Early Years
Cindy Surendorf is the daughter of Charles and Barbara Surendorf. Born in 1956, she grew up in Columbia, California.
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 Cindy and Sister Stephanie
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Cindy's memories include sitting on the front porch of the family's Columbia home and visiting with Ansel Adams, a family friend, and her dad's frequent calls to the White House. She later studied and taught Adams' photographic zone method at Biola University.
Cindy and Her Father, 1974
1995 - The Makings of the Surendorf Memorial Gallery
In 1995 Cindy Surendorf retired from corporate life and became a full time mom to her daughter, Lenor. During the day, she worked in her darkroom doing photo reproductions of her father's art. On weekends, she went to art and craft fairs in the Mother Lode area to educate customers about her father (and Lenor's grandfather), and sell the reproductions at the modest prices that her father sold the originals in the 1970's.
A Craft Fair Exhibit
She realized the only way to do it right was to move from Oroville, where they lived on investments made in properties, and move back to the Mother Lode area. Columbia and Sonora were too expensive, but with the help of her Mom, her sister, Steph, and her step father, Harry Pief, she was able to purchase a home, and start the Surendorf Gallery in the town of Murphys, California, open on Friday through Sunday. During the week she worked for the Women's Crisis Center.
Surendorf Gallery, Murphys, California
The Surendorf Gallery was small, but well accepted. She made connections with people, who offered their services for art, just like they did for her dad. For over five years she was able to barter enough to get the gallery known around the USA and abroad.
She joined a partnership in a larger space in Murphys with artists Mike and Janie Nelson, which kept the Surendorf Gallery open for seven days a week, and gave the three of them front street exposure.
Cindy rekindled her wedding photography business, and brought other photographic artists into the gallery. This was the right balance to sustain the gallery and she and her daughter. In 2002, Cindy closed the physical gallery but opened it virtually on the web, where it continues today.
2010 - Charles Surendorf II Art Foundation Formed
Cindy organized the Charles Surendorf II Art Foundation, a non-profit public benefit corporation with other advisors and directors. The charter of the Foundation is to continue the work Cindy started and expand it on a larger scale to bring the works of Charles Surendorf II again before artists, historians, art lovers, children, and anyone interested in Surendorf’s works, style, and technique. Bookmark this web site and return to find out when Surendorf exhibitions will visit your community. Contact Cindy if you’d like to host an exhibit, lecture, and/or workshop.
