About Cynthia jarest

There is always the question of why.  Why create art?  Because it is fun.  Because it is therapy.  Because it is meditative.  There is growth in the process of creating whether you create a masterpiece, or a mess. 

Growing up in Colorado has its advantages, namely the Rocky Mountains and the many adventures found hiking, camping, skiing, and snow shoeing. My hope is to bring to life some of those adventures and breath-taking views with fiber and other media, connecting the viewer to nature. 

Using a camera, I capture a point in time of something that catches my eye.  Using that photo as inspiration, I create art; sometimes literal, sometimes abstract, usually with deep jewel tones that my inner eye sees. Fabric and thread become my paint to create, communicating with color and pattern.  This medium allows for texture and dimension not typically found in paint itself.  The fabric is often my own: hand-dyed, painted, and/or stamped. Thread, acrylic paint, colored pencils, alcohol inks, dryer sheets and even paper become part of the art. 

Biography 

Cynthia (Cyndi) Jarest spent most of her life as a maker.  She has always loved, and still loves, making things. Dabbling in macrame, paints, and even pottery.  Fiber came into her life in her early twenties, when she made a baby quilt for a friend, and then she did not make another quilt for many years as other life experiences took over.  When she became a mother, she knew she needed something crafty to do, and so began her journey of quilt making, which grew into fiber art, and then the wonderful addition of mixed media.  Cyndi has grown with every new class, new media, and new experience; reaching beyond her knowledge base and stepping outside her comfort zone and enjoying every minute of the creative process.

Exhibits

January 1-December 31, 2024, FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio”Denver, CO

January 5-February 7, 2024, St. Andrews Church “Connections” Highlands Ranch, CO

November 11, 2023-January 26, 2024, R Gallery “Small Works Holiday Market” Boulder, CO

June 7-July 16, 2023, R Gallery “Colorful Colorado” Boulder, CO

April 26-June 4, 2023, R Gallery “NOW: Colorado Creatives Unleashed” Boulder, CO

May 1-May31, 2023, Koelbel Gallery “Threads of Inspiration” Centennial, CO

April 21-May 7, 2023, Next Gallery “Portfolio” Denver, CO

February 18-March 4, 2023 Next Gallery “Casa Bonita Art Show” Lakewood, CO

February 17-February 19, 2023 Life in the West Art Gallery “Life in the West” Broomfield, CO

January 14-February 25, 2023 Curtis Center for the Arts SAQA Regional “WILD!” Greenwood Village, CO

January 1-December 31, 2023 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio” Denver, CO

October 17, 2022-January 14, 2023 RM Quilt Museum “Compliments to the Chef” Golden, CO

September 2-September 11, 2022 Louisville Center for the Arts “National Fine Art Show” Louisville, CO

July 19-August 27, 2022 The Depot Gallery “38th All Colorado Art Show” Littleton, CO

June 25-September 17, 2022 Brigham City Museum SAQA Regional “WILD!” Brigham City, UT

June 1-July 28, 2022 Parker Art Center FRCQ “Transformation” Parker, CO

May 13-June 2, 2022 Lincoln Gallery “2022 National Art Show” Loveland, CO

January 30-December 31, 2022 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2022” Denver, CO

June 11-July 17, 2021 Art Center of Estes Park “FACE of Fiber” Estes Park, CO  

May 26-June 27, 2021 R Gallery “Textile/Fiber Fine Art” Boulder, CO

January 1-December 30, 2021 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2021” Denver, CO

January 1-December 30, 2020 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2020” Denver, CO

July 11-July 28, 2019 Floris United Methodist Church “Sacred Threads” Herndon, VA

June 28-September 30, 2019 Foothills Art Center “Evolving Perceptions” Golden, CO

January 1-December 30, 2019 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2019” Denver, CO

August 14-September 23, 2018 The Collective Community Arts Center “Boundaries” Lafayette, CO

June 2018 – Travel Exhibit “Border Wall Quilt Project”   

May 3-July 9, 2018 FRCQ Parker Arts Center “Contrast” Parker, CO

January 1-December 30, 2018 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2018” Denver, CO

September 1-October 28, 2017 NCAR “Diversity” Boulder, CO  

June 6-August 30, 2017 Red Rocks Community College “Reflections” Lakewood, CO

January 25-December 30, 2017 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2017” Denver, CO

July 1, 2016-September 30, 2016 Laramie Art Quilters “Abstracting the West” Laramie, WY

June 2, 2016-7/20/16 Parker Art Center “Fiber Innovations II” Parker, CO

January 25-December 30, 2016 FRCQ Website Banner “Portfolio 2016” Denver, CO

January 22, 2016-March 26, 2016 Lakewood Cultural Center “Above and Beyond”   Lakewood, CO SAQA Regional

June 1, 2015-August 30, 2015 Karma Gallery Pearl Street Denver, CO

May 1, 2015-May 1, 2016 SAQA Regional SAQA Website Banner NM/CO/UT

July 11, 2014-September 2, 2014 TACTile Gallery “Small Visions/Big Voice” Denver, CO

June-August 2012 Rodeo Gallery “Home is Where the Heart Is” Westminster, CO

Organizations

Front Range Contemporary Quilters (FRCQ) New Skills Coordinator 2013-2015 Communications 2016-2018

Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA)

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum (RMQM)