Cindy’s Blog
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Julie Podstolski – Colored Pencil as a Recipe For a Fulfilled Life
Julie Podstolski is an inspirational coloured pencil master. A true pioneer of the medium, using coloured pencil for her professional gallery-selling multi-award winning artworks since 1989. Another revolutionary artist who has paved the way for this medium to...
The Morning I Stopped Trying to Convince You That You Can Draw
You don’t know what you haven’t experienced yet—that moment when you look down at your drawing on the page and think, “Wow! I did this. I actually created this.”
Yesterday morning, sitting in my garden, I realized I can’t convince you that drawing will change your life. I can only invite you to experience it for yourself.
So I’m done trying to convince accomplished retired women they’re creative. Instead, I’m going to explain what drawing actually is—the facts, the systematic approach—and give you small doses to try right now. Because conviction doesn’t come from my words. It comes from your experience.
Interview with Dee Tracy: From Retired Decorator to Illustrator & Author
I'm absolutely delighted to introduce you to Illustrator and Author Dee Tracy who is living proof that retirement is the perfect time to learn to draw. Dee Tracy was born in Franklin, Indiana USA and has lived in the USA her entire life. She’s a retired...
2026 Is Your Year to Claim Your Creative Identity: For Women Who Are Ready for Transformation
“Who am I now that I’m not that person anymore?” If you’re a retired analytical woman asking this question, you might be ready for a creative identity shift. Here’s how to recognize the signs—and how drawing becomes the carriage to your transformation.
Who Am I Now? Creative Identity For Retired Women
Perhaps you’ve noticed something beautiful since you retired – a quietness, a spaciousness you haven’t felt in decades. And in that beautiful space, a question is emerging: “Who am I now?” Not what should I do with my time, but genuinely… who am I when I finally have space to discover?
Hari Lualhati – Soulworks Sent To The Moon
"Through her breathtaking oil paintings, Hari Lualhati creates compelling imagery that reaches deep into our soul, leading us to question some of life's biggest mysteries. Her work depicts humans uniting with animals, demonstrating our unique relationship. When...
Why Retirement Is the Perfect Time to Learn Drawing: Four Conditions That Never Existed Before
Something unusual happens when I ask retired women why they want to learn to draw now. They often apologize. "I know I should have done this when I was younger," they say. "I've wasted so much time. I'm probably too old now." But after teaching for 33 years, I've...
Everything You’ve Been Told About Creativity and Analytical Minds Is Wrong
After 33 years teaching analytical women to draw, I've discovered systematic minds aren't blocking creativity—they're the key to awakening it. For 33 years, I've been observing something that contradicts everything conventional wisdom tells us about creativity. And...
Pam Sims – A Creative Soul-Fulfilling Journey
To live the life of an artist is to live an extraordinary existence and Pam Sim's life is no exception. In this interview we get to know the deeper side, the soul journey that Pam has been through. Art is her way of knowing the world around her, it gives her an...
Retired Director of Nursing – Beginner to Illustrator/Author – Mary Egan
It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, one of my art lifestyle coaching clients Mary Egan. Mary was born in 1951, in the Bon Secours Hospital, in Tuam, Co. Galway (West coast of Ireland, in the Province of Connacht). She now lives in Co. Mayo, also in the...
Cornelia Urlass – Beginner to Stunning Realism
When I first met Cornelia, her art studio at the time was just a little table and chair on a boat. I found that so intriguing. I admired her so much for her dedication to her art course. In this interview Cornelia Urlass takes us on a wonderful journey of...
Cindy Wider Mentored Artists Showcase 2024
From realism to abstraction, children's book illustration styles and representational art in its many forms, I work with artists in seven different mediums. This showcase is just a small selection of the artworks created by some of the 50 mentored students that...
The Cuddleeecats Book: Mummys Biggest Best Birthday Surprise Ever!
Mummy’s Biggest Best Birthday Surprise Ever, is a story about love, forgiveness and the value of family and community support. Little Toby Cuddleecat has a hungry tummy and he can’t sleep. He accidentally eats Mummy’s special birthday cake nearly all up! Oh no! Now there is no surprise for Mummy. What will the seven Cuddleecat Kittens do now?
Top 3 ways to improve your pencil shading
There might just be one simple thing holding you back from shading in graphite. The top 3 things that could make a massive difference to your shading skills.
Johanna Thebige – Beginner to Award Winning Pet Portrait Artist
Artist Johanna Thebige and her husband are full time RV Travelers. She creates her artworks in an incredibly versatile compact area purpose-built by her husband. I've had the privilege of mentoring and coaching Johanna through her artistic development and...
Mackenzie Thorpe Interview – The Wisdom of a Great Master Artist
I had a wonderful zoom call with one of Britain’s most treasured great master artists, Mackenzie Thorpe. Enjoy discovering the stories, wisdom and art techniques of this Great Master Artist.
Linda Elliott – Beginner to Professional Pet Portrait Artist
There's something precious about Linda Elliott's pet portraits, she has this amazing gift of capturing their character in a special moment of time. Her artworks are cheerful, heart-warming and show alot of love in their making. Linda's dedication to learning to...
Avril Parkes – Beginner to Art on Jigsaws, Cards and More
Avril Parkes has an amazing natural ability to capture the deep inner beauty, the true essence of the animal in her portraits. In her artworks Avril is bold, courageous and she bravely steps out into the unknown. Her colour choices are spectacular! She dares to go...
Beginner to Advanced Drawing in 15 Months! Mary Jane Clark’s Journey
Beginner to advanced level in drawing in just 12 months mentored student Mary Jane Clark
Peta Turner – From Beginner to Selling Her Art on Cards and Journals
Melbourne based Australian Artist PetaTurner first came to me as a mentored student in August 2020 as an absolute beginner to drawing. She works in a full-time job as a Teacher of the Deaf in a primary school and mostly studied my course at her kitchen table,...
Niko Vargas – Beginner to Professional Tattoo Technician
Niko Vargas is a professional Tattoo Technician based out of the East Coast, he's been tattoing for 6 years from various studios and recently in his own private studio. His work is a dream come true. He gets to draw for a living! Niko creates beautiful fine art...
Top 10 Tips to Draw a Photorealistic Eye with Derwent Lightfast pencils
Drawing a realistic eye in Derwent Lightfast pencils can be easy with these top 10 tips from Cindy Wider
Katya Yanovich – From Learning to Sketch to Masterpieces
Katya Yanovich is a naturally gifted, dedicated artist who always fully commits to any drawing challenge she's presented with in my mentoring program, and the results show for her efforts. From very early on I could see by the high quality of mark-making Katya...
Derwent Brand Ambassador Cindy Wider with Officeworks in Sydney
Cindy travelled to Sydney to demonstrate her favourite Derwent products to the staff at Officeworks in Sydney
Lynn Nelson – ‘Best of Show’ Award Winning Artist
Lynn Nelson is a mentored student of Cindy Wider who creates stunning realism florals and still life subjects
How to use Derwent Inktense pencils on a ceramic tile
How to use Derwent Inktense pencils on a bisque fired ceramic tile to create a decorative drink coaster
Cornelia Urlass – Beginner to Award Winning Artist
See the stunning artwork by Cornelia Urlass from a beginner she is now an award winning artist
Karen Piper – Creating in Multiple Mediums
Karen Piper has a natural desire to use multiple artistic mediums. She creates beautiful artworks in a variety of different art styles from realism to expressive and contemporary, into children's picture book illustration and beyond. She is exploring with pastels,...
Character Illustration Course with Inks, watercolors and colored pencils
Have you ever dreamed of drawing and coloring in a nostalgic children’s picture book style? What if I told you it’s actually easier than you might think?
Book Illustration Process – Sweet Dreams Cuddleecat Kittens
Childrens book character illustrator Cindy Wider creates her Cuddleecats cute kittens using Derwent Inktense and Procolor.
