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cindy leigh aaron
artist
A little about me...
None of us are promised tomorrow and none are getting out of here alive. Eat the cake, buy the shoes, jump out of a ‘perfectly good’ plane. Be amid every experience you can and have the most amazing stories, memories to share.
Live. Every. Day.
AKA's: Cindy Lou, Lou Hoo, Lou Lou, Lou’la’Belle, Mom, Mama, Madre, Gram and CeCe
Adventurous: Places visited in past year or two: Paris France, London England, Dublin Ireland (multiple cities), Winsor Ontario, Seattle WA, Portland OR, Phoenix AZ, Sedona AZ, Grand Canyon AZ, Tombstone AZ, Alburquerque NM, Picture Rock PA, Branson MO, Tupelo MS, Memphis TN, Nashville TN, Hot Springs AR, Broken Bow OK, Texarkana TX, Bryson City NC and more.
Fearless: Activities partaken in over past 5 years: Zip-lined over the Royal Gorge in Colorado, raced ATV’s over the Sedona Desert, parasailed in PCB (took my mom for her 81st birthday), always first in line for any opportunity to do something scary or dangerous, often travel alone (even overseas), donated a kidney to a stranger in 2019, intrigued by the paranormal and have participated in overnight paranormal investigations, including castles in Ireland.
Selfless: Actions always speak louder than words: donated a kidney to a stranger (most AMAZING thing to ever be a part of), take my elderly mother on most of my vacations / adventures (this is no easy task, takes a lot of work), including parasailing for her 81st birthday, her only airplane trip (to Washington DC in 2018) and her annual beach vaca where she always gets crab legs. I’m determined that as long as she’s with us, she’s going to live her best life, even if it costs me my temporary sanity. Oh, the stories and memories I have...
Quotes to live by:
- Mean what you say, say what you mean.
- At all costs, keep your word.
- Family is everything.
- Everyone is going through something, be kind.
- Smile and speak to strangers (no matter how scary they may appear).
- We all want to feel ‘seen’.
- We all carry our own ‘bucket’ (aka struggles, sin, etc.). No one’s bucket is better or worse than anyone else’s, no one’s sin is greater than or less than another’s.
- Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. (Never half-@$$ anything.)
- We are ALL created equal. Period. No single life is greater than another.
The Dream...
I’ve had this on my heart for about 20 years now. I’d like to open a private studio as a non-profit organization. Children in need (of academic assistance or just a little attention, mostly likely from low-income households) can come after school and have high school kids volunteer to assist them with their homework / academic needs, have something healthy to eat and arts and crafts in the studio for fun. The target age group would be late elementary and middle school age kids. I feel this is the most influential time to make an impact. I feel that this type of program could change the trajectory of their lives. If someone would just take time for them and show an interest, let them know how important they are, perhaps their life choices would be influenced, even if they have no real interest in art itself, just to offer sincere encouragement and support. Why not me to be this someone?
To make this dream a reality, I must generate income by another source. So, if I opened the studio up for day classes for kids who are homeschooled, I could charge accordingly. I want to be a great teacher, an effective teacher to these children. To be that I want to obtain my art education degree, even though it isn’t required for most homeschool curriculum. I feel it’s necessary to be an effective and impactful teacher.
What's going on now?
Currently...
Focusing on UGA classes and loving being back in school. I'm taking a pottery class instructed by Sunkoo Yuh. He is a phenomenal artist who is known around the world. I'm soaking up all that I can from his class. In an art education class, I'm assisting with teaching an art class at Double Helix School in Athens every other week. This has been a lot of fun and I'm excited to be the lead teacher for a class later in October. My third class is Greek art history. Very interesting content but burning up my last 2 functioning brain cells.
Where to Next?
Cortona, Italy
Studying abroad has been a lifelong dream. I've recently re-entered the University of Georgia, at age 52, after attending from 1992 to 1995 and not completing my art education degree. I did obtain my associates in art studio from Georgia Military College at the ripe old age of 48.
I've fallen in love with international travel the past couple years. I've been to Paris France, London England, several cities, towns in Ireland (this past spring) and Windsor Canada most recently. To be able to study art in such a magnificent location would be absolutely amazing!!!
I cannot wait to just bask in the culture in Cortona. And the other areas where I’ll be going. Places, things take on a whole new meaning when you can experience them in person and not just see images of these places and things. I know that Italy will be absolutely intoxicating.
Once in Cortona, I want to go everywhere and experience everything I can. I want to soak up all the local people and places. I hope that my excitement and eagerness to be a part of the program will be contagious to any, everyone I encounter, whether students or locals. In my traveling, I love to find the ‘hole in the wall’ places where the locals hang. I want to learn their style, their culture, their traditions.
Education
June 2025 to Present
University of Georgia| Art Education, Student
August 2018 - July 2020
Georgia Military College | Studio Art, Associates
August 1992 - May 1995
University of Georgia| Art Education, Student
Want to help?
The cost to study abroad in Cortona is $15,000.
Any donations would be ever so greatly appreciated.
venmo: @cindylouhoo1972 / cash app: $cindylouhoo72
