About the Artist

Cynthia Bickers Collins has painted portraits and landscapes for over 25 years. The daugher of missionary parents, the artist was born in Texas, grew up in Central Africa, and attended an international boarding school in Nairobi, Kenya. She returned stateside to attend college in Texas and later moved to New York City where she studied at the Art Students League and NYU.

The artist's exposure to many different cultures developed in her a strong empathy for people of different nationalities and walks of life. She is skilled in capturing faces and personalities of both people and animals. Many have remarked on the lifelike quality of her portraits.  While many artists concentrate on one or two genres, Cynthia moves easily from human portraits to garden scenes to animals to house portraits to cross-cultural studies to large-scale landscapes. She says, "The longer I paint, the more interrelated things become. There's so much in life that captures my eye. The thing I love about painting portraits, whether of a person or an animal, is that I am capturing the heart and soul of someone much loved by the client. It's very challenging and personal. I'm no longer painting for myself or my own ego, but using every skill I have to bring to life on canvas someone I've barely met. It's a skill God gave me and that I hope to use well for the benefit of other people."

In addition to painting, Cynthia is also a composer/songwriter and guitar player, with about 65 completed songs to date.

The artist moved to Memphis, Tennessee in the early 90's to be near her extended family. She has one daughter, Laura, a son-in-law named Jacob (a marine!), and two grandaughters named Lily and Annabelle.

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait or a painting for your home, please feel free to contact the artist.