Edge Life

The Cindi Rose of Texas: When a socialite's silhouette is not quite what itappears

Governor Rick Perry posed for a silhouette in October during a visit to theRose's home
Artwork using her Mother's cookware, a remembrance after she passed away.
Photo by Matthew Williams
A series of Cindi's cast bronze faces welcome visitors to the Rose's home
Photo by Matthew Williams
Cindi's paintings are on display throughout her home, most have faces as acentral theme
Photo by Matthew Williams
A pottery piece created by Cindi...another study of the human profile
Photo by Matthew Williams
Cindi's silhouette of Dr. Michael Debakey from the 1980s, Houston'sworld-renowned cardiac surgeon, innovator, scientist, educator, and statesman
Photo by Matthew Williams
President Obama posed for a silhouette as he faced his own kind of change
Photo by Matthew Williams
Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Cindi with a fresh portrait during a get together lastmonth
Portraits of the Rose family: photographs accompanied by silhouettes
Photo by Matthew Williams
Soft layered colors shape breasts as landscaped hills and valleys
Photo by Matthew Williams
Plastic doll faces embrace in a sculpture of melted toys from a girlhood past
Photo by Matthew Williams
A news article decades ago chronicling a young Cindi's passionate discovery ofsilhouette art
Photo by Matthew Williams
Outside her studio, Cindi continues to celebrate her art with a playful toss ofthat day's work
Photo by Matthew Williams

Edge Life is a periodic CultureMap column that chronicles unusual people with uncommon passion. People out on that thin ridge of life where not many of us have the courage, conviction or will to reach — let alone stay.

Fellow CultureMapper: "She cuts silhouettes"

Me [snarky and dismissive]: "Huh? Uhhmmm...pass"

Fellow CultureMapper: "She has the world's record as the fastest silhouette..."

Me [interrupting]: "Dude, I'm hanging up"

Fellow CultureMapper: "She uses it to raise money for charities — good causes and all that."

Me [sighing]: "Fine, fine, I don't see it as 'Edge Life', but I'll give her a call."

So I called Cindi Harwood Rose, Houston's professed and obsessed silhouette artist — a passion spanning 40 years, with as stated, a world record in cutting more individual human silhouettes in one hour (144 to be exact) than anyone else on the planet.

Indeed, over the phone, Ms. Rose recounted celebrities, politicians and other notables and a list of charitable events that through her silhouette art have produced a fair and worthy mass of social good. Of course, one brief phone conversation was not enough for me to decide if she qualified for Edge Life.

I had to get past the obvious: an attractive well-to-do socialite (a label she summarily rejects); wife of renowned plastic surgeon Franklin Rose; and mother to a son, Ben, and daughter, Erica, Houston's celebrated reality TV star and recent guest of Dr. Phil along with Cindi.

"How about lunch at my house?" she offered. Owing it to readers of this column, I accepted in search of a story.

----------------------

"I don't eat out often" she told me as we munched a fresh, uber-healthy lunch prepared in her Iron Chef of a kitchen. "I just enjoy cooking so much that I prefer dining at home."

And it showed, our lunch could have been served by any of Houston's finer restaurants; with seasonings that only come from a true joie de vie for cooking.

Fortified and with small talk quickly turning to real, we toured the house, stopping at her artworks ... a series of waypoints navigating to the inner artist of Cindi Rose. As we walked and talked, I wondered if this was a well-worn path: perhaps her standard house tour? Or was she opening herself up to me with trust and sincerity?

All the while I struggled to mute the art critic in me wanting to comment on the quality of her art. The temptation that comes from artists sharing their works for all to see and surmise ... where we all fancy ourselves as experts.

Mind you, this was not a tour of the thousands of silhouettes she has created in her lifetime: Rich, antique black paper cutouts of the likes of Elvis and Liberace to just last month Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Texas Governor Rick Perry, who the Roses entertained in their home.

On the contrary, it was a display of paintings, sculptures, pottery and other works she has produced since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Fine Arts; further influenced by study at institutions in Paris, Aspen and New York City.

For every piece of artwork, she offered a detailed story describing its meaning and the inspiration behind it. Testimonies to the people, places and things she wished to memorialize within the confines of her Houston home. But neither an artist displaying her life's work nor talking about its meaning is unusual.

What did strike me as unusual about the artwork of Cindi Harwoord Rose was in what it did and did not reflect. It reflected a desire and discipline to express herself — the process to "be" an artist. Yet that desire was not reflected by any coherent artistic identity in her works; only emulations of others.

But again, this is not unusual. All artists emulate styles as a way of finding their own. It is a normal part of any artist's journey.

I shared my observation with Cindi who paused and contemplated it for a moment. Without defensiveness or insult, she confided that cutting silhouettes may well be a comfort zone for her; not just because of what she says is a "God given" talent, but because of the deep, personal satisfaction she gets from using it to promote the Rose Ribbon Foundation, an institution established in 1997 that provides free reconstructive surgery to post-cancer patients who are not able to afford health insurance.

Hearing her say this made me wonder if for a while now, her dedication to this larger cause has come at some personal sacrifice to her artistic journey.

"Holly was my inspiration," she told me.

When her sister, Holly Harwood Skolkin, was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer (too late for a mastectomy) in 1997, Cindi was inspired by Holly's will to fight, a will that has continued for 13 years. From this grew Cindi's desire to help other women fight breast cancer with special recognition of the importance of their feeling complete to the success of such a fight.

As Holly told me during a phone interview, "when a person has a life threatening illness, it makes your priorities crystal clear. It's not like you want to climb Kilimanjaro or anything, you just want to be with loved ones and feel normal."

Fair enough I thought and since Holly's ordeal launched a foundation to help others like her, I wanted to talk to someone whose life has been impacted by it.

I tracked down Teresa Marroquin, one of many cancer survivors who has received help from the Rose Ribbon Foundation. She told me that "when you finish cancer treatment you are happy and thankful to still be alive, but every time you are in front of a mirror and look at your body you feel frustrated by what has happened ... your life changes."

Marroquin went on to explain that "you cannot even wear a swim suit or a party dress with confidence ... the Rose Ribbon Foundation gave me a new body and helped me build my self esteem."

Let me confess: the original seduction of this story was to assess Ms. Rose's rigor as an artist. As some kind of self-qualified judge, I would decide if she was pursuing her art with an edge worthy of writing about. After meeting her, I realized that I was looking for the wrong edge.

It goes like this: Ms. Rose continues to do this work when in fact she could do anything else or nothing much at all. And for me or anyone else to assess her motivation misses the point that like her art, the silhouette of Cindi Rose is cut from her shapes as an artist, wife, mother, socialite and philanthropist.

So it is the layering of all these shapes that I think do in fact come together to produce her edge: one where for decades now, she, through her foundation, has helped women find normalcy in a suddenly terrifying and abnormal world.

On this I give her sister Holly the last word, "after so many years of battling cancer with Cindi and her family by my side the whole way, I know how beautiful and loving she is in her heart ... this is the Cindi I know."

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weekend event planner

Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this weekend

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Josephine's will be serving crawfish at EZ's Liquor Lounge.

This weekend promises to have good times, good music and a helluva lot of crawfish.

Two different crawfish boils will be going down, certain to make any seafood lover go on a head-sucking frenzy. We also have an immersive rock experience courtesy of a legendary music magazine, the grand opening of a new sports bar, the return of a Southern hip-hop trailblazer, the 35mm debut of a recent Oscar winner, and a salute to three guys who often told people they should be dancing.

Thursday, May 15

ARTECHOUSE presents Rolling Stone Presents: AMPLIFIED, The Immersive Rock Experience
Rolling Stone Presents: AMPLIFIED brings the history of rock ‘n roll to life with a dynamic mix of music and visuals. Narrated by actor/musician Kevin Bacon, the show is a guided tour through the story of revolutionary music and the changes it brought. AMPLIFIED draws from rare live performance and behind-the-scenes footage, never-before-seen moments, exclusive portrait sessions, album art, and posters, delivering one of the most comprehensive collections of rock ‘n roll imagery ever assembled. 5 pm.

Alley Theatre presents Primary Trust
Kenneth has lived the same routine every day for the past 15 years. During the day, he goes to work at a bookstore; at night, he goes to a tiki bar with his friend Bert. When the bookstore goes out of business, Kenneth is forced to push past his boundaries and reconcile with his past. Primary Trust is a tender-hearted tale of old friends, new beginnings, and the smallest of chances. Through Sunday, May 25. 7:30 pm (8 pm Friday; 2 and 8 pm Saturday; 2 and 7 pm Sunday).

Improv Houston presents Melissa Villaseñor
Melissa Villaseñor spent six seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where she impersonated everyone from Bjork to Natalie Portman to Owen Wilson to fellow ex-SNLer Kristen Wiig. She’s also done extensive voiceover acting on Fox’s Family Guy, Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, and Comedy Central’s Triptank. Catch her doing her standup thing at Improv Houston this weekend. 7:30 pm (7:30 and 9:45 pm Friday; 7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Friday, May 16

La Cabra Grand Opening Weekend
La Cabra, Houston’s newest destination for sports fans, will officially open with a two-night, grand opening celebration. Founded by former MasterChef contestant Joseph Manglicmot, La Cabra is a soccer-focused sports bar. The opening will feature a lineup of local food vendors, including Lafitte’s Seafood serving up fresh crawfish, Ceviche El Guero offering ceviche specials, and Pascual’s Tacos. Attendees can also enjoy hourly giveaways and music by DJ Maniville. 5 pm.

The Heritage Society presents Juneteenth Legacy Project with Sam Collins
The Heritage Society's Juneteenth Celebration kicks off with subject matter expert Sam Collins. Teaming with Sue Johnson of the Nia Cultural Center in Galveston, he and others have established the Juneteenth Legacy Project. Collins has also been involved in Juneteeth celebrations in both Galveston and Hitchcock, and other historic preservation efforts in Galveston County. Tickets include a wine and cheese reception with a pop-up exhibit by Houston Suffragists Project. 6 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Anora
Anora (Oscar winner Mikey Madison), a young woman from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as her new husband’s parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. Showing at MFAH this weekend (in glorious 35mm!), see why Anora earned the Palme d’Or at Cannes and continued to triumph through the awards season, culminating in five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. 7 pm (5 pm Sunday).

Houston Symphony presents "Stayin’ Alive: The Bee Gees & Beyond"
Yes, brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb were the high-pitched kings of disco back in the day. But you can’t deny these guys made some timeless bops. (It’s certainly fun watching young YouTubers discover their music.) The Houston Symphony will celebrate the best of the Bee Gees, and beyond. A cappella sensation Rajaton brings their smooth harmonies to the songs that lit up the disco era in the high-energy concert, led by principal Pops conductor Steven Reineke. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday)

Saturday, May 17

Johnnie Means Academy Fourth Annual International Water Safety Day Festival
While the Houston Swim Club will host a Water Safety Day fest in Sugar Land, Johnnie Means Aquatics will have its 4th Annual International Water Safety Day Festival at Texas Southern University’s Recreation Center. Guests can expect hands-on experiences around drowning prevention, beginner swim techniques, and lifeguard safety training. Participants will hear from water safety advocates, survivors, and professionals sharing their insights and experiences. 10 am.

Saint Julian’s Social Club presents Spring Renaissance Festival
The circus-themed pop-up bar is teaming up with Midtown bar Winnie’s for a one-of-a-kind Renaissance Faire. The all-day, family-friendly event features axe throwing, a dunk tank, jousting, magic, face painting, juggling, tarot, and short form Dungeons and Dragons. Since it wouldn’t be a festival without food, look for Hot Cheeto fried pickles, lamb meatball sliders, smoked andouille corndog bites, and the “I Smoked At Turkey Leg Hut” — a house smoked turkey leg glazed in spicy barbecue sauce. 12 pm.

Project Row Houses present Crawfish and Brews
Crawfish and Brews is back, ladies and gents. Now in its 11th year, Crawfish and Brews brings the community together for music, crawfish, and fun. The event is once again partnering with Project Row Houses, an organization that has been a champion for Houston art and culture. While you get your mudbug on, you can also tour the row houses. Currently on view is Round 58: Free Someone, which celebrates Houston artists who have overcome adversity to become renowned for their artwork in public places, using the city’s landscape as their canvas. 2 pm.

Silver Street Studios presents "Visual Symphony: The Salon Revisited" opening reception
Silver Street Studios will present "Visual Symphony: The Salon Revisited," a showcase of contemporary art that invites visitors to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of creativity, talent, and innovation. The exhibition, inspired by the grand salon traditions of 17th and 18th-century France, reimagines the classic format to celebrate the diversity of artistic voices within our vibrant community. Through Saturday, June 21. 5 pm.

Camo Fest: Master P and Friends
Who wants to go back to the late ‘90s? If you miss those days, you should check out the Camo Fest, which features throwback rap from New Orleans rap king Master P and several of his former No Limit soldiers (MIa X, Choppa, Fiend, Mac, and Mercedes). Other parts of the Dirty South will also be represented: 8Ball & MJG from Memphis, Young Dro from Atlanta, Webbie from Baton Rouge, and Lil Keke from right here in H-Town. 7 pm.

Sunday, May 18

EZ’s Liquor Lounge x Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition Crawfish Boil
EZ’s Liquor Lounge and Josephine’s will be hosting a crawfish boil this weekend at the Heights neighborhood bar. Crawfish will be $9 per pound, while sausage links will be $5 and potatoes, corn and mushrooms will be $4 each. And there will also be plenty of wet sauce to go around. 1 pm.

Emissary Quartet and Nicky Sohn in concert
Emissary Quartet presents a special concert featuring the world premiere of a new work by composer Nicky Sohn. This piece is part of [moment]um, the quartet’s upcoming album, set to release later in 2025. The event showcases the quartet’s innovative approach to flute ensemble music, blending contemporary artistry with dynamic programming. Alongside Sohn’s premiere, EQ will perform selections from [moment]um. 6 pm.

The Manns in concert
Some of you may know Fort Worth’s own David & Tamela Mann, aka The Manns, as the stars of Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry’s hit play that eventually became a movie that also was spun off into a sitcom. But the pair are also very acclaimed gospel singers. This weekend, they’ll be coming to Sugar Land in support of their 2024 album, Live, Breathe, Fight. They'll be joined by Karen Clark Sheard, Erica Campbell, Tye Tribbett, and Kierra Sheard. 8 pm.

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Josephine's will be serving crawfish at EZ's Liquor Lounge.

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