Hidden Depth

Cathy Diefendorf is a lifelong Upstate New York artist who began her career as a freelance illustrator after earning a BFA in Illustration and Painting from Syracuse University. For many years she worked on a wide range of commercial projects, a path that demanded speed, clarity, and problem-solving across different clients and formats. Throughout most of that illustration career, she was represented by Mendola, LTD of Manhattan, which helped support a steady stream of commissioned work.

After nearly twenty-five years in illustration, Diefendorf made a deliberate shift toward fine art, choosing to focus on studio paintings and commissions that were more personal in subject and direction. Her landscapes and water paintings are collected for color and atmosphere, and her Lake George scenes in particular have become a consistent favorite. She continues to produce new work for gallery exhibitions and collectors, with subject matter spanning water, trees, and regional landscape views.