorld cutting edge silhouette artists, Cindi and Holly Harwood tell-all!

DisneyWorld cutting edge silhouette artists, Cindi and Holly Harwood tell-all!

Collars for a cause

Collars for a cause

Be sure to stop by Momentum tonight for the great charity “Collars for a cause”. My daughter, Erica Rose, and I created a few hand-jeweled pet collars to donate, and I donated a framed animal and pet silhouette, I handcut and framed. Diane Caplan Brown will love you to attend, check the invite out on Facebook. Pictured is Hampton and Shayna, and a Chinese cat silhouette papercutting, to show two art styles, one thousands of years old, another a few hundred years old, but both contemporary herilooms at any time or in any culture.

Kenneth J. Downing strikes a cool silhouette

Kenneth J. Downing strikes a cool silhouette

By Deborah J. Miller

International traveler, yet Dallas resident, Kenneth J. Downing, recently created quite a buzz with his juxtaposition of silhouettes on the runway for Neiman-Marcus in Houston. The event was The Spirit of Spring Children’s Assessment Center Luncheon, chaired by slender fashion plates Diane Caplan Brown and Nancy Marcus (where did she get that middle name?) Golden, formerly of Dallas and Beverly Hills. Ken J. (as his closest friend call him) happens not to only be a television fashion diva—think Project Runway All Stars, Oprah, E! Entertainment, Fox News, he is the senior Vice President and Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus world-wide. Yet, the gift to him, that most pleased his inner child was made by humanitarian and silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose—his custom silhouette portrait, as shown. Cindi in Givenchy, pulled out her famous plastic surgeon husband, Franklin’s surgical scissors (or maybe her own)and some antique, thin black paper, and without a sketch, she snipped his likeness, sans the hair-cut. His golden locks, normally seen, had been trimmed, thus, fine artist, Cindi Rose, captured that, his facial features, whimsical personality, and his slender, boyish charm. “OHHHHH!” Kenneth exclaimed, “My mother will love this, she collects silhouettes and has around 600 in her home!” Cindi Rose immediately placed it into a black wooden frame with gold leaf, and jewels she had placed on the frame herself. When asked how she managed to mix the classic, modern, traditional, and antique, with humor, she explained, “It is interpretive, I could never frame a silhouette for Kenneth J. Downing in the average, that he is not.” The NM fashion show displayed art equal to Cindi Harwood Rose’s unique silhouette talents, and in themes. First, purple, then pink, then floral, next patterns with odd combinations of patterns, yet somehow fitting and quite whimsical. “This was the best Children’s Assessment Center Event I have ever been to,” Cindi Harwood Rose explained. “The Children’s Assessment Center helps children that were raped with recovery, and support. “ To donate contact Jull Buja@cac hctx.net

Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose snips Ashley Judd for CAC

Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose snips Ashley Judd for CAC

The Children’s Assessment Center’s “Spirit of Spring” luncheon chaired by Diane Caplan and Nancy Marcus Golden was a huge success. Ken Downing and Neiman Marcus had an incredible fashion show, with colorful silhouettes streaming down the runway. Ashley Judd, Award winning actress and humanitarian gave a chat on-stage with TV personality Deborah Duncan, on how to go forward in life with trials and tragedy.

Cindi Rose says, “It was a pleasure to be part of this important group, and have the honor to cut a silhouette of Ashley Judd, who admires the art. The Children’s Assessment Center not only tries to stop sexual abuse with children, but offers support to those who have experienced a trauma such as this, to move forward in life.

Silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose is the Pied Piper of silhouette artists. Even wiggly children, are amazed at her magic scissors. “The scissors are like a magic wand to the children,” says Cindi, “they glisten and make shapes from special French silhouette paper”. A self-taught silhouette artist, Cindi, does not underplay the importance of natural art talents. “If you cannot draw a profile with a pencil, pen, or brush, then you could never draw with scissors,” C. H. Rose, explains. It is much harder, and that is why you rarely see real silhouette artist, who can do the lovely miniatures. By this, Cindi is speaking of the skilled artist who merely looks at a subject and cuts directly from the paper, without the use of a light, pencil, pen, or camera. This Mother’s Day, Cindi will do silhouettes in Houston at Fundamentally Toys, and in Dallas and Fort Worth, at Learning Express stores. Wiggly children, do not have to sit still, Harwood-Rose explains, not do the parents. www.silhouettesbycindi.com

Remembering When...

Hi Cindi,

I just saw you photo on my aunt’s Facebook page (Betty Jukes) … then clicked through to your website. In the late 70s (maybe early 80s) I worked for your art business at AstroWorld. Perusing your website brought back memories of a fun summer during college when I worked two day jobs to earn extra spending money for the fall – then went to the fun summer job drawing portraits until park closing. That seems like so long ago, and yesterday – time is odd that way J

Living in Delaware with husband & daughter, enjoying life as a “big bank marketer” ... and just reaching out to say “hello”,

All the best,

Margaret (Jukes) Boone

Disney silhouettes many silhouette artists

Disney silhouettes many silhouette artists!

Disney Silhouette Artist, Holly Harwood Rose passes away.

Disney Silhouette Artist, Holly Harwood Rose passes away.

Considered by many as one of the universe’s kindest people, and perhaps, highest evolved souls, former silhouette artist, Holly Harwood Skolkin passes peacefully. Holly, was the daughter of Doris and Earl Harwood, a fine artist, and attorney. Holly was always upbeat and precious, and very talented, in all arts. She is survived by her sister, Bonny Cotlar, an intellect and humanitarian, and Cindi Harwood Rose, an internationally acclaimed silhouette artist, who also worked for Disneyland and Disneyworld. Holly’s struggle with stage 4 cancer for over 15 years, inspired Holly, Cindi, and Cindi’s husband, Dr. Franklin Rose, a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon, to form The Rose Ribbon Foundation 501 ( c ) ( 3 ), a non-profit which provides free reconstruction to those uninsured and underinsured. Holly remarkably was able to help others throughout her cancer opportunity, giving blessings, and doing good deeds. She was also an accomplished photographer, who became a master at inner-eye photography and diagnosing disease. Some of her peers claim that Holly Harwood Skolkin was one of the first to detect AIDS in the eye, from photos she had taken. Her husband, Dr. Mark Skolkin, is a famed radiologist, who stood by her side throughout her long sickness. It was amazing how she would find pleasure in bringing food to those sick, when she was sick, or buying clothes for the poor, but not buying clothes for herself. More than 1,400 came to her funeral, and she was buried in 1 ½ days. She is survived by her beautiful children, Emory, who works in development at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and Dayna, a nursing student at University of Texas in Austin. Holly was an incredible mother, friend, wife, and sister, great artist, award winning photographer, and ICON in the realm of giving to many causes. She especially loved the Aishel House which provides kosher meals, housing, transportation, and child care to critically sick families who come to Houston for its wonderful medical center, considered the best in the world. Another cause that Holly served on the board on is The River, which provides art, dance, and theatre lessons to children with challenges and disabilities, including Down Syndrome, loss of sight, CP, CF, hearing impaired.

Some people call Holly, “Holly Lama, Wholy Holly (for making ill people feel whole), Holly Dolly, a guru, a saint, a mensch, and a Tzadic. Her huge smile and bright eyes, and kind heart, shown even moments before she passed. Because of her legacy, and inspiration the Rose Ribbon Foundation will soon be called the Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation. Presently, it can be found at roseribbonfoundation.org and donations can be made on-line. Silhouettes can be ordered as donations by logging on to silhouettesbycindi.com to contribute towards Silhouettes for Survivors. For more information on Holly and Cindi, check out American Profile Magazine’s story on Cindi Harwood Rose’s silhouettes for cancer survivors. Holly Harwood Skolkin

was a hero, a humanitarian, and perhaps, the most loved human on earth. Her good deeds will live on forever, she is a silhouette of a lovely, kind, great human, some say one of the top 12 souls that walked the earth of this generation.

Silhouette Artist Holly Harwood Skolkin Passes Away

Holly Harwood Skolkin passed away peacefully at home on February 10, 2012 surrounded by her family. Holly was born in Houston on June 22, 1952, to Doris Zellda and Earl Isadore Harwood. She had a happy childhood with sisters and best friends, Bonny and Cindi.
At the University of Texas, Holly was an active member in Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority where she made many lifelong friends. She became a skilled silhouette artist, cutting freehand facial profile likenesses of people from Houston to Disneyland.
Following graduation in 1974 with a degree in photojournalism, she began a distinguished career in medical photography. Holly worked in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Texas-Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and Emory University where she produced world class fluorescein angiograms and ophthalmic ultrasounds. She served on the National Board of The Society of Retinal Angiographers.
After the birth of her children, her professional career was subrogated to raising Dayna and Emory, the joys of her life. She shared with them her love of Judaism, ethnic foods, movies, and family vacations. She adored her many nieces and nephews. Her guiding message, a variation on the Beatles lyric, was "in the end the love you make should be more than the love you take".
She involved her family and friends in her many mitzvah projects, including The River and Aishel House, two organizations for which she was a founding board member. She treasured her extended family in Hadassah and at Congregation Beth Yeshurun.
Her spirituality and optimistic attitude helped her battle stage 4 breast cancer for nearly 15 years. She was a role model, companion, and confidante for numerous cancer patients and their loved ones. It was often a difficult journey, one that inspired the creation of the Rose Ribbon Foundation by sister, Cindi, and brother-in-law, Dr. Franklin Rose, in her honor.
She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Mark, children, Dayna and Emory, and sisters, Bonny Cotlar and husband David, Cindi Rose and husband Franklin, and their children.
The family is most grateful to her many caregivers over the years, including doctors Richard Theriault, Gerry Cypress, and Rush Lynch, as well as Elena Velasquez and her friends in the Nursing Department at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. Those who wish to make a memorial contribution are encouraged to support the Aishel House, Rose Ribbon Foundation, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Friends of Nursing at St. Lukes.
Rest peacefully, our Holly Dolly, and know that we will miss you and the world is a better place because you were here.



To see the article on line, click here:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=holly-skolkin&pid=155830035&fhid=11226

Silhouette Artist Cindi Rose

Cindi Harwoood Rose is a psychic silhouette artist who by sight goes into the fourth dimension and hand-cuts a profile of individuals, healing them, and making them look like themselves, while she captures their spirit, and can guide them and inspire them while she works, as the gift of this art is G-d given.

Not only does Cindi Rose have the world speed record, in hand-cutting profiles from French silhouette paper, she is the only artist in the world that has the antique, authentic paper which is over 50 years old. Cindi Rose donates proceeds to the Rose Ribbon Foundation (501) ( c ) (3) soon to be Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation in honor and memory of her sister, Holly Harwood Skolkin, who died a week ago from a 15 year struggle with breast cancer, which went to her liver. With Holly’s love, and support while alive, they created the cancer foundation to offer wholeness of spirit and body to others with critical opportunities of all sexes, ages including wigs, eyebrows, breast reconstructed, support groups, recipes, plus the idea of giving blessings. Cindi and her husband, Dr. Franklin Rose, a reconstructive and plastic surgeon, started the foundation 7 years ago, while Holly was alive. Cindi has been doing “Silhouettes for Survivors” and was made an American Hero for that from American Profile Magazine. She goes to stores and boutiques, and they set up silhouette days, and the money goes to the foundation. A former Walt Disney artist, and fine art honor graduate, Cindi has been drawing portraits since 8 years old and began cutting silhouettes for Disneyland at 16, without a lesson. There are no lessons for the real silhouette art, which is carving a profile from sight in a minute from black paper, in miniature, without a sketch or light, freehand. Cindi Rose, the world’s best silhouette artist also holds the world speed record—144 people in one hour. The Guild of Papercutters ranks Cindi Harwood Rose as the world’s premier silhouette artist. She has done silhouettes over 40 years, her sister Holly could do silhouettes, their mother was a fine artists, architect, and papercutter, and the artwork just came to Cindi, while working as a teen drawing portraits at Disneyland.

Organic Cindi Rose!

Well know philanthropist, silhouette Cindi Harwood Rose, is absolutely organic!

Symphonic Silhouettes for the Symphony League!

Symphonic Silhouettes for the Symphony League!

Around 50 lovely young ladies entered the world of volunteerism to support their local symphony, and to escorted with their proud fathers at a black-tie event. Silhouettes by Cindi was honored to do hand-cut profile portraits of over 250 philanthropists

at Beaumont’s exquisite Symphony Belle Ball. This classical league raises more money than any other symphony league. It was a marriage, classical silhouettes matched with timeless classical music.

Everything You Want to Know About Silhouette Artists

Silhouette art is not old-fashioned, it appears to be as trendy as ever. Yet, great silhouette artists are hard to find, and there are only a handful of excellent cut-paper profilists in the world today. The world’s best silhouette artists can be found easily on the internet, by googling the word silhouette artist. The first 8 names listed from the only 20 or so real silhouette artists in existence today, most likely are each an accomplished silhouette artist, in varying ability.

In home decorating, you see life-sized silhouettes of all colors, themed into the décor, stamped out on canvas. The clever decorator will just send in profile photos and find a company on the internet, that can turn this into a large framed art piece. But is this a real silhouette? According to America’s premier silhouette artists, Cindi Harwood Rose and Kathryn Flocken, it is not. Cindi Rose, a high quality silhouette artist for 40 years says, “While these computer stamped silhouettes from photos may add a personal touch to a room, they should not be confused with the artwork of silhouette hand-cutting from life, an art difficult to master.” Kathryn Flocken, writes, in her book, Silhouettes Rediscovering The Lost Art,” In the modern age of photography, film and digital art, silhouette portraiture and design is fast becoming a lost art.”

Silhouette artist Cindi Harwood’s sister, Holly, a natural artist, and former professional silhouettest says, “It is rare to find a real silhouette artist, who can observe someone, and capture their likeness, without sketching, or using a shadow, just with paper, scissors, and talent. My family inherited their art talent from our mother, a profile artist and architectural designer.” Kathryn Flocken’s mother was also an artist, and she, Cindi, and Holly all cut silhouettes for Disney. An amazing fact is that hand-cut silhouettes were the first animation. The first cartoons were silhouettes and were done from many popular stories, “Jack and The Beanstalk, Snow-White, Cinderella were all silhouetted by Lotte Reiniger, in the 1930’s, Cindi Rose, explains. Disney has had a long relationship with real silhouette artists, and often that is the only place one can find one. A silhouette artist, can improve their natural art abilities, after first drawing portraits from life. These skills can’t be taught, they are developed from innate art talents. Most silhouette artists began cutting and drawing portraits as children, and cutting silhouettes after seeing someone do it, without taking a lesson in the art. There are no lessons. The art just can’t be taught.

“ Tracing a subject’s profile from a wall, and sketching it, then cutting the shape out of black craft paper, school-teacher-style is not an art, it is the ugly stepsister, without the grace and intricacy or introspection that a real silhouette artist can apply to someone’s profile paper interpretation. The work is distorted, like a shadow, and the image is less than who the person is, “ says C. H. Rose. A real silhouette shows more than the person, it goes into the psyche of the individual, and it speaks volumes.

The white lines are cut-out, and the more interior details, the better the artist, in most accounts.

Emma Ruterford in The Art of the Shadow quotes the globe’s foremost silhouette artist in history as Monsieur Augustin Edourt as stating that silhouette artistry done freehand, “was a sophisticated portrait so accurate it could be used for scientific purposes.” To learn more about a current silhouette artist and compare their different skills, Google silhouette artist, and compare, you can also watch videos on You Tube of the various silhouettests of this decade, as well as the fabulous silhouette animations of Lotte Reiniger.