Cindy Walton, a committed artist from childhood, and a native of St. Petersburg, Florida, moved to Asheville in 1988. She earned a baccalaureate degree in art from Salem College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina and returned to University of North Carolina Asheville for her Bachelor of Fine Art. The warmth and effervescence of the Florida coast and the quiet energy of mountainous Western North Carolina are both strongly evident in her work, in imagery as well as in coloration. She has developed highly personalized techniques that translate and transform nature and iconography. As a result, her paintings are transformative interpretations rather than literal renderings. Walton has had several one-person exhibits across the southeast; solo venues include the Asheville School, Asheville Area Arts Council and the Johnson City (Tennessee) Area Arts Council. Her work has been exhibited at the Asheville Art Museum, Florida’s National Vernissage des Femmes Artistes exhibit, Salem College (North Carolina) and various galleries, colleges, and universities.Walton is a recipient of a Virginia Center for Creative Arts fellowship (Amherst, Virginia) and, also of a North Carolina Arts Council Regional Artist Project Grant. Most recently Signature Painting of the Western North Carolina Aids Project award, as well as first place National Association of Women Artist Works on Paper Exhibition (New Jersey). Walton’s painting Autumn Fog and comments are included in the newly published book by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin, Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts and Conversations. She is available nationally as a teacher, most notably in Asheville, North Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia and at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico.