About Cindy
I believe painting is a way of understanding the world. Currently living in Santa Cruz, California, I am grateful to have such a wonderful place to live with my husband Keith. There's a creative spark within me and my work is inspired by the ever-changing landscapes around us and within us. The quiet moments and the unexpected turns, the beauty that emerges through joy, loss, and healing. The process is one of discovery as I intuitively layer colors and texture, allowing each piece to unfold in its own way. Emotion and experience guide the work.
Alongside my life as an artist, I spent 34 years teaching physical education from yoga to tennis and coached the Women's NCAA Volleyball team for 17 seasons. Throughout those years, connecting with people, inspiring creativity, and encouraging others have been important parts of my life.
Outside the studio, life is just as colorful! I am the proud mother of three grown sons and grandmother to four wonderful grandchildren. Family keeps life lively, full of laughter, love, surprises, and the occasional delightful chaos. It's all part of the beautiful, unpredictable adventure of life - and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I hope my paintings offer more than something beautiful to look at. I want them to create a sense of presence, a place where viewers can pause, reflect, and find their own connection within the art.
Thank you for spending time with my work.
Inside the Studio
Check out this video to learn more about Cindy's process of painting!
Testimonials
Wendy Thompson
Cindy’s paintings are magical. Bright colors and Angels come to mind when I think of her work. Layers and layers of paint give her work depth and movement. The sunflowers she paints are joyful and alive. Cindy’s paintings uplift my spirit. The elephant that hangs on my boyfriends bedroom wall is so beautiful and colorful. It’s still, yet is moving. The eye of the elephant is looking at you right in your eyes. Beautiful Art!
Susann Cate Lynn
Cindy Mori is a local Santa Cruz artist who I admire for a number of reasons. Her art is vibrant and full of movement and color. I currently enjoy two of her paintings in my home. Recently I took a mixed media outdoor art class with Cindy. Her sense of fun overflowed to all of us learning from her. While working on large canvases, she guided us through multiple steps of the creative process to discover what we really wanted to work on, all unique to ourselves. She has inspired me!
Nancy Manning
Cindy Mori’s art is a unique blend of Love and Happiness. Her Paintings inspire in me Playfulness, Happiness, and Heart opening. I could get lost while looking at her paintings they are so imaginative, playful and soul connecting. Her work has become one of my favorites to view at open studios- I Love her work!!!
I’ve had the pleasure of taking some classes from Cindy- each time coming away with new technics, inspiration, and love of creating. From the moment Cindy asked us students “How much fun can you have?”-I felt my Heart expanding and knew this was going to be so much fun! Her classes are non-intimidating- as she guides us to find out what wants to come forward onto our canvass. I leave her class pumped up and ready to go home and create some more.