Cindy Pacileo grew up in the creative confusion of a large family in Dayton, Ohio. Children and animals filled her days then and they fill her studio now. Cindy began creating animals of every size about the time she left her job as the director of a community art center in Loveland, Ohio, to begin her own ceramic sculpture business. In late 1975 she and her husband, Joe, moved to the Bethel area, attracted by the beauty of these mountains and Watauga County's craft-friendly economy.

Cindy became a member of Hands in 1976 and soon expanded her line of miniature animal sculptures to meet the growing demand of local and visiting collectors. These Little Guys have grown more charming as well as more intricate over the years. If you haven't seen them recently, you owe yourself a peek at her pigs on snowboards, turtles in sunglasses, lions, tigers and bears (oh my!) and her growing kennel of dog breeds.

As a special treat for many collectors who remember her fantasy art, Cindy has created a few wizards, castles and some brand-new fairies for this show.

In September of 2001, Cindy began to travel a new artistic path. Inspired by courageous stories of women and children around the world, Cindy began creating Women of Peace, small sculptures that celebrate women's wisdom, their courage and their power to make a peaceful difference in today's world. In this show she shares her new Families of Peace sculptures, which are miniature ceramic "snapshots" celebrating tender moments of family connection. Cindy says of these sculptures, "My Families of Peace are inspired by the love that flows freely in my own family. This deep love is a treasure for each individual, a strength for the family and a powerful model for peace in our world."

Cindy's "Garden of Humanity" sculpture, a one-of-a-kind celebration of life, highlights another new direction for her work. While she is well known in the area as the organizer of the Unity Festival, a family-friendly multicultural celebration that occurs each January during I Have A Dream Week, and her multicultural drawings are loved by many, Cindy's sculptural work on this theme has just begun.

Hands Gallery is located at 543 West King St. in downtown Boone next to Macado’s. They are open every day from 10 am to 7 pm. Their website address is www.handsgalleryboonenc.com and their phone number is (828) 262-1970.

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