Cindy Rae

The cloud, the stillness that must part
The darling of my life from me;
And then to thank God from my heart,
To thank Him well and fervently;
From “On the Death of Anne Brontë” by Charlotte Brontë

On August 29, Cindy Rae, friend and colleague, died from a short but brutal fight with cancer. Our friendship and professional relationship spanned almost 3 decades. The world will seem a little less without her in it.

I had just started my photo studio when I met Cindy. She was working for a modeling agency as an instructor. She brought many of her classes to my studio in downtown Minneapolis. She was an excellent make up artist working in the commercial, advertising, corporate, fashion and film industries. As you can tell she got around. Cindy was well known and highly respected.

We worked together on many personal and commercial shoots for years. Whenever I had a shoot that required make up Cindy was my very first call. I could depend on her to deliver high quality in a very professional manner.
Some of you may know this but a lot really don’t – a make up artist is more than just that. On the set a really pro make up artist is a collaborator with the photographer. She is the person who soothes the subject during make up. She is the second set of eyes during the shoot, catching fly away hairs and make up touch ups. She also contributes aesthetically through out the shoot. Working in so many studios as she did, Cindy was the most valuable make up artist of all to me.

As I wound down my career as a commercial photographer we worked less and less together. However she would have me shoot an annual Christmas family portrait for several years in a row.

In recent years we saw less and less of each other, talking on the phone now and then and of course liking and commenting to each other on Facebook. It brightened my day to see her posts.

The last time I saw her was at a Starbucks. We had coffee and visited for a couple of hours.

Cindy not only worked with me and befriended me, she supported me during ups and downs. Whether it was about drumming up business or personal issues. She would always make time for me. She made me feel she believed in me. I don’t think I could ever repay all the goodwill she showed to me.

Like everyone else I will miss her terribly and regret that I didn’t make time to see her more often in recent months. Her exuberance, commitment, kindness, respect for me as an artist and photographer and her friendship will live forever in my heart.

I spoke about my trust with Cindy. Cindy honored me with the trust to take a prenatal photo when she was pregnant with her first born, Luke. I have never seen a woman wear her pregnancy so beautifully.

Cindy, you will forever have a special place in my heart!