We recently had the chance to connect with Cindy Hernandez and have shared our conversation below.
Cindy, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me right now is rooted in movement, connection, and checking in with myself before checking in with the world.
Most days start quietly, usually with my plants, a little stretching, and grounding myself before the day gets busy. From there, my schedule can look very different depending on where I’m needed. Some days I’m at Roxanne’s Bar, hosting or prepping for paint nights, plant workshops, or community gatherings. That space has really become the heart of what I’m building, a place where art, conversation, books, and creativity all exist together.
Other days I’m moving between Local Gem Collective and Her Society. Local Gem allows me to share my work in a retail and workshop setting, while Her Society, a beauty and wellness collective where I rent my office, has been incredibly restorative for me on a personal level. The women there supported me during a season when my energy was really low, and being surrounded by care, creativity, and beauty helped me reconnect with myself.
In between all of that, I’m writing, planning, collaborating, answering messages from people who want to build something together, and finding ways to keep my work accessible and welcoming. No two days look exactly the same, but the through line is always community. I’m intentionally creating spaces where people feel safe to show up as they are, whether they’re painting, planting, reading, or just taking a moment to breathe.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Cindy Hernandez, an artist, author, and community builder based in Southern California. Through my work, I create welcoming spaces where creativity becomes a tool for connection, healing, and belonging. My brand blends paint nights, plant workshops, book-centered experiences, and community gatherings, all rooted in collaboration and accessibility.
Much of what I’m building lives within an evolving ecosystem of local partnerships, with Roxanne’s Bar serving as a creative home base for recurring events and workshops. I also collaborate with spaces like Local Gem Collective and Her Society, a beauty and wellness collective that has deeply supported me both professionally and personally.
I’m the author of Petals of Purpose, a book that grew out of my own healing journey and became the foundation for many of the experiences I now offer. Whether I’m hosting an event, teaching a workshop, or writing, my focus is always the same: creating safe, inviting spaces where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to show up as they are.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was deeply curious, creative, and observant. I was someone who found comfort in making things with my hands, spending time with plants, and noticing how people felt in shared spaces. Creativity was never about output for me, it was how I processed the world and connected to others.
Over time, expectations and responsibilities tried to narrow that version of me, but she never disappeared. She’s the reason I now create spaces that welcome people exactly as they are. Everything I build is rooted in honoring that original self, and inviting others to reconnect with theirs through art, nature, and community.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me the importance of slowing down and listening, to myself and to others. It showed me that resilience doesn’t always look like pushing through, but often like pausing, asking for help, and choosing care over urgency.
I learned that people don’t need to be fixed to belong, they need to feel safe enough to be honest. That lesson shaped how I show up in my work and why I create spaces rooted in compassion, accessibility, and community rather than pressure or perfection. Success can validate you, but suffering teaches you how to hold space for others with intention and grace.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that what really matters to me is people feeling seen, supported, and welcome. I care deeply about creating environments where no one feels like they have to perform or prove themselves to belong.
Community, collaboration, and integrity guide everything I do. Whether I’m hosting an event, teaching a workshop, or simply showing up for someone, I’m always thinking about how to make the space feel safer, more inclusive, and more human. At the end of the day, it matters to me that the work I’m doing feels aligned, intentional, and rooted in care rather than pressure or perfection.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality were real, I would build spaces where creativity and care are woven into everyday life. Places where art, plants, books, conversation, and community coexist, and where people feel safe enough to slow down and be themselves.
I would continue building ecosystems rooted in collaboration rather than competition, where local artists, small businesses, and community members grow alongside one another. The goal has never been to build something flashy or exclusive, but something lasting, human, and accessible. If what I’m creating continues beyond me, I hope it’s felt as a reminder that creativity can be a form of care, and that belonging should never feel out of reach.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thethirdplacestudio.com
- Instagram: craftingwcindy
- Facebook: craftingwcindy
- Other: Here is our eventbrite link
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cindy-hernanez-31699571519
Image Credits
all images submitted are my own personal property taken with my equipment.
