Cynthia Hawkes studied in a BA program at UNB in Fredericton, New Brunswick. While there, she developed a passion for dance and spent many years in Toronto, New York, and finally Ottawa, training and preforming. After settling in Montreal and having children, she switched from dance to jewellery and another passion was discovered. Cynthia completed a specialised contemporary jewellery program at the Saidye Bronfman School of Fine Arts. She has been teaching jewellery fundamentals and the art of silver smithing at the Centre des Arts Visuels in Westmount, Quebec, for the past 20 years where she is currently Head of the Department. A professional jeweller, she perfected her art while working as a jewellery buyer for several years, which gave her a heightened knowledge of jewellery and an appreciation of the many styles of jewellery.  Her work has been featured in student group shows at Galerie Noel Guyomarc'h in Montreal and Galerie L.A. Pai Gallery in Ottawa.