PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Cynthia Lahti is a native Oregonian who finds inspiration in its physical and psychological landscape. She grew up in Portland Oregon, leaving to earn her bachelors degree at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1985. After graduating she returned to Portland where she continues to live and make art.
Travel, exploring eclectic museums and camping in the wild parts of Oregon energizes her artistically. Teaching drawing and collage classes at the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts and Creative Arts Community has also been a rewarding and inspiring part of life. She was awarded the Halle Ford Fellowship for artists in 2013, and is represented by PDX Contemporary Art in Portland, Oregon.
She creates works of art that reflect the beauty and chaos of the world. Her art, which encompasses drawing, collage, and ceramic sculpture, is influenced by human artifacts from ancient times to the present, as well as by my personal experiences and emotions. She believes that even the smallest artifact can evoke the most powerful feelings, and She draws her inspiration from objects and images, both historical and contemporary, that have the potential to reflect beyond themselves.
She seeks in her art to force a deeper explanation of reality and to facilitate a connection with a larger human experience. She is currently exploring the way various materials affect the conceptual intent and impact of each piece. The results have been exciting, and have expanded the artworks’ potency and eloquence.