It is no wonder that child-prodigy, Cindi Harwood could draw anything she saw in life. Her beloved mother, Doris, was a portrait and paper-cutting artist, as well as an architectural designer. The intricate skills of perfection, was passed genetically to Cindi, who tried her first portrait at 3 etching a face with scissors on a bathroom wall. Her beloved father, Earl, was an attorney, and a fine writer and speaker.
By 12, friends and family were asking the creative child to draw their portraits. When Cindi was 16, she was hired at a local amusement park as a pastel and water-color portrait artist. On a park tour, she saw a silhouette artist. She had never seen the art done before, but said, "I can do that". Her employer, laughed, threw a scissors and paper at Cindi, and the young artist, cut a perfect silhouette, free-hand, in minutes, without a prior lesson, or a sketch beforehand. Her work was better than the artist in the park, he was fired, and Cindi became "the silhouette artist."
Having a sparkling personality, and unmatched talent, Cindi out-cut the silhouette artists at the art leaser's spots at Disneyland. He invited her as a guest artist to cut silhouettes in the famed California spot. Again, Cindi broke production records. This became her summer job in highschool, and college at University of Texas, where she graduated with honors in fine art and journalism. Upon graduation, she went to work at the Florida spot, Disneyworld, where she created the amusement park record of a 600 person silhouette day, all with fine details and an unparrelled likeness. After a year, she returned to Houston, and was employed at the Houston Post newspaper, covering entertainment. Because journalists are notorious for low pay, Cindi cut silhouettes on weekends, and was a television exercise hostess, in order to "afford her job." She also wrote for a popular magazine, Houston Monthly, a monthly interview for international celebrities called Profile in Introspect. She would interview them and cut their silhouette out in person. Because, she is and was society" she was also invited as a guest. Her list of celebrities in person include: Golda Mier, Mickey Rooney, Abba Eban, LeRoy Neiman, Muhamed Ali, Joey Bishop, Mama Cass, Sammy Davis, Liberace, Tony Bennet, Elvis Pressley, Elvis Costello, Izahak Pearlman, Zac Posen, and Melora Hardin, amongst others.
Cindi and Dr. Franklin Rose moved to New York (where his parents and her father had been born) for his continued studies in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Later, Cindi and Dr. Franklin Rose moved back to Houston where Cindi had her second child, Benjamin.
Harwood-Rose has cut silhouettes in major stores throughout the United States, and for events all over the world. She has appeared in national, local, and international publications and television shows as a famed and celebrated silhouette and fine artist. Harwood-Rose also has artwork in museums and galleries, and her early silhouettes from over 30 years ago, have gone for hundreds in antique stores.
Rose has donated her silhouettes to many charities, including "Silhouettes for Survivors" where silhouettes are $65, and extra copies are $15, all proceeds go to The Rose Ribbon Foundation, for free post-cancer reconstruction for the uninsured. A percent of her animal silhouettes benefit Citizens for Animal Protection.
Cindi will travel for school, church, store, toy and and home-party promotions, with a minimum of 60 individual bookings. The venue can make a percent of sales, and is responsible for "ringing up sales". Rose will provide all supplies for pre-promotion, as well as all supplies during the promotion.
Cindi has done silhouettes for Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman- Marcus, Kaufman's, Macy's, and children's stores throughout the country. Her silhouettes are considered "fine art", no other artist has ever matched her skills.
She is also available, for special events, and can be reached at Cincere@wt.net or Autumn at 713 622-3610.
Cindi Harwood Rose is available for interviews on the fine subject of silhouettes for decorating, wedding ideas, heirlooms, or the art of paper cutting. In 2009, Cindi and her reality TV daughter, Erica, won the raise part of the t.v. show, The Great Raise, they competed athletically and Cindi cut silhouettes to provide money for the Food Bank. She is also featured on the HBO documentary, Youth Knows No Pain, cutting silhouettes, to show that in a snip, she too, can make someone "look better", such as her reknown husband does in the operating room.
