BLOCK PARTY - photographs by CYNTHIA RICHARDS
On exhibit at Central Bank of Boone County
May 21 - July 12
ARTIST STATEMENT:
In my photography practice, which is informed by my background in theater, I like to
stage objects in direct sunlight to create a drama of reflections and shadows. The
photos in this exhibition are created with colored plexiglass blocks, construction paper,
textured colored paper, cardboard packing material, paint samples, a rubber washer,
and a scrap metal dowel. It is always interesting to me to see how the sun impacts the
objects on my “stage," and how quickly it alters the look of my temporarily constructed
set as its position in the sky changes, causing me to make adjustments. Working in this
way with the sun, I'm constantly reminded that nothing is permanent.
For me, creating photos is like a meditation. It leads me to let go of the everyday world
for a while and to connect with a force much greater than myself. It nourishes and
energizes me. I hope you will come away from this show with a similar, positive feeling.
— Cynthia Richards
ARTIST BIO:
Abstract photographer, Cynthia Richards, has had her work presented in national juried
exhibitions at galleries in North Carolina and Massachusetts. Her work has also been
shown in regional juried exhibitions held by such organizations as The Columbia Art
League, Art St. Louis, and The St. Louis Artists’ Guild. Her work has been given
several awards in exhibitions held by The Columbia Art League (CAL): her photo,
“Lapse of Memory,” was awarded first place in CAL’s “Monochrome” exhibition in
2020; her photo, “The Blue at the Top of the Stairs,” was given an honorable mention
in CAL’s Winter Members’ Show that same year; and in 2021 her photo, “Hiding in
Plain Sight,” was awarded third place in the CAL Members’ Summer Show.
Cynthia grew up in Northern Virginia. Her adult years include many spent in New York
City, and then many more in St. Louis, where she earned a Ph.D. in comparative
literature with an emphasis in drama at Washington University. She now lives on a
small farm outside of Columbia with her husband, two big dogs, and a studio full of
inspiring light.
