Cindy Egoroff Alexander
Artist's Statement

Watercolor has been my main medium for several years. There's so much you can do with it! Colored pencils, acrylics, oils, lithography, intaglio printing and photography are other media I have explored in the past.

Digital photography is an interesting medium. The world of some marvelous critters can be seen on my website on the Insects and Spiders page. You can follow some of the life cycle of an exquisite Black-and-yellow Argiope spider there. It had only seven legs. If you look closely at the grasshoppers (and it will be hard not to because some of my photos are the up close and personal style), you'll find they have beautiful markings. Sometimes it's very difficult to stop clicking pictures! Subject matter seems to be everywhere!

As far as influences on my artwork, there are many. My major in college was studio art, but we studied art history, too. It was interesting to learn what artists did during different time periods and in different parts of the world. In order to truly understand many types of art, it helps to know what was going on at the time and to which influences the artists were reacting. What were the current art styles? Was the artist embracing those or going off in another direction, maybe in reaction to the current thinking? From prehistoric art to the current time period, I learned to at least try to understand what the artist was doing, whether I personally liked his/her art or not. Always bits and pieces stick as your own style develops. I like to try different things, explore a variety of subject matter.

Currently, I'm studying Concept Art and Character Design. I want to see what I can do with both traditional art materials (predominently watercolor) and with digital art. I'm teaching myself more about Adobe Photoshop (using the CS4 version) and using a Wacom digital drawing pad.

My formal training in art includes a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington; a variety of botanical art classes (particularly in watercolor and colored pencil) from the Morton Arboretum's excellent offerings; black-and-white photography classes from Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL; on-the-job cartooning and illustration in the art department of Arthur Andersen & Co. at their former training center in St. Charles, IL (1981-1985); and what I've learned from talking with other artists, reading various art magazines and technique books, viewing art exhibits, and experimenting.

Memberships include: The Nature Artist's Guild of the Morton Arboretum, The Northwest Area Arts Council, The Fox Valley Arts Council, The Art Institute of Chicago.

One Day in the Park

© Cindy Egoroff Alexander 1999

Website designed and maintained by Cindy Egoroff Alexander. Last updated 11/11/2009.