I call myself an IDEAList – an innovator, dreamer, educator, artist, and leader. I love to use my creative talent and artistic skills to make things that bring beauty and pleasure into people’s lives. I work primarily in watercolor and textile, but I have been experimenting with various other mediums while staying home during the pandemic. I’ve tried works in acrylic, mixed media, collage, art quilts and coloring book. You can view my paintings on my website at: www.cynthia-schoeppel.pixels.com. Besides Springfield Art Guild, I am a member of Del Ray Artisans.

I have been coloring, painting, and sewing since I was a child. I taught myself to knit, crochet and embroider and learned to sew and paint.  I taught hand arts to grade schoolers through high school students for 15 years at summer camps. So that is how I started my artistic journey. I continued to sew and dabble in various artistic forms while pursuing a career in human resources/human capital management and training and development. I took some Art History courses at NOVA in 2006 and 2007 and that led me to get an Associate’s Degree in Fine Art where I took classes in painting and drawing. Then I took classes in watercolor at The Art League because I have always loved watercolor works.

Since leaving the daily office workforce, I’ve focused on my artistic journey in watercolor painting and textile sewing. I’m inspired by nature, especially flowers. I love to paint chairs and benches and, lately, shells. I usually have an emotion or feeling in mind that I want to express through the work so that the viewer is drawn to the work through that feeling. My watercolor work is becoming spare, stark, and ethereal. My textile work is very vibrant and linear although I am branching out to nature subjects in my art quilts.

I like to work in series and my Blue Series and my “C” Series are favorites of mine in watercolor. I also like the way my current series, From the Sea and the Shore, is turning out. I love making my fabric tote bags and ditty bags and working on embroidery, art quilts and counted cross stitch pictures. I recently finished a cross stitch painting of my friend’s cat, Oscar, from a photo she sent me so she’ll get it back as a cross stitch work as a holiday gift. Every day is a new adventure so I just get up see where it takes me. Ciao! Cynthia

Honors and Awards:

“Magnolia Blossom at Dusk” featured as a Sept. image for 2021 Del Ray Artisans calendar.

“Apple Basket” featured as a Sept. image for 2020 Del Ray Artisans calendar.

“Summer Seashore #2” featured as a Sept. image for 2019 Del Ray Artisans calendar.

“Biltmore Brilliance” solo show at Manassas City Library, Manassas, VA – May 2019

East Meets West solo show at Manassas City Library, Manassas, VA – July 2018.

Gardenscapes solo show at George Mason Govt Center, Annandale, VA – Sept. through Dec. 2017.

“Magnolia Blossom at Dusk” Third Place contest finalist on Fine Art America July 2017.

“A Winter Walk” featured as the Jan. image for the 2017 Town of Vienna, VA calendar.

Featured Artist, Vienna Arts Society Gallery, “Biltmore Brilliance” Exhibit, April & May, 2016.

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