When she started painting a few years ago in her attic, "That was the only area we had at the time," she said she never thought about selling her paintings. She said she joined an art club which has a show every season at the Art Bash. There, she said, she sold two of them.
"I thought wow! Someone likes my paintings enough to actually pay for them," Richardon said. Then, last Friday, newly installed at Scott-Milo Gallery, Richardson said she sold five paintings during First Friday Gallery Walk, where we caught up with her for this photo. While I was talking with her, one person who was looking at her work, told her that he has enjoyed seeing her work improve.
She told us she took a couple of classes in college, painted a little bit in her early 20's. Then, Richardson said, "I had three kids." She took a break for four decades. After all, she said, "Moma's little helpers needed me."
She said that about three years ago she saw that Jennifer Bowman was teaching painting, so she signed up for a weekend workshop at Tri-Dee in Mount Vernon. Since then she has taken classes at the Senior Center here, then more classes with Dianna Shyne. "I really feel like I've learned more with Dianna in two years than I would have in many years on my own."
But, we asked, why paint? "It's relaxing, but creative. You get to create something that has never existed before and it can be anything you want. I enjoy architecture for the same thing." She said, as an architect, there are more constraints. Clients want something, zoning and building codes impose limitations. Meanwhile, "In painting you do what you want do."
"What I create on my canvas grows out of my imagination. it could be anywhere." She said doing landscapes is her favorite thing to do. She bases her landscapes on an actual scene or photograph.
As for the future? "I guess i'll just pretty much keep doing what I'm doing. Painting some every week. Maybe try some different techniques."
Soon, Cynthia Richardson will have a bit more time on her hands. She'll leave her City Council position at the end of this year. She has said, "Twelve years in government is long enough." She was on the city's Planning Commission before being elected to Council.