Nature as a Canvas

At nine years old, Cynthia Eral received her first set of oil paints. Now, after a lifetime of education and professional experience in art, she's providing many of our adult patrons their first experience with oil paints — her preferred medium because, she said, "it flows from the brush and is never the same application".

Beginner and intermediate artists can learn from Cynthia's traditional yet contemporary style — specifically for capturing aspects of the Sonoran Desert like landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife. She said subjects like this come natural to her having grown up on a small farm in Minnesota where she spent time adventuring in the woods, camping by the river, gardening with her grandparents, and enjoying the colors and patterns of the changing seasons. Today, Cynthia finds inspiration for her art on the many trails in Arizona.

"The natural world helps me connect with my subjects to find the right emotion I want to convey," said Cynthia. "By observing the details of everyday surroundings, I find endless ideas."

Cynthia's juried work exhibits at The Finer Arts Gallery in Cave Creek, Camelback Art Gallery, Dorleg Home Furnishings, and Tierra Del Lagarto. www.cynthiadesignsaz.com