Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Chalmers.
Hi Cynthia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been discovering, evolving, and rediscovering myself and my art for years. Letting go and just doing, letting go of the fear and the self-criticism. For me, it all culminated to this place of knowing through listening, learning and doing. After receiving my yoga certification, I was talking with a long-time friend, Kat, sharing some of what I learned. All of sudden, they exclaimed REIKI!, then explained with all I was sharing with them, I needed to learn reiki to teach others as well. And in the process of getting my Reiki Master Practitioner certification, I found out I had actually been doing reiki since I was 12. Expressing myself through different forms of art has always been my passion, so teaching art therapy and furthering my own love of mixed media art comes very naturally to me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I refer to the struggles I’ve experienced as speed bumps. They slow one down but still work to propel you forward. For me, I’ve taken any snippet of positivity from the struggles, the hardships, and used the experiences to create a better understanding, and certainly an empathy, towards others. The Universe is quite amazing, as it will place people in your path, sometimes to test you, sometimes to love you, but always to help you learn. My dad was a huge influence in instilling in me the ability to bend without breaking, to care about and want to help others, and to have a sense of humour to help get through those tough bits. My dad passed when my oldest child was only 1, but his kindness and wisdom lives on in myself and both my now adult kids, Jenn & Archie. They are my constant cheerleaders and both just amazing and talented individuals.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love crafting and have been finding new artistic ways to express myself for my entire life. Origami and other papercrafts have always been a focus. Creating hand-stitched journals led me to creating digital collage, and a love of colour and texture brought fluid art and mixed media into the mix. There are so many amazing artists and I think what sets all of us apart from one another, is how we infuse our personalities into what we create. I just moved back to Georgia from the northwest, so am reestablishing where, and how to show and sell my work. What I’m finding are such awesome groups and individuals who are all helping and encouraging one another. It’s all very exciting, this getting back to what brings me joy. A favourite Rumi quote is always in my thoughts “ Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do”.
How do you think about happiness?
Helping others. Simple thought I know, but that’s what brings me joy. Whether it’s showing a yoga student with pre-existing physical issues how to do a yoga movement using modifications, or seeing the joy and calm of a reiki client after a session, or watching the excitement of a customer at seeing an art piece I’ve made, this is what energizes me. We all have a story, and that so many people feel in me a sense of safety to share theirs….well, there isn’t a better feeling in the world, I believe.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Cassillis2
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/cassilliscreates
- Twitter: @Cassillis2
