A self taught artist and a native of Oxnard, California, Cyndi Hidalgo-Knies’ has been creating art since her childhood. As a young girl, Hidalgo-Knies loved to draw and create paintings. Her concentration in painting would become a source of distraction for young Hidalgo-Knies. This was the beginning of her passion for the arts.
Hidalgo-Knies’ has created a recognizable style with a market-worthy appeal. Her choice of media produces an interesting element to her work. In 1994, she made the decision to leave college with only less than a year of receiving her degree in graphic design. She thought graphic design to be too structured. The fine arts department sparked more of her interest. The freedom of self-expression was what always made her enjoy being an artist. Although a profession in graphic design would have been more financially rewarding, this would not have fulfilled her artistically.
Since 1998, Hidalgo-Knies has apprenticed under legendary artist Tony de Carlo. She has participated on numerous mural projects in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. She has displayed her artwork in numerous shows and galleries locally. In more recent years, she has displayed her work in Europe. Hidalgo-Knies’ art has also been collected by some of her very own idols and fellow artists.
Cyndi has continued her career locally, by participating in exhibitions through out Ventura’s Art scene as well as Ventura Art Walk for the past 10 years. A true philanthropist, she has curated several local events for charities and non profits. In 2003, she participated in a benefit to help raise money for individuals living amongst HIV. In 2005, she organized and curated a large music-art benefit to help raise money for her sister who was diagnosed with breast cancer that year. In 2006, she worked closely with administration of University of New Mexico for a benefit called “Heart Art” to help raise money for those women and children living amongst domestic violence. In 2010, she donated a large piece of her work to Casa Pacifica to benefit children and teens at CP, which serves abused neglected and severely disturbed children through out Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
In the future, Hidalgo-Knies plans to continue to evolve artistically by improving and supporting art based projects that promote the arts in her community as well as the culture that accompanies it.
