Painting is my way of translating how I feel about what I see.  It is a process that began when I was young and painted with my paternal grandparents, both of whom were oil painters.  My interest in art continued through my years of education, when I constantly detailed course notes with drawings.  Later, during my years as a physician, I took numerous art classes and workshops.  Ten years ago, the need to express myself through painting became so strong that I left my career in medicine to paint full time.

Today I remain fascinated by color and light, ranging from the bright colors found in flowers to the more subtle tones of fields and deserts.  My work frequently highlights bold shadows on buildings or the play of light across a field or pond.

I strive to capture the beauty of nature by using a palette knife and oil paints to recreate the natural world’s varying texture, light, and color.  My intention is that each painting allows the viewer to enjoy the warmth and comfort of being in a particular place.  I believe that the viewer completes every work of art, and I want my paintings to start a conversation.
 

In working with oil paints, Cynthia uses a palette knife technique that reflects her appreciation of the textures of the land.  She juxtaposes complementary, vibrant colors to recreate the joy and beauty of the natural world, with a special emphasis on the shifting of light and shadow.  Her inspiration comes from the endless variety of colors and shapes found in nature, as well as from man-made objects that are integrated into landscapes.

Cynthia’s style incorporates elements of both expressionistic and impressionistic traditions, although it also suggests the work of postimpressionistic painters such as Van Gogh and Cezanne. Despite these affinities, she does not try to copy any other painter’s style. Instead, she uses her palette knife to produce her own, distinctive look and feel.

Traveling and painting throughout the West, Cynthia gets a special feeling from the high desert Southwest, the spectacular mountains and grasslands of the Colorado Front Range, and the gardens of her Arizona home. Much of her work, especially landscapes featuring poppy and lavender fields, reflects memories of recent trips to Provence and the Loire Valley in France.  “I paint the patterns of nature and how it feels to be in a particular place,” she says.

Cynthia, who has studied with Kevin MacPherson and Diane Ainsworth, won first place as an emerging artist in the 2003 juried Members Show at the Sedona Arts Center, and she was one of six artists in the 2005 Sedona Artist Invitational at the Sedona Arts Festival. In addition, Cynthia was an invited artist at the 2006 Marilyn Sunderman Foundation "Color the Night Paris" event. 

An associate member of the Oil Painters of America, Cynthia is represented by Stoneheart Gallery in Evergreen, Colorado; Earthwood Collections in Estes Park, Colorado; and Lanning Gallery in Sedona, Arizona.