Cynthia Hargraves’s paintings convey her love of capturing the fresh vividness of light as it plays on her subjects.  Whether the subject is of people, animals or nature that are used to create an emotional impact it is by controlling values, edges, light and pulsating colour that work together in creating her works of art.

Cynthia was born in America but moved to Australia when 6 yrs old.  She comes from an artistic family and was taught to paint and draw from a young age. Although Cynthia has a Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and is a Blue Card holder, her formal tuition in art has been with many different master teachers from Australia and Overseas over the span of 30 years. Her work is more influenced currently by  world renown Sally Strand and Clayton J Beck III ( taught by Richard Schmidt ). Both American artists.
Her love of pastels has led her to achieve  Master Pastellist qualifications with the Pastel Society of Australia which receives world wide recognition. She has won awards for her paintings and had them published in Australian Artist magazine in April, August 2006 and written  articles on Portraiture and Seascapes as requested by the editor of this magazine. The Seascape article has recently been published in the March edition this year.
Much of her work is through commissions in portraiture, life studies, landscapes and flowers.
Cynthia’s love of flowers has been solely in oil paintings on large canvases.  These are available as a single painting or in triptych and diptych.  Her floral fine art demonstrates her love of portraying a vivid freshness from early morning light. 
Much of her landscapes reflects her extensive travels throughout Australia and overseas while her portraiture and life studies are found throughout everyday life.
Her work has been represented by Lumiere in Perth. In Brisbane and the Gold Coast her work is exhibited in various venues. Graydon Gallery 2008 and February 2009 at a large exhibition with Penelope Gilbert Ng in aid of the Mental Illness Fellowship for Queensland.