Cynthia Peterson considers herself to be “a contemporary realist whose roots are in a classical tradition.” Much of her work consists of still-life constructions built around the way surfaces play with color and light using glass and watercolor in realistic and abstract styles. She often uses watercolor because it allows her to achieve greater color luminosity in the illusion of transparent and reflective surfaces. 

Ms. Peterson has received many awards and she has exhibited in many solo and national exhibitions including the Rocky Mountain National and Colored Pencil Society  International exhibitions. Her artwork has been published in multiple magazines and she is on the board of directors for Watercolor USA Honor Society. She holds a BFA degree from Northern Arizona University and a MFA from Arizona State University. She teaches figure drawing, oil painting and watercolor classes at Mesa Community College and resides in Phoenix, AZ.