Deepest condolences to all of Cynthia’s family, friends and community members. Sending Silver Sullivan much love.  

Sandi Miller

so now that I am logged in, I have my microphone working let’s see if I can re-create what was the story... 

So Cynthia and I met in about 1969 in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was my first year teaching NYC junior high school art. and Cynthia had been teaching there a while, and she became my mentor and friend pretty immediately.  We used to play recorder -- 4 female teachers, that she organized & we played alto, tenor, and two Sopranos  Baroque music that she taught us, & we talked about relationships and sex everyday lunchtime.  

We went to her home sometime after work, and she taught me how to roll a joint which has been invaluable, and that you MUST tear lettuce for salads  instead of cutting it, which has been less valuable.

Cynthia was pretty bossy and I had very low self-esteem and so over the years I kind of lost contact with her because I kept having these dreams/nightmares...  many of them, for decades, trying to work out how to become a peer with her. She would boss me in these dreams... hahaha

When I came back from my five-year trip around the world 1987 painting watercolors and living rurally, I met up with her in NYC and she looked at my paintings that I had done on the trip and the only thing she said , I think, was "they have no perspective they’re flat".... maybe she said something nicer, but I don’t remember it, so again I stepped away for a while till I could stand up to her, which I did in the past 15-20 years -- we had a really really nice relationship about art , feminism, being proud Jews & Zionist, being progressive,  about Brooklyn and everything. We just talked & argued about so many things and it was cut too short. 

We were both old by now, and I didn’t take advantage of traveling together. I was going to meet Silver & Cynthia in Mexico (?) and I cancelled; I regret that. You never know that the person could die tomorrow ... and you should take advantage of every opportunity, even if it feels like an effort. Even if you fight, it is still being alive together in relationship, though it’s hard to feel that while you’re arguing.... I was really lucky that Cynthia was in my life. 

All these decades she was really a force to be reckoned with and to be admired. Her art certainly will stand on its own feet. May our memories be with us in our days, making a smile, laugh, and be irritated. That’s what zest for life is.

Etana in Florida

What I wrote disappeared and then it took me 15 times to login with the wrong passwords and Facebook and wrong email and so I’m just gonna say that Cynthia and I had  little computer squabbles where we also had trouble logging in and computer issues, and we yelled at each other,... so I’ll have to remember that even irritating computer troubleshooting is something you can do with a friend.  I miss her every day..

I know we all have to die and I’m seeing that more and more as my friends get older but it sure is rotten isn’t it?

Etana in Florida

Cynthia was an icon in the Staten Island community. She was loved by all for who she was as a person. and for her superb art going back decades that graces so many places here and elsewhere. May she rest peacefully. Cynthia will be missed by more than we can count. Condolences to her family and friends.

Cynthia is unforgettable!  I’m glad that I was privileged to know her in several of her various Community roles. 

Anne TC