About Cindy Wider

Cindy Wider (nee White) grew up in the Western Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. In 1979 she returned with her family to Australia, first to Brisbane and then to her grandfather’s dairy farm in Port Lincoln South Australia. She had a successful career in hairdressing until the age of 23years when she developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Left unable to walk more than a few meters for several months, it was seven years before she completely healed and during the long hours of recovery she discovered the therapeutic powers of colour and painting. At first she stumbled upon a natural talent to paint with a photo-realistic likeness, however on a quest to express herself more honestly she began formal art study and developed her unique contemporary style.

Cindy began interpreting the fishing and farming lifestyle of the Blue-fin Tuna fishing City of Port Lincoln. After eight years of serious art study and winning several awards she was recognised as one of the town’s most valued artists. With paintings regularly commissioned by many of the fishing moguls, her art began gracing the walls of major hotels, public spaces, corporate offices and private homes. Career highlights include a joint commission (along with her husband and fellow artist Stuart Wider) for the Microsoft Corporation.

Bird of Paradise by Cindy Wider

In 1999 her colourful hard edge semi-abstract style gained the attention of the South Australian Country Arts Trust and she was awarded a scholarship to study large scale silk-screen print making. Cindy states, “It was through studying printmaking that I refined this hard edge style, however the physical process of print making didn’t agree with me. I missed the feel of the brush spreading paint across the canvas so gave up on the idea of print making and instead discovered a way of making my paintings look as though they are silk-screen prints.

The many challenges involved with working in this particular style keep me intrigued and motivated to continue exploring it’s possibilities. Colour is crucial to the success of the image so I mix all of my own colours from just the basic primaries plus black, white and a few other colours that can’t be mixed from these. I am continually seeking the exact degree of stimulation from each and every single colour. Once achieved, the perfect vibration is recognised within a split second and I feel a moment of elation. The large un-interrupted areas of paint allow the true purity of these colours to exist in their own right.

Cindy and her Earth Angel by Cindy Wider

Now living and painting in Noosa, Cindy is also the author of the book “Paint In Your Pyjamas” and an art curriculum designer. Together with her husband they established the largest privately owned on-going art tuition business on the Queensland Sunshine Coast for four years. After joining forces with famous Canadian artist Brenda Hoddinott (author of “Drawing for Dummies” and “The Complete Idiots Guide to Drawing People”), she is also respected as an art educator, curriculum designer and online teacher with the world’s largest and fastest growing recreational art tuition website Drawspace.com.