Cindy Jones Lantier is a mixed media artist, calligrapher, avid reader, and sometimes writer.
She’s always enjoyed crafting, but it wasn’t until she discovered mixed media art that she really found her passion. Cindy loves gelli printing — in fact, she’s the admin for a popular gelatin printing Facebook group — and playing with her supplies. Nothing is off limits when she’s at her art desk. She’s also studied calligraphy, had three different podcasts, and curates Mixed Media Moments. Cindy serves as a board member for the Inland Empire Chapter of the Society for Calligraphy and serves as their newsletter editor.
Cindy has been happily married for almost 25 years, and she and John have three kitty-kids. She’s a student of A Course in Miracles and works part-time for the Circle of Atonement, a Course-based non-profit organization.
What does mixed media art mean to you?
Strictly speaking, it’s using more than one medium to create a piece. In a broader sense, it’s the freedom to play with my art in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to. I’m one of those artists who can’t draw an engaging stick figure, so if I were left with only representational, drawn art, I’d be left out! Mixed media lets me play with all the supplies that catch my eye in an engaging abstract way.
How long have you been a mixed media artist?
That’s a difficult question to answer! I started playing with mixed media art back in the early-to-mid 2000s. I took a break from art for a few years to be a soap maker (its own kind of art), but I’ve been back with mixed media for the past couple of years.
How has art impacted or enhanced your life?
Art – mixed media in particular – has allowed me to be creative. I’ve always been ‘crafty’ but mixed media art allows me to be creative in a whole new way. When I was crafty, I was good at following directions, so I could make something like the sample in front of me – but I rarely created anything totally new. Some people are truly artistic in their crafts; I was not one of those people!
Art has brought me joy and happiness in a way little else has. It has brought me confidence and allowed me to have some neat experiences and I’ve met some truly wonderful people. It has also instilled a sense of fun and playfulness in my life.
Tell us about your creative process.
The art I like to make is all over the place, so my creative process is too! I usually start by thinking about what kind of art I want to make and what media I want to play with. I don’t currently have a dedicated art area (because I need to clean up my art table and do some rearranging), so I drag out my paints; there are always paints! I try to work in a limited color palette, so I pull those colors in whatever supplies I want to use.
Then, I play. I slosh paint and scribble water soluble crayons and pencils. I stencil. I get paint all over my hands, arms, clothing and workspace! I’m generally listening to music – anything from 90s alternative and grunge to music based on A Course in Miracles. Because I’m not a selling artist, but a playing artist, I have the freedom to just be creative and not worry too much about the outcome. I’m definitely a process artist!
What inspires you?
Music! Loud music is best. Color and new supplies are also very inspirational. I love doing tutorials to increase my skills and to stretch myself. Finding new artists to admire and study.
What do you do when faced with a creative block or rut?
Depending on the nature of the rut, I either take a break for a few days or switch up my media. If the reason I’m feeling blocked or in a rut is because I’m tired, sick, excessively stressed, I take a of a few days and take care of myself in other ways. If I’m in a rut or feeling blocked because I’m bored, I switch things up. Instead of starting with acrylics – my go to – I’ll work with watercolors, for example, or I find a new-to-me artist and follow a tutorial.
Another thing I like to do when I’m in a rut is work on a mastersheet that I can cut up and make into small pieces of art, tags, or post cards. I find that working on a mastersheet takes away the pressure of creating ‘something’ and allows me to just play.
What are a few of the mixed media art supplies you find yourself returning to?
Paint (mostly acrylic, but more-and-more, watercolors), water soluble crayons/pencils, and stencils. Oh, and music! I almost can’t create without some kind of music!
Who are some of your favorite mixed media artists?
In no particular order, I’m really grooving on Roben-Marie Smith, Denise Love, Andrea Chebeleu and Brooke Henry these days. Next week, the list could look completely different!
With Mixed Media Moments, I’m always finding new artists to follow and share about — one of my very favorite things to do!
Where would you like to go with your art? What are your goals?
My real goal is just to continue having fun. I used to have a friend that I arted with on a regular basis; I’d like to find another. I occasionally teach and would like to do more of that. What I really want to do is develop Mixed Media Moments so that I can meet other artists and get people excited about this genre of art. I think it has a lot to offer people, especially those who feel they don’t draw well enough to be artists.
Aside from art, what makes you giddy in life?
It’s going to sound corny, but my husband of almost 25 years and my three cats. My family. Snow – I live in Southern California, and it rarely snows here so I get excited anytime I see it! I also have a part time job as Customer Service Manager at the Circle of Atonement, a small nonprofit dedicated to spreading the teachings of A Course in Miracles. My job and the Course both make me giddy, too.
Where can we find you?
Personal Instagram (where I plan to be more active in 2024)
Cindy… love your article. Great mixed media pieces.