Cynthia Fuhrer

Fuhrer holds a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Alberta, following graduate study at the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta. Her deep foundation in narrative painting informs her approach to clay, which she treats as a three-dimensional canvas. Her sculptural work is characterized by twinned, conjoined, and mirrored forms that explore divided identity, relational embodiment, and the complex emotional states women inhabit. Reimagining classical archetypes and transformation stories, she merges hand-built ceramic forms with intricate underglaze drawings, continuous glaze testing, and expressive surface exploration to build layered, tactile records of memory and self-possession.

Her sculptural practice has been further refined through intensive masterclasses with internationally recognized figurative sculptors, including Cristina Córdova, Beth Cavener, Sergei Isupov, and Claire Partington. This rigorous training in anatomy and ceramic surface manipulation enables her to bridge the boundaries between fine art illustration and classical craft.

Her work has been exhibited widely across Western Canada, including solo presentations at Touchstones Gallery, Galerie Cité, Harcourt House, and the Art Gallery of St. Albert, as well as group exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Alberta and through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) TREX program. Her work is held in public collections through the AFA and in private collections across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her imagery also contributes directly to Edmonton’s cultural landscape through the Alberta Avenue Revitalization Project. 

Alongside her studio production, Fuhrer is a passionate arts educator who has taught at the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, Harcourt House, and the Art Gallery of St. Albert. Through her teaching, exhibitions, and public art, she remains deeply committed to enriching Alberta’s artistic community.