Artist Biography
Cynthia Copley is a painter living and working in Ipswich/Tulmur, Queensland. Copley’s practice is an immersive, sensory driven exploration of the natural world through plein air observation. Copley refines her outdoor practice in her studio, drawing on plein air studies, photographs, memory and imagination to produce expressive interpretations of the landscapes in Southeast Queensland.
Following her success as the winner of the inaugural Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Award in 2021, Copley’s recent exhibition history reflects her professional growth as a regional artist. Recent showcases include a collaborative exhibition in 2024, “Conversations In Open Spaces” funded by a Regional Arts Development Fund granted by Ipswich City Council and Arts Queensland. This project which toured to Crows Nest Gallery in 2025 highlights Copley’s ability to translate personal memory and local geography into her unique visual language.
Earlier this year Copley showcased her second solo exhibition ‘Angle of Incidence’ having been invited to be the first exhibiting artist at Limestone Gallery and Studios. This exhibition explored Copley’s fascination with reflective light above and below the water’s surface. Copley has recently completed an Undergraduate Certificate in Fine Art with Distinction and is a student in the Bachelor of Fine Art at Curtin University. Another significant aspect of Copley’s artistic practice is community engagement as Secretary of the Ipswich Artists Run Initiative (IPSARI Inc) and through designing and facilitating skills based and professional development workshops throughout Queensland.