Cynthia Reid was born in New York City, and spent most of her childhood in Blauvelt, New York, a small town 20 miles north of New York City.   Reid attended Syracuse University and the University of Colorado, ultimately moving to Texas where she completed her degree in Art Education at Sam Houston State University.  She taught Art in several high schools in Conroe ISD over a thirty year period.  During that time she also earned two more degrees at SHSU — a Master of Education in 1977, and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting in 1988.

After retiring from Conroe ISD in 2004, Reid taught various art classes at Lone Star College, and now teaches Painting in Aquamedia at SHSU.  She worked for the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival from 2011 – 2016 doing Artist Management.  She also coordinates the Angel Show Holiday Market in Huntsville, a gift market featuring local artisans at the Sam Houston Museum.  She is a nine year member of the Montgomery County Master Gardener Association, and currently serves as the Membership Chairperson.

Reid has been a watercolorist for the past 30 years.  She has shown her work extensively in Texas, New York, and Mexico in numerous group shows, juried shows, and twelve solo exhibitions. Early paintings focused on old buildings and architectural details, but more recently her experiences as a Texas Master Gardener and a nature enthusiast have strengthened her connection to the environment and influenced her latest works. Favorite subjects include trees and bodies of water, with the challenge of capturing movement and reflection.  Her paintings are owned by collectors throughout the United States and Mexico.