Cranford Winter Skating by Cynthia Dawley

Cranford is home to many historic buildings, picturesque parks, and a bustling downtown. But when you ask residents what they truly love about Cranford, it’s not so much about places but more about feelings. The feeling of community. The feeling of family. The feeling of friendship. The feeling of finding happiness in life’s simple pleasures. 

Cynthia Dawley’s “Winter Skating” painting evoked all those feelings in me when I first saw it. The scene captures the sheer joy and innocence of ice skating on a winter’s day. Cynthia grew up in Cranford, and much of her impressionistic artwork reflects the memories of a childhood spent in this special town. Her father was the late renowned artist Joseph Dawley, so art is her blood! 

A member of Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and American Women Artists, Cynthia works in oils to depict not only what she sees, but what she feels and has experienced, using color and light to capture those moments on canvas. Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries around the country, and her work has been used by such businesses as Cartier, Colavita, and even on the HBO series “The Sopranos.”

Cynthia had this to say about her “Winter Skating” piece: “Ask any longtime resident of Cranford for ‘Cranford memories’ and undoubtedly skating on the river will be one of them. As soon as the river freezes I grab my camera and run in search of skaters. On this particular day, I came across some friends with their neighbors skating, laughing, falling, and I knew it was a moment I had to capture on canvas.” Visit Cynthia’s Website to learn more CynthiaDawley.com

Cynthia’s painting reminds me of the never-ending little joys of living in Cranford and raising my three sons here. I hope my children have memories that resemble Cynthia’s beautiful painting. I know I do, and I’ll keep building on those memories as I enjoy Living . . . Loving . . . Working . . . LOCAL!