Member Since August 7th, 2009
Cynthia Peterson
ABOUT MY ART
One of my early contacts with art when young was looking at reproductions of Baroque paintings.
Painters such as Willem Kalf, Zubarón, and Cotan continue to influence my work, as well as more contemporary still life and figurative artists.
I was fascinated with the way these painters carefully rendered the effects of light upon reflective surfaces.
Throughout my art studies, I have felt compelled to explore light and color in combination with these surfaces.
As an artist, I have an affinity for representational imagery. I look to both traditional and contemporary interpretations of realistic styles.
Years of study and work in design have had a definite impact and modernist influences can be seen in my work.
While the end result may be realist images, the conceptual process is occupied with more formalist concerns of visual structure: shape, space, figure/field, pattern, value and color.
The main focus of my work consists of still-life arrangements designed around my interest in light, reflective and refractive surfaces, and color. Light and color appeal to me for their dramatic and psychological potential.
Metallic, glass, and other intriguing surfaces are used to exploit these qualities. Such surfaces are intriguing also for the way in which reflected shapes are distorted, leading to wonderful abstract passages.
In order to portray these reflective and refractive surfaces, I work with a variety of refractive media and methods, such as watercolor and/or oil glazes.
This allows for greater color luminosity in the illusion of transparent, translucent or reflective surfaces.
I am increasingly interested in the play of space within the image. The angles and views chosen vary; often I choose to look at objects from above or a very close, macro viewpoint. I may introduce a landscape or figurative element as way of pushing depth of field and content. Or, alternatively, I may create an intentionally ambiguous spatial environment for the objects.
I invite you to explore the world of light & shadow, near and far, real and design within the art.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008 Cynthia Peterson: The Luminous Object
West Valley Art Museum, Surpise, AZ
2007 Cynthia Peterson: The Luminous Object
Stark Gallery, Xavier College Prepatory
2001: Cynthia Peterson, Paintings and Drawings
Glendale Community College, Glendale, AZ
Cynthia Peterson, Current Watercolors
Visual Arts Gallery, Central Arizona College, Coolidge, AZ
1999: Cynthia Peterson, Paintings and Drawings
Church of the Beatitudes, Phoenix, AZ
1998: Cynthia Peterson
Phoenix College Art Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
1994: Cynthia Peterson
University Club, Arizona State University
1991: Cynthia Peterson, Paintings and Drawings
Glendale Community College, Glendale, AZ
Cynthia Peterson: Recent Work
Milepost Nine Gallery, Arizona Western College, Yuma, AZ
SELECTED JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2006: 14th Colored Pencil Society of America International Exhibition
EXPO New Mexico Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2005: Watercolor USA 2005
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO
2004: Watercolor USA 2004
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO
1999: AWA National Watercolor Exhibition 1999
West Valley Art Museum, Surprise, AZ
1998: Colored Pencil Society of America, AZ Chapter Juried Exhibition
Grady Gammage Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
1997: Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Exhibition 1997
Foothills Art Center, Golden CO
1996: CPSA 1996 International Colored Pencil Exhibition
Poway Center for the Performing Arts, San Diego, CA
Arizona Aqueous “96
Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ
1995: Irving Shapiro Memorial National Watercolor Exhibition
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fines Arts, Chicago, IL
1994: National Watercolor Society 74th Annual Exhibition
Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, CA
Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Exhibition 1994
Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
1993: Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Exhibition 1993
Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
Arizona Artists’ Guild Annual Juried Spring Exhibition
Shemer Art Center, Phoenix, AZ
1991: Watercolor USA 1991
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO
Arizona Aqueous VI/91. Entry selected for 2-year traveling exhibit
Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ
1990: Arizona Aqueous V/90. Entry selected for 1-year traveling exhibit.
Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ
SELECTED INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2008 Masters of Illusion
Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
Table Manners
AZ Museum for Youth, Mesa, AZ
Watercolor USA Honor Society
Art Center at Fallbrook, Fallbrook, CA
2006: WHS Members Exhibit
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
2005: WHS Members Exhibit
Park Gallery, Springfield, MO
2004: Local Color
Duley-Jones Gallery, Scottsdale AZ
Respite
Stark Gallery @ Xavier Prep, Phoenix, AZ
2003: Watercolor Now
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO
Curator’s Choice
Grand Rapids Community College Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2002: FUNdamentals: Building Blocks of Art
Arizona Museum for Youth. Mesa, AZ
2000: A to Z: Art by the Letter
Arizona Museum for Youth
1997: Third Annual Watercolor Invitational
Vanier & Roberts Ltd. Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Watercolor Now! 1997
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO
1996: Second Annual Watercolor Invitational
Vanier & Roberts Ltd. Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
1995: First Annual Watercolor Invitational
Vanier & Roberts Ltd. Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Watercolor Now! 1995
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg TN and
Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
1994: Art For The Heart
M.A. Doran Gallery, Tulsa, OK
1993: Watercolor Now! 1993
Salt Lake City Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT
1991: Watercolor Now! 1991
Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO