Originally from California, Cynthia studied fine arts at Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles where she earned a BFA degree, and later at California College of Art in Oakland, where she earned an MFA degree with high distinction. Her work seeks to encompass the social and cultural history of landscape and place, which has served as a catalyst for her many drawings, sculptures, and public projects. Her more recent venture into landscape architecture has led to an MLA degree from Penn State University. This significant shift has provided an opportunity to blend her aesthetic interests with the function of landscape in the built environment.