"Dancing In Place" Painting

“I am a life-long dancer/painter, exploring paint as movement on canvas.  I use my body’s memory to become the paint, the brush strokes, the color, patterns, texture.  I am interested in exploring movement dynamics through the paint.  Translating body memory into paintings connects me to a language where dance and paint merge.”

Cindy Bernier, a life-long dancer, explores paint as movement on canvas.  She is fascinated by the process of translating movement dynamics through mark making and layers of color. Her paintings are in private collections
in Connecticut, New York, Florida, Arkansas, New Jersey, California, Switzerland and Italy.


Born in New York in 1951, Cindy Bernier is an emerging painter whose work reflects her career as a dancer/choreographer.  Ms. Bernier was an early member of Joyce Trisler’s, Danscompany. She performed and served as artistic director of Kinetikos, New England Dance Theater and Bernier Dance where she created over 30 works and was awarded a fellowship grant by the Connecticut Commission on the Arts for her choreography.  In New York, Cindy Bernier’s work was produced at The Theater at Riverside Church Dance Festival, Dancers Responding to Aids, Williamsburgh Arts Nexus, The D.U.M.B.O. Festival, The Bridge, Hatch and Dance Space and the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan. In Connecticut, Bernier Dance was presented at the Kweskin Theater, The Quick Center for the Performing Arts at Fairfield University, The Rich Forum, The Levitt Pavilion, Sono Arts Festival, Crystal Theater, the Darien Arts Council and Yale University. Ms. Bernier founded and directed Artists for Peace and CT Meet NY Dance Fest, both showcasing dance companies and musical groups in the Tri-State area. Ms. Bernier also directed The Sister Project, a movement workshop serving women in crisis.  She has taught at Steps on Broadway, the Greenwich Arts Center, Ballet Etudes, New England Academy of Dance, Yale University, the Darien Arts Center and Performance Dance, among others.

Cindy Bernier began painting in 2017 as a creative response to her aging dancer’s body.  She studies with artist, Claudia Mengel.