Cyndi Waldron- Illustration: INNOCENCE

ARTIST STATEMENT:

I stand in awe of children’s unbridled courage, trust, optimism, passion, love of life and above all else, their innocence. This body of work addresses the importance of preserving and protecting this innocence.

In recent months, I have been overcome with feelings of sorrow at the realization that childhood innocence is under attack. Throughout the U.S. and also the world, I hear, almost on a daily basis, about childhood innocence being shattered by violence, terrorism, abuse, neglect, poverty or war. Long gone are the days when children thought that war was a card game, or drugs were orange flavored and chewable.

The poet, William Wordsworth expresses how magnificent childhood is by saying, “Heaven lies about us in our infancy.”* Childhood innocence is so very precious and is to be encouraged, supported and protected as far as is humanly possible.

This body of work honors those little ones who, far too early, lost their innocence through no fault of their own. Each oil painting includes a child in a positive narrative setting and is based on a specific character attribute such as curiosity, determination, resilience, and imagination. As I immerse myself in the essence of each childlike quality, a story is born. From that story, the painting emerges.

These images are an avenue for you to experience childhood once again, as it awaken wonderful memories of youth and a simpler and gentler time. They resonate with the sweetness and wonder that can only be found in childhood.

*Wordsworth, Intimations of Immortality