Cynthia Peterson - The Luminous Object

West Valley Art Museum in Surprise is showing the work of painter Cynthia Peterson. The 11 paintings are deftly nuanced portrayals of still lifes containing many glass and shiny objects. Peterson uses watercolor for most of the carefully composed renditions of the glowing and transparent bottles, vases and bowls. However, colored pencil and oil are used in several others. The largest of the works is 40 by 60 inches, a watercolor entitled “Swimming in the Blue”. Cynthia says of her approach to her art: “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. However, 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 imagery, the conceptual process is occupied with more formalist concerns of visual structure: shape, space, figure/field, pattern, value and color.” Visitors will find her work fascinating to peruse as the myriad number of objects her paintings contain have multiple overlaps and shade each other as Peterson applies her considerable skills in presenting glass and other reflective surfaces with authority and accuracy. By varying the point of view the artist provides the spectator with extreme close-up or an unusual overhead sighting. She asks the observer to explore this world with her; the world of light & shadow, near and far, real and abstract within the art.