Laurence Overmire said, "We are the last generation with a real opportunity to save the world." My experience for over twenty years watching the rapid destruction of the coral reefs in the Florida Keys has given me the vision to make pottery connected to the reefs. Most of the pieces have inspiration from the photos I have taken while diving in the Caribbean and the Keys. The large pieces are created to be seen in the round, similar to the experience of diving. Textural forms seen on turtles, negative spaces, carving, color, sheen, movement, and depth perception are all part of this body of work. The connection between art and science is important. I can only hope to inspire humanity to care for our reefs one piece at a time. --Cynthia Cooper

Cynthia is a founding member of the Clay Artist's Guild, and spent a quarter of a century as an art educator at Goshen High School. She earned her Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Science in Art Education and Art Therapy at the University of Evansville, and her Master of Arts in Ceramics from the University of St. Francis.

Cynthia is a highly acclaimed potter and educator. Her work has been selected for exhibits across the country, including Indiana, Texas, Long Island and New Mexico. She has also presented workshops and spoken at events from Wisconsin to Florida. Cynthia was awarded a Lilly Creative Fellowship Grant in 2013 that allowed her to study underwater photography and incorporate the scenes into her artwork.

The Hershberger Art Gallery is located inside the Goshen College Music Center. The Gallery is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. business days and Saturdays, and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays during the academic year. At this time, masks are required in all Goshen College indoor public spaces.