That was my grandma.  She was a character, loved to laugh, and was full of life. Barely five-feet tall, Grandma wasn't afraid of anything, was never shy with her opinion, and we're pretty sure she had no idea what "politically correct" meant.  She had a passion for humor, submitting countless jokes to Reader's Digest. And, as this website attests, Grandma was an artist, spending thousands of hours behind a canvas.

Why "Sydna"?

There is some debate in the family as to how my grandmother came up with Sydna.  I like to think it was a combination of my grandparents names...

Sylvia and Albert

Sylvia and Al

Sy and Al

Sy dna Al

Sy dn Al

Sydna

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​Sydna's
​ art        was a 
​ creative                  
​ outlet                       
​in a happy,       
​ full life.
           ​But, she
​              possessed
      ​              a small core 
     ​of             darkness    
    ​she            could      
​never, ever 
​release.  

Who is Sydna?

Sydna was my grandmother's artistic name. Her name was Sylvia Kestenbaum (1923-2006), born in Poland. and came to America as an infant.  She met my grandfather, at a young age, in the New York City building that housed both families.  After WWII, and with a little money, they moved to the suburbs.  My grandparents were married for over 50 years, had two kids, and three grandchildren.  My grandmother's life touched many people. And, you'll get a chance to read more about her in our blog section, which I'll expand over time.

​Sydna's paintings were created over three decades - the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.  Although, there is some thought that her first works were done in the late 50s.  Originally, she did not sign her paintings.  Then, she began signing her full name. And, in the early 60s, Sydna was born.

This website

​When my grandma was alive, she retained most of the paintings she created.  Very few were sold or given to relatives.  And, although grandma displayed many in her home, there wasn't enough wall-space for them all.  So, hundreds of paintings were stored in different rooms of the house.  And, grandma always was sad, saying we'd just throw them in the garbage when she died.  

With grandma's passing (and my grandfather's), we've had to clean their house.  And, it was decision time.  It didn't make sense to keep storing items nobody would see. And, our family has no room to store them anyway. So, I've created the website for two reasons - (1) to honor her work by letting the world see it, and (2) to sell the original pieces by finding them a new, happy home.

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