ARTS & EVENTS
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Wednesday, January 8, 2014 Salmon Arm Observer
Artist buoyed by recognition By Barb Brouwer OBSERVER STAFF
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relative newcomer to the art world, Cynthia Langford’s work has been given worldwide exposure in a high-profile magazine. Her painting entitled “Mama Doula” is featured in the December 2013 issue of The Rotarian, a publication of Rotary International. “The painting was inspired by my friend’s daughter who had travelled to Nicaragua where she was studying midwifery,” says Langford, noting the young woman had taken a photo of a similar picture she had seen on a wall there. “Her mom asked me to paint it for her birthday.” Langford says Rotary International was putting together a story on mothers in developing countries and had found the picture on her website. Late in the summer, Rotary International got in touch with Langford to ask if they could use the image in their magazine. “It gave me a lot of confidence to continue painting,” she says. “I felt very honoured. As an artist, you always wonder because there are so many great artists around.” An adventure devotee, Langford started painting seriously a couple of years ago after taking a 10-day course with an artist in Italy. “It’s a wonderful place to go for a holiday and for art,” she says enthusiastically, describing her painting experience prior to that as “dabbling.” And what she dabbled in was water colours – that is, until her artist mother urged her to try acrylics. “I absolutely loved it; you can
texture and use bold colours.” And it is a love of adventure that fuels Langford’s artwork. At a stage in her life when her children are no longer dependent on her, Langford is celebrating life with a series of exciting adventures travelling with “a great group of women.” “My recent works have been painted from photographs taken while on holiday in Utah and Nevada, Greece and Italy,” says Langford in a statement on her website that features her artwork. “It has been a joy to re-live my travels while painting the white buildings and the beautiful blue Mediterranean sea, warm brick buildings in Italy with laundry hanging from windows, cobblestone streets, hiking the magnificent Zion Narrows and kayaking down the Colorado River.” Closer to home, Langford recently biked the Kettle Valley Railway and was entranced by a large ponderosa pine she saw near Penticton. The result? A painting she loves. Her biggest fan, she says, is her husband who has built her a “lovely”in-home studio. It is where the Maple Tree Clinic office manager spends a lot of her time, well, when she is not playing tennis, kayaking, walking her dog or on another adventure. “There are so many life adventures to do – they’re called life rewards, so I can do this now,” she laughs. “I paint it and if you don’t like it, it’s fine. I don’t like to put pressure on myself either.” Langford’s artwork, which is available in a variety of prints and cell phone covers, can be viewed at www.cynthia-langford.artistwebsites.com.
JAMES MURRAY/OBSERVER
Adventures in art: Local artist Cynthia Langford’s painting entitled Mama Doula was chosen for inclusion in The Rotarian. Many of the artist’s paintings are done from photos taken on trips to destinations far and wide.
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