Cyndy was born in Minnesota and spent a number of years in Kansas before moving to Arizona in 1988. Her family was unfamiliar with the art world and she had to figure out her passion for making art on her own. Even though she won her first art scholarship to the Art Institute of Minneapolis when she was only six, Carstens’ first visit to an art gallery didn’t occur until she was well into her 20’s. She felt at home there surrounded by incredible art. Cyndy knew this would someday be her career and began the long journey toward meeting her goals of being a full time artist.
Growing up on the shores of a crystal clear lake in Minnesota exposed Cyndy to nature’s temperament and beauty early. “I remember sitting on the dock mesmerized by the movements of the water. I would sketch a lot of trees and try to capture the emotions of the dancing waves”. Moving to Kansas as a young teen with her family was a shock to her psyche. The brown flat lands and never-ending winds felt unkind. Eventually however, Cyndy began to find beauty in the plains, winding brooks, broken earth and open skies.
The thought of moving to a barren desert didn’t seem very appealing either. But move to Arizona she did in 1988 to take a position as an art director and study studio art at Arizona State University. “The character of Arizona was spell-binding and the landscape not at all infertile.” The skies are particularly captivating; the sweeping cloud formations reminiscent of early memories of cascading and constantly changing water formations.
In 2011, Cyndy opened Carstens Fine Art Studio & Gallery in the Arts District of Old Town Scottsdale, AZ. Having owned a graphic design studio; working as an art director; creating and manufacturing a greeting card line; and owning a mural business all prepared Cyndy for this next leap of faith. “I love my small gallery and studio space. From a young age I knew I wanted to be a full time fine artist. I just never imagined it would look like this. It is a joy to meet all the different types of people that come to the Arts District to appreciate art and support artists. It is a thrill to share the stories of each painting and the processes involved.”
