On the Bright Side: Cynthia Reid and Garden Tour
Saturday, June 29 from 4:00 to 7:00

Orleans, MA — The Addison Art Gallery invites the public to a reception for new oils by Cynthia Reid and wet painting completed that day during the Orleans Improvement Society’s Garden Tour from 4:00 to 7:00 on Saturday, June 29.

In Reid’s show, “On the Bright Side,” color, shape, and texture are key elements in her oil paintings. Reid’s bird portraits, florals, bird nests, cottages, landscapes, and garden vignettes provide a contemporary take on traditional subject matter. In painting her flowers and birds, she takes a whimsical approach and uses a sunny palette of colors. “These paintings are intended to evoke joy and portray the inherent beauty of the natural world,” says Reid.

About the Artist Cynthia Reid left a successful career as a physician to pursue a passion for painting that had consistently increased while she was practicing medicine. Her interest in art began when she was young and painted with her paternal grandparents, both of whom were oil painters. An avid gardener, Reid lives in Tucson, where she enjoys the lush Sonoran Desert with her sweet studio dog, Poppy, and her husband, John.

Reid was chosen as an Emerging Artist by Phoenix Home and Garden and is featured in the 2014 book Contemporary Art of the Southwest, by E. Ashley Rooney and Julie Sasse.

Artist’s Statement "I paint because I have a passion for expressing the beauty of the natural world. Using a palette knife and oil paints allows me to capture that beauty by recreating nature's varying textures, color, and movement. These three elements are seen in my recent works — bold sunflowers, vibrant poppies, dancing irises, and waterscapes. My intention is that each painting allows the viewer to enjoy a sense of being in a particular place. I believe that the viewer completes every work of art and want my paintings to start a conversation."

About the Garden Tour
The Orleans Improvement Association will host its annual garden tour on Saturday, June 29 from 10 am to 4 pm. The tour features six lovely gardens where attendees can observe plein air painters at work and interact with master gardeners. Following the tour, the public is invited to see wet garden paintings at the Addison Art Gallery reception from 4 to 7. Jonathan McPhillips, Pam Atkins, Linda Beach and Catherine Hess will be among the garden painters.

Tickets for the tour may be purchased in advance for $30 each at Agway, The Farm, Friends’ and Snow’s. The day of the event they are $35 and can be purchased at Nauset Middle School between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Learn more at orleansimprovement.org.