In The Atelier, every piece tells a story—but not all at once.
We are excited to kick off our new social series, The Atelier Edit: Meet the Artists, with Cynthia Young. Her process begins with observation. Often working from life, she starts with quick, instinctive gesture drawings—seven-minute studies that loosen the hand and sharpen the eye. These moments of immediacy sometimes become the work itself, setting the tone for pieces that feel both intentional and fluid.
Her featured painting in the space was inspired by a young artist named Harriet, who stepped in as a model one evening when plans shifted. It was an unplanned moment—one that left a lasting impression. The result is a piece that captures not just likeness, but presence—an interpretation shaped as much by memory and feeling as by form.
Harriet’s Moment by Cynthia Young
12 x 16 | Acrylic on Board
Cynthia’s work lives in the space between realism and abstraction. Figures, florals, and landscapes appear often, but never quite as expected. Instead, they are layered—built up over time, sometimes painted over and reimagined—creating a depth that reveals itself gradually. It’s work that asks something of the viewer: to step closer, to linger, to look again.
This layered perspective is informed, in part, by her earlier career in design. Cynthia first participated in the Decorators’ Show House in the 1990s as an interior designer—an experience that shaped her understanding of space, composition, and how people move through and experience a room. Now, returning as a featured artist, her work carries that same spatial awareness—art that doesn’t just sit within a room, but interacts with it.
This sense of curiosity is central to her philosophy. Creating something greater than beauty, for Cynthia, means creating with intention—inviting an emotional response that extends beyond what is immediately visible. Her paintings are not just to be seen, but experienced.
That spirit aligns seamlessly with The Atelier, where art is not only displayed, but explored. As guests move through the space, her work becomes part of a larger dialogue—one that celebrates process, perspective, and the creative community itself.
With a background that spans both creative practice and arts leadership—including her role as Executive Director of the Sullivan Munce Cultural Center—Cynthia brings a depth of experience that bridges disciplines and generations of the local arts community.
And perhaps that’s what makes her work feel so at home here.
Learn more about Cynthia and stay connected to her work and events through Instagram, @cynthiayoungart. Harriet’s Moment, the piece displayed in The Atelier, is available for purchase through JED. More of Cynthia’s work is available as prints and on various products (such as tote bags, notebooks, and puzzles) through Fine Art America. Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your talents with us in the 2026 Decorators’ Show House.
